Awana

Awana, a nonprofit Christian schooling program, wanted a cost-effective CRM system to streamline processes across its sales, marketing, and customer service groups. As a nonprofit with limited resources, the organization required a flexible, hosted solution that would integrate with their JD Edwards accounting system and not not siphon additional IT assets.

Awana selected Salesforce CRM over Microsoft CRM, initially deploying it to 175 users in one month with email integration through Force.com’s connect for Microsoft Outlook. Cast Iron—a Salesforce integration partner—facilitated a seamless, bi-directional data link between Salesforce CRM and JD Edwards, with extensive custom objects that sync various data with relevancy. The company made use of the Force.com API to build an online hiring application, which aids in their recruiting efforts. And Awana is in the process of building a self-service portal that will empower customers to answer their own questions via a dynamic FAQ reference.

In the Ministry Services Group, the organization reports increased efficiencies and time-saving benefits such as real-time reporting capabilities drive adoption among internal users. Extensive customizations and powerful integration with JD Edwards seamlessly weaves data into Salesforce CRM. Reports and dashboards track metrics such as opportunities forecasting, number of customers, and number of inquiries—providing an overview of ministry participation. Advanced forecasting capabilities related to inquiries on Awana programs will enable executives to easily identify opportunities and strategize accordingly.