Member Renewal Operations Policy

Member Renewal Operations Policy #

Purpose #

This policy establishes the principles, ownership, and expectations governing OASIS Open’s member renewal operations. Member renewal is among the most consequential revenue-generating activities OASIS conducts. This policy ensures that renewal operations receive the organizational attention, strategic coordination, and accountability that their financial importance demands.

For step-by-step renewal procedures, see the Member Renewal Workflow.

Scope #

This policy applies to all staff involved in member renewal operations, including Member Services, Accounts Receivable, TC/OP Administrators, Business Development, Content Management, and the CFO. It governs all renewal activity for both Technical Committee (TC) and Open Project (OP) members.

Performance Expectations #

Member renewal rate is a key organizational performance indicator. Staff responsible for renewal operations are expected to:

  • Initiate and complete all scheduled outreach touchpoints within the timelines specified in the Member Renewal Workflow.
  • Maintain accurate and current Salesforce records for all accounts in the renewal cycle.
  • Surface at-risk accounts promptly in bi-weekly renewal status meetings.
  • Document the reason for non-renewal for every member who does not renew.
  • Add all non-renewing accounts to the Customer Reactivation opportunity in Salesforce.

Member Renewal and Organizational Sustainability #

Member dues are the primary revenue source sustaining OASIS Open’s operations, its staff, its technical infrastructure, and its ability to support the open standards work that defines its mission. The loss of members — whether through non-renewal, downgrade, or attrition — reduces this revenue base directly and compounds over time as departing organizations take their participation, influence, and network connections with them.

Churn is corrosive in ways that go beyond the immediate revenue loss. When a member does not renew, OASIS loses not only that organization’s dues but also its active participation in technical work, its representation in committee governance, and its advocacy in the broader market. Contraction — where a member renews at a lower tier than previously — carries similar consequences at reduced scale. Both outcomes weaken the community that makes OASIS membership valuable to the members who remain.

Preventing churn and contraction is therefore not administrative work. It is revenue protection. It requires strategic relationship management, timely outreach, informed judgment about account health, and coordination across multiple staff functions — all of which are the core competencies of business development.

Member Renewal as Business Development #

OASIS treats member renewal operations as a function of Business Development. This is a deliberate organizational decision, not a matter of administrative convenience.

The traditional view of business development focuses on acquiring new members. Acquisition is necessary and important. However, retaining an existing member is significantly less costly than replacing one. Existing members have already internalized the value of OASIS membership, have established relationships with OASIS staff and committees, and have institutional knowledge of how to participate productively. The effort required to retain a committed member is a fraction of the effort required to identify, cultivate, and close a new one.

More fundamentally, Business Development is concerned with the health and growth of OASIS’s revenue-generating relationships. A renewal is not the conclusion of a prior sale — it is the opening of the next relationship cycle. The renewal conversation is an opportunity to assess member satisfaction, surface concerns before they become reasons for departure, identify opportunities for deeper engagement, and position OASIS as an indispensable partner in the member’s standards and open source work. When handled well, renewal operations are a form of ongoing business development that simultaneously protects existing revenue and creates the conditions for expansion.

Placing renewal operations within the Business Development function ensures that these conversations are treated with the strategic seriousness they require, rather than being handled as routine billing follow-up. It establishes clear ownership and accountability. And it aligns OASIS’s internal organizational structure with the actual business value of the work being performed.

Principles #

Proactive outreach — Renewal conversations begin 180 days before a member’s renewal date. Waiting until a member has decided not to renew is too late. The purpose of early outreach is to surface concerns, reinforce value, and create space for the relationship to be strengthened before the renewal decision is made.

Coordinated communication — MS, AR, TC/OP, and BizDev coordinate throughout the renewal cycle to ensure consistent messaging and avoid duplicate or conflicting outreach. No member should receive contradictory communications from different OASIS staff.

Relationship-informed judgment — Renewal decisions, delinquency handling, and offboarding timelines require judgment about individual member circumstances, not mechanical application of a schedule. Staff must consider account value, relationship history, committee role, and likelihood of resolution when determining how to proceed.

Retention over termination — Termination of a delinquent membership is a last resort, not a default. OASIS pursues every reasonable avenue for retention before initiating offboarding. Termination that could have been prevented by earlier or better-coordinated outreach represents an organizational failure.

Non-renewal as intelligence — When a member does not renew, OASIS treats that as information. Staff are expected to seek feedback from departing members to understand the reasons for non-renewal. This intelligence informs product development, pricing decisions, and future renewal strategy.

Authority and Coordination #

Business Development owns the strategic direction of the renewal relationship and leads outreach for Premier, high-value, and CoSAI accounts beginning at 180 days.

Member Services owns the operational management of the renewal cycle: scheduling and conducting outreach at 90, 60, and 30 days; maintaining Salesforce records; coordinating bi-weekly renewal status meetings; and initiating offboarding when required.

Accounts Receivable owns invoice issuance, payment tracking, and financial record-keeping.

TC/OP Administrators own direct member relationships within technical committees and open projects, provide participation insights, conduct targeted outreach, and manage offboarding within their respective project communities.

The CFO makes final decisions on extended delinquencies and terminations at the 60-day past-due threshold.

No single function may independently decide to terminate a membership, grant an extended payment arrangement, or change the terms of a renewal without the involvement of the roles specified in the Member Renewal Workflow.

Records #

MS retains renewal records in Salesforce. AR retains financial records in SAGE. Records are maintained consistent with the Document Retention and Destruction Policy.

Policy Review #

This policy is reviewed annually by the (Interim) ED in consultation with Business Development and Member Services, and updated as needed to reflect changes in organizational structure, revenue strategy, or operational practice.