Ultimate guide to switching your fundraising and alumni CRM

The hardest part of switching to a new CRM can often be decided by whether it's the right time to invest in new technology. Perhaps you're in a busy period, or maybe you're just not sure that a new CRM is required. Given the influence this can have on your organisation, it's a crucial decision to make. At the same time, holding on to an old CRM that is no longer meeting your needs can drastically hold you back and lower your impact.

The following are signs that you've outgrown your fundraising and alumni CRM:

1. Is it keeping you secure?

With reports of data breaches and hacks common in the news, it's become increasingly important that you find a supplier who can be trusted to secure the data of your University and its students, alumni, and supporters. Your CRM provider should be able to reassure you of continuous upgrades and investments to their hosting infrastructure.

2. Is it accessible on the move?

With the global Covid-19 pandemic changing the way we work, it's important that your CRM be accessed remotely by your teams. Your staff may be on different hours or flexible working patterns, so it's key that their CRM supports the way they work.

3. Is it functional?

Does it do what you need it to do? Can it segment your audience by fundraising campaign, demographics or even location? Can it report on the right information? Does it integrate with your mailing capabilities or social media? Does it make your life easier and smoother? If not, it's definitely not serving you in the way it should.

4. Are there hidden costs?

This is particularly prevalent if you are using a CRM provider who doesn't specialise in the Not For Profit sector and its unique requirements. Many larger platforms offer free licenses to hook you in, but upon purchasing the solution, you can experience an unwanted surprise of additional fees that are required in order to gain 'bespoke' functionality. A top tip is to find a provider who has a solution specific to the Not For Profit sector – therefore you will be more likely to get what you need as part of the standard package, not as an optional extra.

5. Is anyone there?

Receiving software support is hugely important when considering what's right for your organisation. If you're regularly waiting weeks to receive answers from your point of contact, this is a strong indication that you aren't receiving an acceptable level of support. There should always be someone for you to liaise with and offer support, whether in the form of a support portal, knowledgebase, or a Customer Success Manager. This is especially important where changes in legislation and keeping your organisation compliant are concerned.

6. Does it support everyone?

A common misconception is that a CRM is applied to exclusively support your fundraising processes. While this is a focus for a fundraising and alumni CRM, it should be serving your entire organisation. This should involve key areas including:

• Development of your University
• Communication processes
• Volunteer and event management
• Training
• Analytics and reporting

Remember, it's there to help you grow and meet your purpose. The point of a flawless CRM is to join up back and front office, and integrate every single activity in one system. Essentially, this ensures that everyone is singing off the same hymn sheet.

7. Is it easy to use?

A very basic point, and often one that is sorely overlooked in the software buying cycle. A comprehensive fundraising and alumni CRM is all very well – and may be required – but if it's convoluted and leads to a complex implementation, the likelihood is it's collecting dust and not being used properly. Instead, this software solution should be maximising your investment by offering training and knowledge, while helping you switch over easily and painlessly.

As there's so much to consider when switching your fundraising and alumni CRM, here are our recommendations of what to consider:

Discuss your 'why' with the team

Poor user adoption is the most common reason that implementations fail, so be sure everyone understands what you're doing, why you're doing it and how your CRM can support you.

Make sure everyone is on the same page

Ensure you've had conversations with your organisation about what's working, what isn't, and what you all hope to gain from a new CRM.

Agree on what data you need to keep vs bin

A CRM switch is an opportunity to spring clean your data and remove old and unnecessary information. Think about what you currently have and the data you actually need to improve your fundraising process.

Give yourself time

If you're migrating multiple systems, it's important to space them out over a long period of time. This protects against downtime, and if any errors occur, it avoids your software being out of use and inaccessible. Identify which systems are critical and plan your switch in order of priority.

Empower your team

Make sure that your senior team are fully supporting the switchover team and are empowering them to make key decisions. It's important that they champion the team to ensure a smooth switchover.

Plan for risks

It's important to put extra time in your project timeline for any risks, extra testing or contingency.

Consider switchover programs

Many software providers offer switchover programs like our Flightpath Packages that can make your switch a painless task. If perhaps you feel like you don't have enough people or resources to handle your switch, consider investing in a program that could help you.

Which integrations do you need?

When choosing a provider, keep in mind the current software your University adopts such as Microsoft Outlook, donation payment processing systems, or even your website. Make sure that you know what needs to integrate with your CRM as this will allow for the system to meet your requirements from the outset.

Stay honest

Switching over systems doesn't happen overnight, so remember to communicate constantly with your organisation about any delays, errors or risks. Often a lack of honesty can lead to discouragement and leave your team disengaged. Be open and transparent at all times.

Have a good time

It's easy to get lost in the stress of new systems, but don't forget to have a good time and stay excited. Consider adding team social events to your project timeline to keep your team motivated and engaged.

Keep the board on board

It's important that senior management are updated as to how the new system works to understand the success of the project. It also allows them to advocate the new technology which sets an example for the rest of your organisation.

Establish best practice

Do this early and often. It allows you to build strong foundations for future system use.

Helping you to stay on track for best success:

• Send comms – who should I inform and who needs to be kept updated?
• Pick a project manager – who is the best person to lead this switch? Think about who is invested and passionate about technology and understands the purpose.
• Pick a project team – who needs to be involved and who is best suited for the team? Think about representing both from a fundraising team and IT perspective.
• Meet the team – what do you want your first project team meeting to look like? Think about the key messages you want to communicate.
• Talk to the board – have you made sure they know what the switchover strategy is and when it will happen? Don't forget to include the impacts to each team and downtime teams will naturally experience.
• Talk switchover with your frequent CRM users to ensure they are aligned with the plans as they are key to user adoption within your organisation.
• Forecast a switchover budget – how much budget will you need for the switchover and what are your costs for this project?
• Conduct a risk assessment – have you considered all the risks and put in contingency plans?
• Take the project team out for coffee or drinks – do your team need motivation? Perhaps spirits are low and some encouragement and team bonding might go a long way.
• Plan system testing time – how much testing time have I allowed and is it enough?
• Plan CRM training for the organisation – who needs training and how will it fit into the workday of your employees?
• Go live – is it finally time to hit that live button?

Your alumni CRM switch is the start of an exciting next chapter. While implementing new technology and ensuring user adoption can be a stressful experience if not planned accordingly, it is also an opportunity to reengage your employees and create focus around the organisation's purpose.

Successful CRM implementation is also a long-term investment and the future of your university, so it's essential that you take the time to cover all the necessary steps and stages.