Talking Technology: A Discussion With JF Champagne, CAE

Associations Connect Podcast – Episode 4

Interested in some useful tips for maintaining your association’s continuity with government relations and member programming? Want to find out how you can harness technology for increased efficiency? Then you’ll want to hear from JF Champagne, CAE, president of the Automotive Industries Association of Canada (AIA Canada).

In episode 4 of the Associations Connect podcast, host Danielle Lamothe of CSAE goes behind the scenes at AIA Canada to learn how it continues to serve more than 4,000 members across the country who specialize in providing parts and services to the automotive aftermarket sector, representing a $32.2 billion industry.

Pre-COVID, the association had made investments to ensure business continuity in the form of cloud-based hosting services – including an association management system (AMS) – that could be accessed from anywhere. So, when the pandemic hit, it was relatively simple to transition close to 25 staff members from the Ottawa headquarters to their home offices.

Tune in to hear Champagne outline the steps AIA Canada took to shift to remote work as a result of COVID-19, including:

• Implementing terminal servers that essentially virtualize employees’ desktops, including the accounting function.

• Refocusing on the business communication platform Slack as an instant messenger to reduce internal email.

• Ramping up Zoom usage (although AIA Canada had already been using it for more than two years).

“The only reason we didn’t use these technologies more before is the natural human resistance to change,” said Champagne. “There are a lot of advantages (to remote work).”

Although AIA Canada transitioned smoothly to a work-from-home system, the association still faced challenges. Like many, it had to cancel its annual conference – although it managed to transition to a virtual AGM, complete with a voting platform, with the help of live event specialist AV-Canada. 

“You have to change the approach,” said Champagne. “There is the idea that we can do things differently. What opportunities does this create? More than ever, the value and relevance of associations is rising to the top. Don’t let a good crisis go to waste!”

He offered this advice for associations who are continuing to transition to a digital platform:

• Designate an expert. Pick someone on your team to learn each piece of software so they can help your team use it to best advantage.

• Digital works. We are in the content delivery, education and advocacy business. These all work very well in the digital environment.

• Talk about mental health. In times of crisis, be sure to keep your team in balance and stay connected.

• Learning never stops. Online education revenue has filled the financial gap for AIA Canada. It’s possible to produce what members want at the right time, at minimal cost.

Click here to hear more about harnessing the power of technology with guest JF Champagne, CAE, in the Associations Connect Podcast– Episode 4.