4 Benefits of Using Online Waivers for Associations

In recent years, there have been significant fluctuations in association membership rates. Membership seems to be on the rise again with 46% of associations reporting an increase in membership in 2023. However, the volatility of membership rates has forced associations to change the way they approach member recruitment, engagement, and retention, placing more of an emphasis on delivering the value outlined in their membership offerings.

Technology plays an essential role in improving member experiences and association operations. For example, your association most likely relies on (and benefits from) powerful tools like your CRM and association management software to organize data, understand members, and give them the best experiences possible. You can also use technology to improve smaller parts of the member experience, such as event registration and waiver signing.

In particular, using digital waivers rather than paper forms will save your association time, make the experience run smoothly for members, and help you collect important information about them. In this guide we’ll explore these top benefits of transitioning to digital waivers:

1. Easy organization and data management.

2. Improved accessibility. 

3. Increased transparency.

4. Limited waste and printing costs.

While your association may be resistant to making this change or investing in a new tool, keep in mind that the benefits of digital waivers far outweigh the effort and cost of implementing the software. First, we’ll explore how digital waivers positively impact your association’s data management. 

1. Easy organization and data management.

Storing, organizing, and managing paper forms and documents can be challenging for associations. Once a member signs the waiver, your staff will then have to collect the form and file it accordingly. If you need to locate a specific waiver or analyze data about your members, you’ll need to spend time searching for the right records or compiling information into spreadsheets.

However, digital waivers eliminate these tasks and allow staff to find the information they need in seconds. Smartwaiver’s guide to activity waivers explains some of the additional benefits of using digital waivers, such as being more affordable, making waiver-related tasks easier for your staff, providing a streamlined experience for members, and offering a more secure way to store sensitive data.

The following features make these benefits possible:

• Searchable waiver database. Before an activity that needs a waiver begins, you may need to double-check a participant’s waiver. Instead of leafing through hundreds of forms, you can enter the participant’s name into your waiver database’s search feature to pull it up in seconds.  

• Automatic waiver updates. When a member of your association completes their online waiver, it’ll be sent to your system as soon as they hit submit. You’ll have access to their waiver immediately after it’s signed. This is a great way to get rough headcounts for events ahead of time so you can plan out elements like catering and parking. 

• Customizable forms. With paper waivers, it’s difficult to make last-minute changes like correcting errors or adding new questions. Digital waivers enable you to quickly make adjustments to capture valuable member information such as birthdays, contact information, or communication preferences.

Not only do these benefits make it easier for staff to manage forms and data, but they also make the experience much more positive for members. If members need to sign a waiver before attending an event, for example, they can complete the digital form ahead of time and avoid waiting at a check-in desk. These subtle improvements to the member experience will come in handy when it’s time for them to renew.

2. Improved accessibility.

According to NPOInfo’s charitable giving statistics report, older generations still make up the majority of association members at 34%, while Millennials and Generation Z combined make up just under 30%. 

Given these differences, it’s critical that your association accounts for a wide range of accessibility concerns. Because digital waivers are much more flexible than their paper counterparts, they can better adapt to members’ needs. For example, older members who have trouble reading the waiver can increase the text size, the contrast between the text and background, and the brightness of the page. Or, they can opt to use a screen reader. 

Younger, tech-savvy members will appreciate the mobile-friendliness of the waivers. This way, they can fit activities related to your association into their busy lifestyles by filling out waivers while they’re on the go. 

In general, you should focus on making your waivers and online registration processes as inclusive as possible to maximize member engagement. Putting your waivers online also allows members to access them at any time, giving them the ability to review waivers in advance of and during the activities they agreed to participate in. Additionally, members can easily translate the waiver into the language they are most comfortable reading if needed.

3. Increased transparency.

When you create waivers that are written in plain language and communicate potential risks, members can make the best decisions for their safety. This allows your association to build trust while preventing potential liability issues. 

Online waivers enable your association to instill more trust in members because they:

• Guarantee that both your members and your association have a copy. With a paper waiver, your members will fill out the form and turn it over to your association. Online waivers, on the other hand, allow them to keep a copy that they can view at any time to review the risks they agreed to. 

• Can be reviewed in advance. Paper waivers often need to be distributed and signed in a matter of minutes when members arrive at your event. This might cause members to skim through the document and miss important details. Because they can review online waivers days before the event, members can take their time when reading and signing. 

• Can be retrieved quickly. If an incident occurs at one of your events, staff will need to find the waiver quickly when responding to the situation. For example, if someone trips and hurts themselves during an event, having their signed waiver on hand ensures your team will feel confident about how to handle the situation and assist the member. 

These benefits can both drastically improve member experiences and make your staff’s jobs easier. When members feel like your association is forthcoming and values their well-being, they’ll be more likely to engage with events and activities. 

4. Limited waste and printing costs.

While it will take a small investment to get the waiver software up and running, switching to digital waivers can save your association hundreds in printing costs and make your operations more sustainable. 

Digital waivers are stored completely online, and you can create and share them using computers and other devices that your association already has. Paper waivers, however, require printing and a physical storage space, requiring that you spend on paper, ink, and filing supplies. Whether your association is aiming to cut down on paper use for environmental reasons or simply limit unnecessary spending, reducing costs is always a plus.

When you reduce waste, your association can invest the funding saved back into your association. You might use this extra space in your budget to improve non-dues revenue streams like conferences, merchandise sales, or fundraisers. On the other hand, you might allocate this extra funding toward creating a new mentorship program or learning pathway for your members.

With everything that goes into managing your association, improving your waiver process might not be top of mind. However, when you make the switch to online waivers, your association will experience benefits ranging from reduced costs to improved data management to fostering deep, loyal relationships with members.