Are your board members getting frustrated with your current board portal software and its support service? Worried about those extra “add-on costs” that seem to be piling up each month for things like additional committees, training or extra data? Or are conversations around data security bringing an anxious silence to the boardroom table?
It might be time to consider reassessing your board portal solution.
Why reassess your board portal?
Board portal software was built to save time-strapped admins and valued board members hours on preparing and running effective board meetings and to keep sensitive information protected.
But the reality is that not all board portals offer the same caliber of data security or responsive service. Neither do they offer the same efficiency, mobile technology, collaboration tools, or time-saving search capabilities for document management.
For many organizations, the board portal in place is merely a remnant of who was on the board at the time it was purchased. Or it was initially chosen because board members were used to board software used on another board.
Every few years, it’s worth reassessing if your current board portal software is still the best fit for your board. See what else is on the market to ensure that you’re getting all the board portal benefits and personalized service available for the best value.
Common myths about switching board portal software
Why do boards hesitate to reassess their current solution even when things aren’t going well? Many of us fear change and the sense of “the unknown” that comes with it.
Let’s take a look at some of the common myths around board portal adoption and reassessment and what may be holding you back.
Myth: “Our board members are familiar with our current solution. Having to learn a new system will be a steep learning curve.”
Reality: Modern board management software is intuitive and easy to use from day one. Our customers regularly report that their directors’ one-on-one, 30-minute orientation with Aprio was all they needed to confidently use the system. Administrators are quickly able to become Aprio experts after their two initial orientation sessions. Should anyone require refresher training or support on the go, the Aprio service team is here for you 24/7. Yes, board members call us and get expert help.
Even when you add additional board members to your board portal, we’re happy to train them in one-on-one sessions and we never charge extra for training. We want to make sure that all our customers feel comfortable using our board management software.
Myth: “If I move to a new system, all of my data and work will be lost, or it will be difficult to move it over to a new system.”
Reality: Migrating your data from other board portals or in-house systems into Aprio is easier than you think. You won’t lose your historical data, and should you require assistance, the Aprio support team is always around to lend a hand and provide you with best practices on how to best set up your board software.
See related: Board portal switch: what to expect when you migrate to a new board management system
Myth: “Moving to a new solution will be a massive time sink. I’m busy and I don’t have time for another project.”
Reality: In reality, the transition from your previous solution to Aprio takes as little as four weeks. Typically, our customers kick off the project right after a board meeting. By the time the next board meeting comes along, you and your team will already be up and running on the Aprio software. Migrating to a new portal also creates a quick opportunity to improve how your board operates.
“When we shared with Aprio that we wanted to find ways to better run our board, their service team took the lead in helping us to evolve to our “Aprio 2.0” experience. They helped guide us in reassessing the needs of our board, and advised us on the most streamlined way to operate. We evolved our setup to give board members more convenient access to materials and tools, did a refresher training round, and we’re now seeing the rewards. Board members are coming to meetings better equipped and it’s resulting in more efficient meetings.”
– Kate MacLeod, Governance Specialist, Meridian Credit Union
Myth: “Supporting directors takes time, there’s no way to improve director satisfaction with less effort.”
Reality: Board members routinely share that ease of use in technology and immediate help when needed directly shape their satisfaction with board technology. With Aprio, responsive, expert support is available 24/7, even for directors. And ease of use of our technology is a key factor in our high product reviews on Capterra and G2.
“Aprio’s board portal platform is very easy to use, training is easily obtained and customer support is quick when requiring help. The software has a lot to offer, you can use whatever features suit your Board best. The implementation process was flawless and the onboarding and integration of new Directors to using the software is simple.” – G2 review
Selecting the right board portal
When reassessing your board portal software, consider key factors such as information security, ease of use and essential board portal features like agenda templates and minutes builder.
Evaluate the quality of customer service and support, considering how you could save board administrator time or boost board member satisfaction and engagement with 24/7 expert help. ensuring it meets the needs of your board members.
Pricing is also important—look beyond the initial cost to understand any potential add-on fees. Curious how Aprio pricing works? Request a quote.
Finally consider the overall fit of the vendor including their reputation, responsiveness and how well they align with your organization’s needs.
For more help in selecting the right board portal, see our in-depth guide to evaluate board portal vendors: the top 10 board portal feature comparisons.
“Ease of use is big. As an administrator, I never found Diligent to be user-friendly, but the board was used to it so we stuck to it. Still, I heard from directors that they couldn’t find minutes easily within the Diligent software. Aprio is simpler to use, and as valuable to us as the technology is – the exceptional support from the Aprio team makes a huge difference. We had a few challenges getting up and running but any concerns were solved very quickly. Since then, we’ve had no issues. We know though, that if any concerns arise, we will be well cared for.”
– Sylvie Lemieux-Comtois, Human Resources Manager and Board Administrator, Fort McMurray Airport Authority
Ensuring a smooth transition
Switching to a new board portal isn’t as hard as you may think. While we can’t speak for other board portal software providers, thanks to Aprio’s fantastic support team and our easy-to-use technology, we help customers make the switch from other systems in just a few weeks. We can usually have you up and running before your next board meeting!
Here’s what the path to making a change typically looks like.
Week 1: Portal access: during the first week of Aprio care, you’ll be given access to your new Aprio board portal. Our support team of experienced former board administrators will personally reach out to your board administrator to invite you to schedule your personalized, one-on-one training session and provide some guidance on the best ways to set up your board portal.
Aprio will get to know how your board operates today, share opportunities to best use our board portal technology, and collaborate to select which tools you’ll want to use at launch and how you’ll want to customize your portal from day one. They’ll also be provided with a detailed overview of the process that will take place over the next few weeks. We’ll also provide templates to use to update all board members about the decision to use Aprio as your new board management software.
Week 1: Admin training: Our support team will provide your board administrators with in-depth, one-on-one training. In the first session, we’ll provide an overview of all the features available in Aprio to maximize your board efficiency. Any questions you have can also be addressed at this time.
The second training session will be more hands-on and interactive, and we’ll guide you through the process of creating your own board meeting in Aprio and show you how to upload board documents and materials.
Week 2: Migrate your data:during the third week, you’ll migrate your historical board data into Aprio. Once you’ve uploaded your data, the Aprio support team will check in with you to make sure that everything has been set up correctly. Once that’s confirmed, you’ll be ready to run your first board meeting using Aprio!
Week 3: Director training and first board meeting: during the final week, the Aprio support team will train your directors in one-on-one sessions. Although Aprio is easy to use, we offer personalized training sessions to make sure that everyone using Aprio is 100% comfortable using the system. In addition, should you need any extra help setting your first meeting with Aprio, our support team will be standing by to assist. For example, you can book time with our support staff to review your first meeting prior to sending it to directors.
When it comes time for your first board meeting with Aprio, we’ll be on hand to provide additional support to make sure you have everything you need to make your meeting successful.
Reassessing your board portal? Consider Aprio
Every day, we help many customers like you to lighten the work of getting ready for meetings by providing easy-to-use technology and expert support and technology to directors.
Aprio stands out for providing unmatched expert service and an easy-to-use, secure board portal that works the way a board works. In addition to a seamless onboarding experience, you get top-level industry-standard security, unlimited training and support, along with the best customer loyalty and service satisfaction in the industry.
If you’re considering a switch in board portal software, get in touch with us. We’d love to learn more about your board and help you assess the fit with Aprio.
