WQLN Public Media returns to Allegiance and leaves chaos and frustration behind.
An Allegiance user from 1989 – 2004, in 2005 WQLN management decided to move to a software package that would allow staff to write and implement custom program features. And while it worked for a time, the station ceased getting updates from the primary software and then the person who had created all the custom programs and features left the station.
Challenges
According to Membership Services Coordinator Gwen Campbell, “The result was chaos and the issues were many.”
Gwen noted that WQLN was a month behind in entering pledges and cash during pledge drives. She was spending hours and hours reviewing pledges.
In addition WQLN was inventorying, packaging and shipping premium gifts in house. None of the process was fun and it was taking too long to do very basic work. According to Gwen, “It was a disaster.”
Finally, she and other staff were spending frustrating weeks generating the data required for standard CPB and PBS reports.
The Software Solution that Works
When WQLN began talking about other membership management software options, Allegiance was number one on the list because of WQLN’s previous successful use and because it made it easier to become PCI compliant. The team jumped at the chance to return to their roots. Gwen says, “Allegiance has been a life-saver.”
“The 2014 conversion was very straight-forward. The Allegiance staff was helpful every step of the way from getting data from our old system to training and with on-going support.” During the first weeks following conversion and initial training, Gwen says she got to know the Allegiance support staff very well. She went on to say, “Even though I felt like I was calling often, they never made me feel like a bother. They treated me with respect and assured me they were available to help me anytime I needed it. I kept the photo greeting card they sent so I can put some faces with the names!”
Gwen related that the thing she appreciates most about Allegiance is the partnerships that Allegiance forges on their clients’ behalf. She specifically mentioned integration with Forest Incentives, Wealth Engine and Sage, saying, “It makes so many things easier – even PBS and CPB reporting. It used to take weeks of work and now I just have to press a button to generate the report. I think it is priceless that Allegiance is willing to work with all these different service providers not for themselves, but to make MY life easier and more productive.”
Return on Investment
“Virtually everything is automated. Allegiance requires so much less manual labor,”Gwen relates. She estimates that she has cut staff data and cash entry time drastically – by at least 50% during pledge drives as well as year round. She notes, “The elimination of overtime we were paying each year is well worth the software acquisition expense, and it means I can spend much less time on performing basic membership functions, important as they are, and focus more on things that can really have a positive impact.” Gwen specifically mentioned that since acquiring Allegiance she has been able to implement pledge break codes to support pledge analysis; work to assure customized pledge forms are designed to function smoothly; and make the on-line membership process easy for donors.