DAXKO Connect

The software was never finished! Many of the functionality does not translate across its modules. Most of the work of keeping the DB updated needs to be done manually --

We signed up with Daxko Connect 4 years ago and there are quite a few things that we were initially promised such as the ability to have an on line directory, but we found out later that we were not able to have this feature. Emails and calls to technical support went unanswered. I did like the relationship module with Daxko. I received notification from Daxko that they are discontinuing Connect in 2016. I am now pursuing another AMS system that can support parent/child organization and employee relationships.

I joined my current employer 22 months ago, (January,2013) and came on as the membership manager. The association had selected Daxko Connect over a number of other well known candidates in 2009. We are a realitively small somewhat complicated membership association that does 4 to 5 events that reuire registration every year. We also have numerous awards and a scholarship process both of which are down on an annual basis. We also have a number of publication that anyone may subscribe to that we track on Daxko. So, as you can see we ask our AMS to do a lot for us and as a daily (all day) user I think the product does a decent job. At its core it does what most AMS softrware does that was purchased for a relatively modest price 5 years ago. With very little training either external or internal I was able to use the sytem albeit not well in a relatively short time. After a year using it I feel much more proficient and underestand that many of the problems I encounter are due to pilot error and the revolving door of employees who were responsible for input prior to my arrival. In short, the pros: 1. Very flexible you can set up GL accounts, products,event pricing all on your own once you learn how. 2. Pretty intuitive. I had previously used IMIS and Avectra and I found Daxko easy to use. After all it is a database with decent search capabilities. 3. Reporting can be quick and easy. You can design and sort almost any report that you can dream up using the data that you input. 4. Appeals to the whole staff. Because it is so versatile everyone on staff should be able to find a use. We don't have that situation and essentilly two out of a dozen use it. Cons 1. Has trouble talking to our web site. The API between our AMS and CMS does not work well for example in pulling up Directories in our CMS system using the AMS data we get errors. 2. The biggest issue now seems to be that Daxko has decided that association are no longer in their niche. They like YMCAs and YWCAs but little else. They support what we have but nothing going forward so that we are having trouble with people who have the latest browsers being able to access our event registrations. 3. Support has always been difficult. There is no personal customer relationship. You send in a problem you receive a case number and then an email flow of emails back and forth trying to fix the problem but unless you spend considerable time you rarely get to talk with someone.

We have been customers for several years. The only reason we have not yet changes do is because of the time it takes to do so. We are actively looking. The DAXKO sales promised the moon and delivered dirt. The system barely works for basic database management. An Excel spreadsheet would be almost as good. It is not intuitive and the user must be an IT specialist to get the hang of it. The worst aspect of DAXKO Connect is their rotten customer service. We have identified concerns regularly, and the DAXKO staff is both poorly trained and unable to provide answers.

This was the first time I configured an AMS system for association use. Previously there was a project manager with the AMS system who worked closely with me to design the system. Although I was limited on time time for learning the system, I was able to configure this for our organization's use within four months.

We have used Daxko Connect for over 5 years now. Being a SaaS and a highly customizable solution have been the best features of the software. We are able to use the software at conferences with just a browser. No install on computers. Being able to add unlimited fields has allowed us to make the software our own.

Daxko Connect has been a good fit for our organization, however, i believe we have outgrown it and need something more. In the beginning they were very excited to jump into the association market from the YMCA market. We were eager to learn from each other and build together to make the "perfect" AMS. For a while it was just that. Now, I believe that they are going in a different direction - back to supporting their primary clients - YMCAs. The support for Associations is not as responsive as before. They have abandoned updates and fixes to improve the performance of the AMS. Currently it is not compatible with newer versions of Internet Explorer. Many of our members use IE and experience many problems trying to log in and access their account to register or update their profile. And because they are not able to, many times they abandon the website and leave frustrated and not registered. Big Problem! and they are not willing to work on and this fix problem. There are some SSO problems as well. We have an online community that is integrated with our website. Our members sign on though the website and then if they need to register are directed to a secondary sign on page (Daxko sign on) where they have to sign on AGAIN (same password but have to sign on again). This confuses and frustrates our members too. Functionally, the AMS is easy to use from the admin side - actually it looks better and works better from the admin side vs the member side. You can set up messages to send reminding your members to renew, etc... but strangely enough it sends the same message for 2 days in a row - support is unsure why this happens.... no fix. It can pull all sorts of customized reports but they are very difficult to pull and you can't pull a very comprehensive report for events - you have to pull several reports to get a comprehensive look at your event. The member retention tracking is very confusing and not accurate so i tend to keep my own lists via excel. The system is not truly compatible for accounting. We use quickbooks and our bookkeeper is leery of the data from daxko and finds it unreliable. One of the key reasons that we signed with Daxko was their customer support and the organization's culture. Since they have backed off somewhat from supporting the association market, we have not seen such good customer service and they are very hard to get in touch with. In the last 2 years, i have never actually called and talked to a person - i have to leave a message every time and then a day or so later someone will call me back and they don't every have a solution because they are not doing any upgrades or fixes. Long story short, we have out grown them and we need more from an AMS; someone that is willing to grow and change to fit our growing changes and needs. We are looking for a new AMS.