When choosing a nonprofit software solution, organizations often focus on features, functionalities and pricing. However, one critical aspect can make or break the success of your nonprofit software implementation and ongoing use: your nonprofit’s customer experience (CX).
82 percent of nonprofits evaluating new software express frustration with their legacy system’s customer experience.
— Revealed in a survey conducted by Giveffect’s Nonprofit Solution Consultants.
Selecting a nonprofit software is not just about the technology; it’s also about the people behind it. To better understand CX, let’s first dissect its components. Within CX, multiple business strategies and departments play roles. For instance, customer support specializes in resolving product-related concerns and offering technical assistance. On the other hand, customer success prioritizes nurturing long-term relationships, proactively preventing future issues while partnering with your organization to assist with growth.
As you explore and evaluate options for nonprofit software, it’s essential to consider both facets of the customer experience. This approach will empower you to make a well-informed decision that not only covers the initial adoption but also sets a strong foundation for continued and effective long-term use of the technology.
This article details the six crucial factors you must consider when looking at different nonprofit software options specific to your customer experience. Uncovering this key information while evaluating software might not always be easy. Watch out for unclear answers, lack of transparency or responses that seem canned. If you come across any vague or confusing answers now, it’s like a warning sign for how your experience might be later.
Side note before we jump in. Be sure to also download the checklist at the bottom of the article with questions to further guide you in evaluating CX and determining which nonprofit software is right for your organization.
1. Tailors Onboarding Experience:
Too many nonprofit technologies solely offer generic asynchronous or self-guided onboarding. The self-guided onboarding programs are typically created to onboard nonprofits at scale. Meaning your organization is just a number. However, it’s important to recognize that every organization is unique and faces distinct challenges. To set your organization up for success from the start, select a nonprofit technology with a customer success team that understands this and ensures a smooth and tailored onboarding experience, guiding your nonprofit through the initial setup and configuration process. Be sure that they take the time to understand your organization’s specific needs and objectives, ensuring that the software aligns with your mission.
At Giveffect, for example, our customer success team takes a personalized approach to onboarding. Your dedicated Customer Success Account Manager will conduct live onboarding sessions tailored to your organization’s needs, goals and team dynamics. Ahead of these structured sessions, you’ll receive an agenda, and we’re always open to adjusting topics based on your priorities. Moreover, we’re flexible during the process – if specific areas require deeper exploration or questions arise, we’ll gladly adapt to ensure your unique onboarding experience is optimized.
2. Assists with Data Migration and Integration:
Migrating data from existing systems to new nonprofit software can be daunting. A customer success team should provide expert guidance during the data migration process, ensuring a seamless transition. They should also assist with integrations between the new software and other tools your organization may use, fostering efficiency and data accuracy. Let’s break down all that must be included as part of your data migration and integration assistance:
Data Integrity: Your data migration specialist should ensure the accurate transfer of data from the old system to the new one. They must work with your nonprofit to verify that crucial information, including donor records, volunteer data, and program details, is accurately migrated without errors or data loss.
Data Mapping and Transformation: Your data migration specialist should work with your nonprofit to plan how data from the old system will be mapped and transformed to fit the new system’s structure. As part of the process, it is important to address any discrepancies in data formats, fields, or categories to maintain consistency and usefulness.
Customization and Configuration: Work with your data migration specialist to ensure the new technology is tailored to your nonprofit’s specific needs. Explore whether the software allows custom fields, workflows, and reporting capabilities that align with your organization’s operations.
Testing and Validation: Thoroughly test the new system and its migrated data before going live. Validation ensures data is correctly migrated and the new technology operates as expected.
Giveffect, for instance, assigns a dedicated nonprofit data migration specialist to every nonprofit as part of the onboarding process, providing expert guidance throughout the entire data migration process. This specialist efficiently handles much of the migration tasks, seeking approval from the nonprofit at every crucial stage. Nonprofits simply provide labeled data spreadsheets, and the Giveffect Data Migration Specialist takes care of the rest with precision and expertise. It’s also important to note that data migration comes at no additional cost to the organization adopting Giveffect starting at Ultimate Lite or higher. Be sure to gain clarity on additional data migration costs or resources needed from the technologies you are vetting.
3. Shares Best Practices & Maximizes Software Utilization:
Customer success teams should not leave you after onboarding; they should continue working with your nonprofit to ensure you fully leverage the software’s capabilities. A common challenge nonprofits face is that they have the technology but don’t have the know-how to leverage it effectively, rendering technology’s potential untapped. Central to effective customer experience is providing nonprofits access to knowledgeable individuals (actual humans) who understand their organization. Customer Success teams should provide ongoing training, resources and best practices, empowering your team to make the most of the software’s features. This ensures adept navigation of challenges, strategic planning, and unlocking the platform’s full potential to amplify impact and realize goals. Simply put, your technology is only as good as your ability to use it. Select a nonprofit software that takes this proactive approach to help your organization extract the maximum value from your investment.
