Ibis improved data quality, member service and fundraising results

Ibis is the first NGO in Denmark to use Microsoft's and AlfaPeople’s NGO certified solution for Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Ibis use the solution to ensure data quality and transparency in their activities. AlfaPeople delivered a Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution with standard NGO module and implemented the solution in eight weeks.

About Ibis

Ibis stems from the worldwide and university-based organization World University Service (WUS), which was founded in the early 1920s. Today Ibis work with training, organizational development, local organization and support to give the poorest political influence.

Based on more than 40 years of experience, Ibis has knowledge and a network that provides a solid foundation for working with development in developing countries.

The challenge

Ibis wanted to ensure data quality and thereby improve the coordination of activities and servicing of the support members. As a member organization is crucial for Ibis, that data on the support members and campaigns are as accessible and transparent as possible. For Ibis the challenge was a missing view of campaign performance, call center results and information gathered from such either their pay-channel or the website. They had plenty of data that lay in various disjointed systems around the organization, and it was difficult to get a decent view or use the data collected to optimize Ibis activities.

Briefly about the process

"It all started with Ibis mapping the processes that existed in the house, to get a clear picture of the core business and any inappropriate workflows that only existed to keep redundant systems by right," says Mikkel Meyer, IT Coordinator at Ibis.

It quickly became clear that it was the interaction between Ibis recruitment channels and administration, which is the core shaft in Ibis handling members. Therefore Ibis began looking for a solution that could integrate these processes into one system.

Since most of the routines that existed in the Ibis in relation to the handling of members, was defined by the lack of software integration between fundraising, member services and the economy, Ibis required that development should be iterative with a high degree of involvement from employees. The iterative process meant that AlfaPeople could implement a solution that approaches the standard Microsoft CRM, instead of digitizing the old Ibis workflows.

The solution

AlfaPeople presented Microsoft's NGO solution, which is a standard add-on to Microsoft CRM, and could also present a number of other add-on modules, which are add-ons for Microsoft CRM solutions, which all could support Ibis activities. This involved, among other things AlfaPeople’s call center module, tax reporting, PBS-module (Danish pay-channel) and sms-module. The total solution from AlfaPeople included Microsoft CRM with various standard add-ons, coupled with the Business Intelligence solution from ZAP and integration of NN Market Data (a Danish company delivering company information).

The solution meets the vast majority of Ibis requirements for a new system because it relies on an effective standard industry solution that supports the Ibis business processes. Going forward, the solution will add value to Ibis since it runs on a future Microsoft platform. "In the future it will also be easy for Ibis to integrate the solution with other Microsoft products such as SharePoint. So the solution also meets Ibis IT strategy at some later stage," says Peter Bro Jorgensen, administration manager at Ibis.

"AlfaPeople came with great thorough proposals and delivered a hands-on presentation that demystified Microsoft CRM as a large and difficult system. This created the confidence of users in our house, "says Michael Gaardsøe. "AlfaPeople also had eye for need-to-have and nice-to-have needs. Therefore we got a solution that fits our size and we use fully. "

Implementation in just eight weeks

After signing the contract between AlfaPeople and Ibis, it went fast. Ibis wanted to be in operation in solving the September 1 2010, and AlfaPeople delivered an efficient and fast implementation in just eight weeks. Microsoft NGO solution is a standard solution, and this means that deployment can be done relatively quickly and easily. AlfaPeople was completed within the agreed time and the system ran smoothly after acquisition with only minor adjustments.

Ibis reached the overall goal

Ibis have achieved their primary goal of the solution, namely to create a better overview of the data. "We now have a better overview of our data and economics, and we can follow the results we achieve. In economic terms the investment in CRM solutions will be earned home for Ibis over a few years. This is due to more efficient workflow and overview, and that Microsoft also provides substantial discounts on license investment. With respect to data quality, we can now measure the campaigns and we have better communication with our members that we can serve better in the phone based on the data that appears on the screen. Furthermore, our internal cooperation is now significantly more effective because we can now share data and knowledge, "says Michael Gaardsøe.

The solution will only be successful if employees at Ibis use it consistently. Therefore it is important that employees are happy about the system and that they can see immediate benefits in their daily work using the system. "The system is intuitive and you get far with a bit of curiosity," says Michael Gaardsøe. "Therefore, the solution has quickly become a success here. Among others, we can graphically show our employees, how they create value for us with their work, and it is a great motivator, "concludes Michael Gaardsøe.