This is a big topic so we’re splitting this learning event into two sessions: part one will take place on Tuesday 9th February and part two on Tuesday 2nd March. You must sign up to session one in order to receive login details for session two. There will be some time between each to give you time to ask follow-up questions and to discuss what you learned with your colleagues.
Every area of work is becoming digital, and all of us use database systems to track and facilitate our interactions with donors, supporters and colleagues. These database systems are so central to our work that an ill-fitting one can seriously hamper our efficacy, and deploying a new system can be a lengthy and painful experience, not to mention an expensive and risky endeavour. But getting the right database in place can let us focus on our real work feeling empowered by technology, not constrained by it, and can save our organisations real money.
In this two-part webinar series, Harrison Brown of Suru Partners will show us how to think about these key pieces of your I.T. landscape including how to assess whether your current system is the right fit and how to choose and roll-out a new database system, avoiding common pitfalls. After the sessions, Harrison and his team have kindly offered to be available for short one2one follow up sessions to answer any specific questions you’re facing and give advice about your particular context. They can also advise on other related technologies you may be thinking about. For many of you, these one2one sessions may be as valuable as the learning event itself.
Session 1 — Finding what you need (Tuesday 9th February 2021 | 10am-12pm)
In this session we’ll learn how to assess whether your current database system is the right fit for you and how to start evaluating whether there’s a business case to look at replacing it. We’ll also look at an actionable, effective process for assessing the market, evaluating options for a new database system and proactively testing them to decide which option is best for you. A clear process like this really helps keep momentum in a project and prevent it from getting bogged down in the details.
You’ll learn:
- How to know when it’s time to change your database system, and why the wrong technology is affecting how your whole organisation operates
- How to critically assess your needs
- Common pitfalls to avoid
- Which pain-points can be solved by technology and which need a different approach
- How to develop a business case and reduce financial risk
- Who needs to be involved (hint: it’s not just I.T.)
- Whether you need one central system or whether multiple products working on harmony would work better for you
- Why it’s vital to put your staff, donors and partners at the centre of any process to select a database system
- Why the wrong technology choice can derail an I.T. project from the very start
- How to efficiently assess the software market and make the right choice
- How to take charge of the selection and negotiation process rather than letting a software vendor lead you
- How to avoid the silver bullet myth and see through vendor hyperbole
Session 2 — Making it happen (Tuesday 2nd March 2021 | 10am-12pm)
In the second session we’ll look at how to approach the implementation of a new database system from both an operational and a technical point of view. We’ll discuss what foundational skills and capacity you’ll need, who needs to be involved and how to approach implementation, migration and roll-out. We’ll look at how to get the most of your investment in the long term and how to mitigate risks that can undermine a project like this.
You’ll learn:
- What skills you’ll need and how to build an implementation team
- Why the technology was the easy part
- The importance of project champions and internal buy-in
- Whether to do it in-house or engage an implementation partner
- Tips and tricks for safe data migration
- What can go wrong
- How to roll-out a new database to your teams
- How your processes may need to change to make best use of a new system
- What forces might be undermining your investment
- How to plan for the future and get the most value from your investment
- How to adapt your processes to leverage new technology
- What other opportunities might arise from the project
Important information:
Reviewing organisational CRMs is a significant task and rarely involves only one person, so to make this more affordable for organisations who would like several of their staff to attend there are two pricing levels beyond the member / non-member rates (these prices cover both sessions):
- £30 – member (individual)
- £50 – member (organisational - multiple delegates)
- £90 – non-member (individual)
- £125 – non-member (organisational - multiple delegates)
If you are not sure if your church or organisation is a member of GC, please check with them to confirm or see if they feature on our List of Members page.
- You will receive the invitation and password for the webinar in the confirmation email upon booking. A reminder email with details will be sent out by 5pm the day before the event - please keep an eye on your emails (including your spam or junk mail folders).
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