GETTING TO GRIPS WITH ICT: A LOOK AT CLIENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

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1 INCLUSIVE NZ GETTING TO GRIPS WITH ICT: A LOOK AT CLIENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS A big part of creating an environment that ensures the people we work with are working and living to their full potential is the relationship between the service user and service provider. Naturally the most important aspect of relationship building is in our day to day interactions, but it has become increasingly important to keep track of these relationships to ensure that we are consistently hitting the mark and are able to inform funders, and others, about the results we are achieving. Relying on paper-based systems or old school databases to do this may no longer be the most efficient and effective way of doing our work. The good news is that running a number of time-consuming and non-integrated systems can now be a thing of the past thanks to the emergence of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) computer based software which is capable of collecting, organising, automating and synchronising information in a holistic way. Such software systems are also cloud-based, meaning contents are accessible remotely and can be updated in real-time by anyone who has access to it. Reports are also easily generated through the automated system which can help with goal-setting, tracking progress and measuring outcomes all valuable features as we strive to work in a more personalised way. What is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system? A CRM is used to record and manage interactions that an organisation has with it clients. It usually comes in the form of a database where client details can be stored. The system can be basic or complex depending on the requirements of the organisation. What is a Content Management System (CMS)? A CMS is a computer application which creates a central interface for publishing, editing, organising, modifying and syncing the content of an organisation s ICT systems - which can include CRMs and website. Although there are many benefits to CRM software, like anything there are also cons. From the research available most of the potential pitfalls involve; organisations choosing CRM software that does not suit their purpose or goals, time-intensive set-up processes, as well as the added time it takes to input interactions to ensure detailed information is held. The trick is to be mindful of these factors and take them into consideration when shopping around for a system that will fit your organisation s needs the best. Persevering with the system once it is installed, as well as providing adequate training for staff is also important. To gain further insights into how CRM software works we have asked five Inclusive NZ members to detail their experiences with the systems they use. You can read their stories below.

2 CASE STUDY 1 Who: Skillwise Services offered: Community Participation for people with disabilities Organisation s size: Staff: 23. Clients: 139. CRM database: Cloud-based CRM Chillidb Following the first Christchurch earthquake back in 2010, Skillwise was unable to access its database after their building was damaged. This along with the fact that their old database did not serve their needs was the catalyst behind them adopting ChilliDB, which they implemented two and half years ago. Operation s Manager Gavin Muir says the decision to go with ChilliDB rested on its impressive track record working with other NGO organisations in Australia and its ability to build in additional functions if and when needed. Although transporting all their data from their old database to ChilliDB was time-consuming the benefits of doing so have far out-weighed the negatives, Gavin says. Firstly it has dragged us into the 21 st century, something that we community organisations have had a bit of a jaded history with, and secondly it s streamlined our processes immensely. Benefits for our clients have included; being able to easily share information with them eg: through , Enewsletter functions, but also through a new function we have added which allows us to generate surveys, which clients along with their caregivers/families can fill out so we can gain feedback on our work. From an operational side the information Skillwise is able to hold on clients is far more detailed and means specific reports are easily generated. In fact, an additional function they recently added means they are now able to easily collate how many hours Skillwise spends with a client - a function that will prove handy when producing reports for the Ministry of Social Development and the move towards individualised funding. Skillwise is also looking forward to being able to access it remotely which means staff will be able to dedicate more time supporting clients in participating in community activities. It will be great because this way staff can hold meetings with clients in cafes and the like and won t have to keep coming back to the office to update information. All in all Gavin says installing ChilliDB was proving to be an incredibly useful tool for Skillwise. They are happy to continue exploring its capabilities and matching these with their needs and the functions they require. Knowing that ChilliDB can easily accommodate us whenever an upgrade is needed and they can also provide the IT support to make sure it is successful really helps too, Gavin says. CASE STUDY 2 Who: Progress to Health Services offered: support services for people with mental health and disabilities Organisation s size: Staff: 30. Indirectly or directly, supporting more than 800 clients per annum. CRM database: Cloud-based CRM Recordbase