Giveffect, for example, has established scheduled check-ins at key intervals to proactively support your team’s software adoption journey. These check-ins encompass 30-60-90-day reviews and mid-year and annual assessments. At the same time, your dedicated Customer Success Account Manager remains accessible for additional meetings depending on your support level plan. This tried-and-true schedule ensures an ongoing and robust connection between our teams, fostering continuous collaboration year after year. Additionally, Giveffect offers a variety of nonprofit resources and educational webinars, including monthly new feature webinars which share new feature releases in detail and use cases, as well as new articles regularly added to the Knowledge Center.
4. Troubleshoots and Offers Technical Support:
Even with a user-friendly platform, occasional challenges may arise. Customer support teams should be there to provide timely and effective solutions to any technical issues or inquiries. Select a nonprofit software with a dedicated support system to ensure that your nonprofit’s operations remain uninterrupted, preventing potential disruptions to your mission-critical activities.
An essential aspect of real-time troubleshooting and technical support lies in the convenience of chat interactions. However, frustration often arises when seeking assistance becomes a robotic and circular experience, leaving your specific questions unanswered or problems unresolved. Rather than a seamless response tailored to your needs, you might find yourself navigating through repetitive chatbot exchanges or encountering a human operator who lacks familiarity with the pertinent technology. This can stem from chat support representatives being generalists handling multiple technologies. This may hinder their ability to address your unique query.
At Giveffect, we prioritize a different approach to ensure meaningful and effective chat support. Every chat support representative is a real person extensively trained in Giveffect. Their only goal is to answer your questions or solve your challenges. They also follow up with additional information if you need to leave the chat to head to a meeting or if your attention gets pulled elsewhere as your priorities shift throughout the day. Email support is another channel for support with Giveffect. Nonprofits can email their dedicated Account Manager and get a response within 48 hours or two business days.
5. Listens to Nonprofit Needs and Takes Action:
Customer success representatives should act as advocates for their nonprofit clients, diligently listening to their challenges and aspirations. By understanding the unique requirements of different nonprofits, they can relay valuable insights to the software development team. This communication loop and prioritization of customer feedback ensure that the software is continuously updated to meet the ever-evolving needs of nonprofit organizations.
In a culture of transparency and openness, nonprofits can suggest new features and improvements based on their real-world experiences and need to influence the software’s development process. For instance, many of Giveffect’s new and updated features begin as requests from nonprofit organizations. When a nonprofit expresses a need or request, their dedicated Customer Success Account Manager initiates a collaborative process. The Customer Success Manager advocates for the nonprofit’s request with the Product Team, influencing both the development roadmap and timing. This inclusive approach ensures that nonprofits play an active role in shaping the software they rely on. Moreover, Giveffect maintains transparent communication by promptly notifying nonprofits about releasing new features. This proactive approach keeps nonprofits informed and empowered to leverage the latest enhancements for their mission-driven initiatives.
6. Builds Long-Term Partnerships:
A positive Customer Experience (customer success and support) should extend beyond initial onboarding. A nonprofit technology should focus on building a lasting partnership to maximize the effectiveness of your organization. As your nonprofit grows and evolves, so do your software needs. Your customer success team should evolve with you, providing insights on how to scale the software and align it with your changing requirements.
In many ways, a nonprofit’s customer success manager should act as a strategic partner, helping you align your technology usage with broader organizational objectives. They should offer insights on best practices, innovative ways to leverage the platform, and how to optimize workflows for maximum efficiency. This partnership should ensure that your nonprofit not only harnesses the full potential of the software but also achieves sustained growth and impact.
Giveffect takes pride in fostering enduring partnerships with the nonprofits we serve. Our dedicated Customer Success Account Managers provide unwavering support, strategic guidance and expert advice. We go beyond being a mere vendor; we aim to become an integral extension of your nonprofit team. Our customer success approach is about your success, offering personalized insights, sharing best practices, and even showcasing real-world case studies demonstrating how to leverage Giveffect further to drive impact. With Giveffect, you’re not just gaining a software solution; you’re acquiring a dedicated partner invested in your organization’s growth and mission.
Key Takeaway
A well-thought-out customer experience (customer success and customer support) is not just an optional perk when selecting nonprofit software; it is vital to successful implementation. A software provider that prioritizes customer success ensures that your nonprofit receives personalized attention, timely support, and a seamless experience throughout your software journey. Ensure the cost of support is transparent and understand it before signing up. By partnering with a software provider that values customer experience, your nonprofit gains a true ally in achieving its mission and impacting the community you serve.
