Maximizing the Potential of Raiser’s Edge: A Success Story

Total Support Package Success Story

Maximizing the Potential of Raiser’s Edge: A Success Story

Renascent has been a leader in addiction treatment since 1970. Located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Renascent has helped almost 40,000 people reclaim their lives from alcohol and drug addiction. With the largest number of treatment beds in Canada and continuous intake, Renascent has set the standard for addiction treatment. For more information about Renascent, reach them online: www.renascent.ca

The Problem: We Have Invested in Raiser’s Edge…Are we getting the Most out of it?

Renascent has been using Raiser’s Edge for over 10 years, and like so many other organizations, have benefited from the tools that Raiser’s Edge offers. However, as Renascent has continued to grow with an increased focus on technology, more attention has been placed on Raiser’s Edge and trying to get a better understanding of what Raiser’s Edge is truly capable of.

Lorraine Johnson, the Systems Manager at Renascent , describes how Raiser’s Edge was being used at Renascent prior to RESolutionsTECH’s involvement, “‘We realized a few years ago that we had this wonderful program called Raiser’s Edge, that is only been half-used, but we weren’t getting everything that we could out of it.”

Lorraine knew Raiser’s Edge was capable of so much more than they were using it for but wondered what they needed to change? How would they change it? How would she get staff involved in this change? And how could she ensure Renascent is prepared for the future?

The Solution: A Partnership with Raiser’s Edge Experts

Lorraine and the rest of the staff at Renascent knew they required an investment in resources and time to ensure their Raiser’s Edge Database was operating at its fullest potential, but they knew it was necessary to put Renascent in the best possible situation moving forward.

There were plenty of options including hiring a full-time Raiser’s Edge expert, addressing each of the concerns separately or working with a Raiser’s Edge consultant. Lorraine was presented with another option from RESolutionsTECH – a Total Support Package that covered all of Renascent’s Raiser’s Edge needs. Lorraine decided to partner with RESolutionsTECH.

With RESolutionsTECH’s Total Support, Renascent has access to an entire team of Raiser’s Edge experts – all at a fraction of the cost of hiring a full-time staff member.

Lorraine recalls the decision-making process and how she ultimately chose the Total Support Package, “We decided to partner with RESolutionsTECH for the Support Package because we saw a chance to save a considerable amount of money. If we had chosen to hire consultant on a per project basis, it would have cost us more.”

Along with having access to our entire consulting team any time of day or night, the package also provides Renascent with a Complete Raiser’s Edge Audit, Unlimited Online Training, Unlimited Phone and Email Support, and additional services, such as customized Crystal Reports and Raiser’s Edge manuals that are specific to their organization.

Raiser’s Edge Audit to Provide the Necessary Clean-Ups

The first stage of the Total Support Package is the Raiser’s Edge Audit. For Renascent, the Audit was a priority because they knew their Raiser’s Edge system was being under-used and had not received the proper updating since being implemented approximately 12 years ago.

The main goals of the Audit include:

• Improving system processes, especially those with advanced function

• Identify areas where best practices can be implemented

• Addressing areas where customization is needed

• Identifying areas for data clean-ups

The Audit confirmed what Lorraine thought about the current state of their Raiser’s Edge system, “After consulting with the RESolutionsTECH team, we determined we had a variety needs, fixes and clean-ups that were required. We didn’t have the time or the expertise to do this so we leveraged the RESolutionsTECH team of consultants. We created a list of about 20 items that required the most attention and we have been working together to check off the list – one by one.”

Upon completion of the Audit, Renascent received a report which outlined the areas examined with recommendations and steps for Renascent moving forward, and how RESolutionsTECH will assist with those recommendations. The Audit is especially beneficial because the RESolutionsTECH staff can get a better understanding of the Renascent Raiser’s Edge system and can use that knowledge in future projects.

Unlimited Online Training to Ensure Staff are Equipped

Once the Audit was completed and the RESolutionsTECH team had a thorough understanding of the specifics of the Renascent Raiser’s Edge system, training is available for all staff using the system ranging from those using the system daily to staff that may use it less frequently or mainly during events. This training is particularly beneficial for new hires or for current staff to understand the best practices and areas specific to Renascent. Lorraine comments on training and how it will improve their Raiser’s Edge use,

“Once we have cleaned-up our system and have it in a condition that works for us, our staff will require training to ensure they are doing things the new way, the right way, the improved way. This training will focus on each user to equip them with the tools to use our improved Raiser’s Edge system to it’s full potential.”

RESolutionsTECH ensures training is customized to the needs of Renascent. Each organization uses Raiser’s Edge in a unique way and the training reflects those distinct differences. After each training session, a manual is provided which highlights the key areas discussed in the session. RESolutionsTECH’s is flexible, and can be requested at any time in order to meet the schedule and needs of any organization.

A Partner Who is Available When You Need Support

To compliment the findings of the database audit and the unlimited training, Renascent has access to unlimited phone and email support with their Total Support Package. An online support system enables each Renascent staff member to make requests - day or night.

The support portal provides Renascent staff a quick response time while still focusing on quality information. Each request is immediately assigned to the most appropriate RESolutionsTECH staff member that has knowledge about the Renascent Raiser’s Edge system.

Lorraine uses the portal frequently and has worked with RESolutionsTECH to implement a system that has worked for Renascent:

“I went into the portal and submitted 20 projects that we are working on. We are realistic with our timeframes and plan ahead with RESolutionsTECH so everyone knows what to expect. If we have an urgent request, within the hour, the RESolutionsTECH team has been there and came through. Any time I have dealt with staff, I appreciate the quick response time.”

Demanding a Complete Package

While the audit, training and support are important components of the Total Support Package, it encompasses every aspect of Raiser’s Edge. Lorraine and the staff at Renascent have more confidence in Raiser’s Edge because they know that if a project is required, they will have a team of experts on hand who are ready to assist. Lorraine states:

“There have been times when our team has needed a very specific report that was outside of our knowledge of Raiser’s Edge. We contacted the RESolutionsTECH team and worked together to clearly identify our needs and ensure we receive the reporting we needed.”

Making Changes today to Improve for Tomorrow

Many organizations can identify with Renascent’s previous situation. Similar to Lorraine, you may have made a significant investment in Raiser’s Edge, only to find you are not maximizing its potential. You may be searching for a partner that can help your organization in today’s economy. Lorraine was in your shoes once, and she feels RESolutionsTECH provide the best return on her investment in technology:

“What we are paying is irrelevant; I want value for monies spent. I feel like I get value from RESTECH. I feel the RESolutionsTECH team cares and strive to help us succeed …because of that support, we can now say we are maximizing Raiser’s Edge.”

Contact us to start maximizing Raiser’s Edge today!