3 Since implementing Recordbase three years ago Progress to Health haven t looked back. It has completely transformed the way we work and we are pretty pleased with the direction it is taking us, CE Karen Covell says. Although happy with the software, Karen admits it felt like a bit of a gamble when they first began investigating what CRM software would work for them. One of the main reasons behind us switching from paper-based records was that due to us being a provider of mental health services we need to provide PRIMHD data to the Ministry of Health (MOH). Through Recordbase the process is simple and easy, as once data is entered it is automatically shared with the MOH. In fact, recently Progress to Health received 100% compliance in providing this data to the MOH which Karen puts down to staff becoming confident and competent in using Recordbase. In terms of records they need to collect for effective service delivery and the organisation s future direction, Karen says the software has had numerous benefits. Just the fact that we are able to store all data in the one place has been great and the reports that we are able to mine from data collected can be collated quickly. Other bonuses of the software have been that information can be accessed anywhere due to it being cloud-based and that if functions within the software need to be tweaked this can be easily arranged thanks to a strong relationship with software developers, Wild Bamboo. We re on a first name basis with these guys now and to know that you have high levels of IT support definitely puts your mind at ease. Karen says she has noticed few downsides to the system apart from the initial implementation phase. Like all change there was an adjustment period, however once staff received training and felt confident using the system it had all gone smoothly. The thing with Recordbase is that it is a common sense, straightforward programme which offers excellent IT support. The trick now for us is making sure we are using it to its full capabilities even though it is providing us with all our wants and needs right now. CASE STUDY 3 Who: Interactionz Services offered: Facilitation services for individuals with disabilities, volunteering and placement opportunities. Organisation s size: Staff: 13, Clients: 100 CRM database: Cloud based CRM Recordbase Making the move to Recordbase has meant big changes for Interactionz as previously they were primarily paper-based. It has been a big process for us, but one worth undertaking and we re pleased to report that we ve now been running the system for the last two months, Operations Leader, Jenny Calley says. Before adopting the database Interactionz initially piggy-backed off Progress to Health s Recordbase CRM to determine its functionality. Interactionz also wanted to be sure software could be accessed remotely for when staff were out in the field, so were happy that Recordbase was a cloud-based

4 system. Funding avenues also needed to be explored so they wanted to ensure any decision wasn t entered into lightly. Since making the decision Jenny says it has already made a significant change to the way they work. For one it is great that we are now able to securely store information all in the one spot, which is accessible to the necessary parties, and two it s nice to be able to track and link the progress of the people we work with - as our primary use for it is to ensure we are doing the very best for the people we serve. It s great because we are now easily able to share information with the persons we serve, which puts the power back in their hands. Managing caseloads as well as its volunteer database more efficiently were further benefits to come out the new system, Jenny says. So far Jenny says they haven t noticed any downsides to the way Recordbase functions, however she admits that the implementation process has been a big change for staff. To ease them into things Jenny says providing staff with bite-sized training sessions has been key to getting them through the adjustment phase and judging by the feedback from staff most have found it user-friendly. The system has also been customised by Interactionz so that only the essential information is now being captured and in language that matches their own. It has been a steep learning curve, but when looking at the benefits it has already produced we are very happy with the switch, Jenny says. CASE STUDY 4 Who: Pact Group Services offered: Community support, supported independent living, day services, supported accommodation for people with mental illness and/or intellectual disabilities. Organisation s size: 360 users/members CRM database: A customised version of Cloud-based Sage CRM with SAP Business Objects and Crystal Reports The Pact Group were one of Inclusive NZ s first members to realise the advantages of CRM software and have been reaping its benefits for the past seven years. However, despite its early implementation of Sage, their system is by no means behind the times. Last year they received a comprehensive upgrade to keep pace with technology advancements. Regular customisations have also been made by the in-house IT team, which are usually based on the feedback they receive from surveying staff and quality improvement requests. Being able to add functions as we go has definitely been a main draw card to having our own customised solution, but to be honest back in 2007 there were not many CRM systems around that suited our needs. In saying that the depth of data we are able to store, along with the detail of reports which can be easily extracted have definitely increased our efficiency and we are happy with the system, IT Manager Bill Hopgood said. Having such detailed information at our fingertips means we are able to make the best evidence based decisions for clients quickly. We can meet all our PRIMHD and PMR reporting requirements and using SAP Business Objects also produce own management key performance indicator (KPI) reports.

