From Fear to Fuel: How Honest Member Feedback Transformed MAASE
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From Fear to Fuel: How Honest Member Feedback Transformed MAASE
When Lindsey Zeller, Manager of Membership and Marketing of MAASE, launched the association's first Net Promoter Score (NPS) survey, she wasn't just seeking data. She was embracing vulnerability. "What if they don't like us?" she remembered thinking. But the decision to ask members directly how they felt about the association sparked more than a response. It ignited a cultural shift.
With Novi AMS providing the tool, structure and support, Lindsey and her team established a feedback system that is repeatable, sustainable, and deeply human. Today, MAASE leverages NPS to create meaningful member interactions, drive strategic improvements, and cultivate a culture of trust from within.
NPS Score with 57% Response Rate
Follow-up to Every Score, Promoters and Detractors Alike
Member Growth in Three Years, with Every Major Event Sold Out
// CHALLENGE
Before launching NPS, MAASE had no consistent way to understand how members truly felt. Feedback existed in pockets, casual conversations, event evaluations, assumptions, but nothing cohesive or actionable.
“We asked ourselves, ‘Are we getting the feedback we need?’ And honestly, we weren’t,” Lindsey said.
As a small staff supporting a large, passionate membership, the team needed a system that would not only gather input, but also help them respond with intention. So, when Novi introduced the NPS tool, they were intrigued but cautious.
“We were asking people how they feel about us. That’s vulnerable,” Lindsey shared. “What if someone gives us a one? What if they say I’m the problem?”
Still, the team leaned in. As Lindsey put it:
"Your desire to do better and to grow your association and to set yourself apart from other associations has to be greater than the fear of the information you're going to get"
Lindsey Zeller
They prepared. They drafted templates. They explored scenarios. And then they took the leap.
“We had talked as much as we could. We realized we couldn’t plan anymore. We had to hit go.”
// SOLUTION
MAASE didn’t just turn NPS on. They turned it into a structured, repeatable system for connection.
Every NPS response gets a follow-up. Not just the outliers, but every single one. The team developed a message framework for every score category: promoters, passives, and detractors. Responses with written feedback received personalized replies. Those with just a score were invited to share more.
“We respond to every single NPS response that we get. It doesn't matter what they gave us.”
To scale outreach, Lindsey created a Google Sheet to log detractors and assign them to board members. Members hearing from peers, rather than just staff, created a deeper sense of trust and engagement.
“We realized some feedback couldn’t be handled by staff alone. Our board members could better reach those who needed a peer, not a process.”
The result was a process that felt personal, intentional, and manageable, even with a lean team.
// IMPACT
NPS didn’t just surface feedback. It changed how MAASE listens, responds, and evolves.
Some members shared that they were tired of repetitive food options at events. At first, Lindsey admits, the team rolled their eyes. “We were like, you’re mad about tacos? But instead of ignoring the comment or overhauling the menu, they made one joyful change. They added churros.
And Lindsey didn’t let it go unnoticed.
“You asked for this. Here they are,” she told members at the dessert table.
The result? Excitement, compliments, and even playful disappointment the one time churros didn’t return. The message wasn’t just we made a change, it was we listened.
She took the same approach with agendas. After receiving feedback that QR codes weren’t accessible to everyone, Lindsey printed 100 paper agendas for the next event. “It’s online,” she said at check-in, “but if you prefer a printed one, we heard you.”
“If you're going to make a small change, make it big. Call it out. Own it. Let people feel seen.”
Today, MAASE’s board looks forward to NPS updates. Detractors have turned into promoters. Events consistently sell out. And membership has grown from just under 700 to over 1,000 in three years.
“It’s hard to pin that growth solely on NPS,” Lindsey said. “But it’s how we’ve stayed in tune with the temperature of our membership. It tells us how they feel, not just what they participate in.”
// SUMMARY
For Lindsey, NPS has been as emotionally validating as it has been operationally useful.
“I remember one response where someone mentioned me by name. They said I helped them, and they appreciated it. That wouldn’t have come back to me if we didn’t ask.”
That kind of feedback changed how she sees recognition.
“It gives you a chance to feel the impact of what you’re doing, even if your members don’t see the work behind the scenes.”
It also changed her relationship to fear. “You might feel hurt at first. That’s okay. Take 15 minutes, feel your feelings, and then respond. Because if you asked for the feedback, you have to be willing to hear it.”
// BIO
Lindsey Zeller
Lindsey Zeller is the Manager of Membership and Marketing at the Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education. MAASE supports special education leaders across Michigan through advocacy, connection, and professional development. Lindsey believes that when members feel seen, they engage. Her work helps turn feedback into fuel for deeper trust and stronger community.
Want to create a feedback culture built on trust and action?
Novi AMS helps you ask the hard questions—and make changes that matter.
Contact us today.
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