Before appropriate advances in technology had struck, contact management with non-profit organisations was a tedious and manual task. Each and every interaction with clients was logged manually – if at all – and didn’t really provide very accurate or lasting documentation of customer and donor data, action points, business developments etc.
Things have changed. We now have a wealth of software solutions and technology that not only capture important information, but also streamline all processes between you and your non-profit clients. Customer Relationship Management services and solutions – also known as CRMs – have completely transformed the way that we do business and engage with our clients.
Customer Relationship Managers or CRMs unite multiple business elements into one program. The thing with non-profit organisations is that donors require different information to be logged as to what customers do. For this reason, a very specific CRM system should be used in order to get the best benefit for your non-profit.
CRMs allow you to manage everything associated with your donors as well as your customers, keeping them separate but accessible in one convenient space. All the data surrounding contacts, engagements, fundraising campaigns, donations, marketing and operations is easily accessible and provides insight into past, present and future business plans. Comprehensive reporting is also available on all elements, giving you a full view of your business from all angles, assuming the role of multiple people in one package.
We’ve identified five CRM programs that are either specifically designed for non-profits and donors or are capable of adapting to suit the environment very easily.
Microsoft Dynamics has taken all the essential elements of a CRM system and combined it into one integrated system that breaks down the siloed approach to traditional business. Some of the features we like are:
- Cloud Based CRM and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
- Syncs and integrates seamlessly with all Microsoft programs
- CRM capabilities divided into five apps that work together; Sales, Customer Service, Finance, Talent and Marketing
Salesforce has a reputation for being one of the best CRM systems, and now they have converted their traditional offering into a hugely competitive CRM for non-profit organisations. Some of the features we like include:
- Has a specific system identified for non-profit needs
- The Non-Profit Success Pack is part of their offering, put together by the brains, feedback and constant monitoring of users, developers and partners actively involved in finding solutions for non-profits
- Highly configurable
- Utilises the backbone of the for-profit Salesforce program (does require license to use)
- The first cloud-based CRM owning 20% of the CRM market share
HubSpot is renowned for having a simple, user-friendly interface that considers all aspects of marketing, sales and customer service. It’s easy for anyone to pick up and they have an exceptional support team on standby for queries. We really appreciate the following features that make it stand out:
- Comprehensive CRM with the most established contact database
- Can easily adapt to non-profits
- Easy to use interface
- Cloud-based
Streamlined donor management systems make Salsa a significant option, but that’s not the extent of what this CRM offers for non-profits. This CRM was built for non-profits and these are some of the features that stand out:
- Specifically built for non-profits
- Donor data, donor databases with donor-specific details using unique custom data fields
- Easily trackable donation history databases
Kindful is another CRM built specifically for managing non-profits. It offers comprehensive donor tracking features in a single overview. This is among many other noteworthy elements, such as:
- Dedicated donor lifecycle analytics
- Donor pyramid
- Donor tracking of online and offline donation history, event registrations, email marketing results, task history, pledges and past acknowledgments
If you’re running a non-profit organisation and you want to take efficiency to the next level, a CRM system is the way to go.
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