5 Staff can access the system remotely through the use of ipads. This has meant productivity improvement for our staff, as they don t have to return to the office to update notes between client visits. The information is available anywhere, anytime to the right people, Bill says. Being a bespoke solution meant high initial implementation costs, however, this has been offset by the fact that the cloud based system has the capability to cover a wider overall user base, and has all the features Pact requires along with the flexibility to change. In general Bill says that staff have found it user-friendly and intuitive, with all staff using it every day for active clients. The best things about the system is that it was built to meet our needs, the way our staff work and the ability to grow with us to ensure we continually meet the needs of the people we work with, Bill says. CASE STUDY 5 Who: Disability Resource Centre (H.B) Trust Services offered: Supported Employment, Day Activity Services and Community Participation CRM System: Cloud-based CRM Recordbase Organisation s size: Staff: 21, Clients: 200 Since February this year the Disability Resource (H.B) Centre has been running Recordbase, following six months of preliminary work on the implementation project. They decided to run with the system after receiving recommendations from other Inclusive NZ members and investigating whether it could accurately and securely store client information and provide information to its funders. The initial start-up cost was $3343 which included implementation, project management, business analysis and staff training with on-going costs of approximately $500 a month. So has the new addition been money well spent? In a lot of ways yes, says Support Services Manager, Ali Shapland. The reports we are able to produce are much more detailed than through our old system and it is great that we are able to easily share information between our supported employment and community participation divisions. Staff who use it on a daily basis have also reported that it is user-friendly. Further benefits include being able to gather data for funding applications more easily, and producing quarterly reports for the board is less time consuming. It s great, as through the goal setting and achievement function we can easily record personal goal s with clients and graph the results so we can share this information with them. Downsides to the new system were minor. There have been a few kinks, such as the mandatory alerts that are at times not relevant to the area concerned. Examples include the prompt to attach a CV for a community participation client or other alerts that prompted staff to note down every activity a client does when using the service which Ali admitted could be time-consuming. Overall, Ali reports that although the system was fairly new, they were already seeing some good results and were looking forward to exploring further ways it could benefit their organisation and the way they worked.

6 COST Clearly cost is an important factor in determining which system to choose. All the organisations that took part in our Case Studies had to invest in initial set-up costs which varied from less than $1000 to $30,000. The range depended largely on the size and complexity of the organisation (e.g. multiple sites), whether other IT infrastructure needed to be purchased or upgraded to support the new system, and the level of customisation. Both ChilliDB and Recordbase included installation and staff training in their set-up costs. Most supported systems, such as ChilliDB and Recordbase, usually also charge a monthly user fee. This is often dependent on the size of the organisation. The monthly fees for our Case Study participants ranged from between $400 and $800. Important questions to consider are: 1. What will the system offer as part of the initial set-up process (for example, installation, staff training, advice and support)? 2. Is the system compatible with your existing IT hardware and software, or will you need to upgrade or change? 3. What on-going support is available and is it built into the monthly fee or charged separately? 4. Are upgrades provided free as part of the license or monthly fee, or do they have to be purchased separately? Ministry of Social Development ICT Project To demonstrate its commitment to support, lift and build the capability of NGO ICT systems, within the NGO sector, back in 2011 the Ministry of Social Development decided to allocate funding to make this a reality. Funding was made available through the CIR fund, and it was decided that following the Christchurch earthquakes the Canterbury region would be the best place to roll-out the project, so NGOs in the region were not only able to recover but build on their ICT capability, especially in relation to recording information through Client Relationship Management (CRM) databases. At the beginning of the project, 44 NGOs from the region signed up for the project, with its initial focus on ICT assessments and plans which was carried out by Australian-based not-for-profit organisation Infoxchange which works with NGOs to help them make better use of technology. After an initial settling in period (two months) the Ministry of Social Development sought feedback on the project from the 44 NGOs that took part via an anonymous post-project survey. Feedback generated from the survey proved positive showing that 90% of respondents rated their ICT plan as very good to outstanding with the further 10% measuring it as good. Other positive outcomes that came out of the survey showed all respondents felt they were able to make more informed decisions about ICT as a result of the project with 83% of these people stating their knowledge base on ICT and its effectiveness on service delivery had grown.

7 The same amount of respondents believed this new knowledge had contributed to an improvement in the way they delivered services with 88% of respondents reporting they had already implemented changes outlined in their personalised ICT assessment and plan. Following these pleasing results in 2013 the Ministry of Social Development decided to roll-out the project to the NGO sector in Nelson/Marlborough, Otago and Southland with 39 NGOs coming on board. Once again feedback from participants has been positive. To continue to ensure the project s success the Ministry of Social Development are putting together an IT resource which outlines the most efficient and effective ICT systems for NGOs. Infoxchange have been commissioned by MSD to carry out this work and have set up a website: Improveit - where this information can be accessed. With three rounds of the CIR fund down, MSD are about to call for applications for round 4, with this process running from November 24, 2014 through to January 30, To aid applicants in the process MSD have released information on the three kinds of ventures they are looking to fund in this round which include: projects that encourage collaboration, innovation, along with collaborative and innovative ICT projects with MSD signalling that individual ICT projects will only be funded in exceptional circumstances. A set of CIR4 guidelines can also be found on their website by clicking here: