improve and automate the work process to manage memberships and facilitate online communication with members
Australian Communications Consumer Action Network
Australian Communications Consumer Action Network (ACCAN) is the peak body that represents all consumers on communications issues including telecommunications, broadband and emerging new services. It provides a strong, unified voice to industry and government as it works towards availability, accessibility and affordability of communications services for all Australians.
Background
Staff wished to: • improve and automate the work process to manage memberships, • facilitate online communication with members, stakeholders, consumers and the community • Improve and automate the flow of service provision to consumers. Some of the methods in which this will be achieved are: • Individual and organisational Memberships setup to CiviCRM, with online payment mechanisms, renewal alerts and automated management of membership status. • Online membership applications and renewals • Online consumer complaints to be made on line using web forms • Online publications subscriptions, • Email templates for ease of communication with consumers and members and mass mailing. • Case management work flow to track complaints process • Events through an event registration tool
Challenges
Custom-development to adapt CiviCRM to the needs of the organisation, specifically: • Conditional membership application acceptance process • Trigger a new case from a user-completed front-end form • Custom organisational membership application form with data registering against the organisation (rather than the individual representing the organisation), and with multiple individual records on the front-end application form that have a different relationship to the organisation (for example, voting – delegate and deputy - voting - delegate)
Solution
CiviCRM was chosen because: • The client wanted the development of a website and CRM, with integration between the two, so we offered Joomla + CiviCRM • It is fully customisable • It allows for ease of data access, including advanced search and reporting features • It is cost effective, as it is open-source and has no user or licence fees We have evaluated other CRMs but felt that, coupled with our extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector, CiviCRM is the most appropriate.
Functionality
• Detailed membership management process • Both front-end (including custom organisational application forms) and back end (including conditional membership acceptance), and a series of different email messages for every scenario
Nili STeiner from Energetica worked closely together with ACCAN.
