AWA's new digital platform will better support members

Australian Water Association members are set to benefit from an exciting new online experience following the development of the Association’s flagship digital platform, with a new website launching later this month showcasing everything on offer.

The member-focused CX platform, which will integrate the new website with CRM and marketing capabilities, will enable the Australian Water Association (AWA) to provide its members with user-specific content and tools for deeper water community engagement.

AWA Deputy CEO and Head of Strategy, Member Engagement & Innovation Kirsty Blades said the digital transformation is all about ensuring the AWA continues to support its members in their roles, now and in future.

“For AWA, the purpose and reason for existing is our members. The member-centric CX journey that we are going on is all about our members and how we can continue to serve them as best we can, as we all focus on our joint goal of a sustainable water future,” Blades said.

“We have been accompanied on this journey by a member focus group, consisting of a cross section of our members from around Australia.

“Our members have been providing their feedback and thoughts on different elements of the CX platform to help us make sure our decisions are informed by what our members need.”

The first and most marked aspect of the new digital platform will be the AWA’s new website, which will enable members easier access to the information and insights that matter most to them.

“The changes that we are making are designed to allow members to find and access our quality resources and content much more easily, so that they can use that information to assist them in their day to day roles,” Blades said.

“Many of our members are not aware of the depth and breadth of technical resources and content we have to offer, including our podcasts, our technical papers and our daily news offerings.

“Members will instantly be provided with an easier way to find what they are looking for, whether it’s to register or find out about our events, or access the latest research and insights.”

Furthermore, the new digital platform will focus on increasing value offerings to AWA members – with a login option allowing exclusive access to member-only materials, as well as a range of other functions to help members connect with the broader water sector community.

“Members will see that they get a different view than non-members to some parts of the website. We are doing this to increase value for our members and will continue to look at ways we can utilise our new technology to provide even more value,” Blades said.

“The integration of our new CRM platform will also help us focus much more closely on the journey of our members, gaining insights from the moment they join us and right through their membership lifecycle.

“This is really exciting. It means we will be equipped with everything we need to ensure our members have the best possible experience with us.”

The AWA is also creating a new platform within the website that enables greater connections between members, facilitating peer-to-peer and also business-to-business networking.

“We will be launching a revised digital marketplace to showcase our corporate members. And making it a lot easier for our members to connect to specialist networks, and to let us know their topics of interest so we can continue to deliver the content that they are looking for,” Blades said.

The launch of the new website marks the beginning of an ongoing digital journey, with the new CX platform setting the Association up to continue to provide members with cutting edge digital offerings in future, Blades said.

“This is just the start of the journey. It will be constantly evolving. We don’t want to simply launch a new platform that stays static,” she said.

“Our commitment is to continue to be member centric, to continue to take on feedback, and to continue to evolve the platform to meet our members’ needs on an ongoing basis. And with the type of technology we are putting in place, we are in a better place to do that.”