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Hey, Look at This!
By Mike Miller
Mercer Business Magazine
March 1, 2006

"Non-Profit Organizations and Technology: Building Relationships and Maximizing Resources"

Do you remember the first few years your company was connected to the Internet? One of your colleagues would find an innovative web site with never-been-seen-before technology, and would shout, "You've got to see this!" Whoever needed a little break would gather around that person's computer and speculate about ways the web will help business, mankind and the world in general.

Fast forward ten years. Much of the "wow" of the web has receded. In its place are a stable of search engines and web sites that we all use regularly, not so much for entertainment, but to get a job done.

For businesses, simply having a web site these days is not the final destination. The business web site has become a conduit, through which better communications and processes are being created and nurtured. On the surface, it can still have the "hey, look at this" appeal, but we also expect usability, durability and a true return on investment. What follows is an overview of how some of our Chamber Members are using the web to improve the way they do business...

Managing data
Lisa Snyder's email inbox was becoming bloated with old messages and outdated attachments. In addition to being an insurance agent at Kistler Tiffany Benefits (www.ktbenefits.com), Lisa was also assigned the task of organizing their web development team. One of the problems she identified was that their company was receiving daily updates from insurance carriers, as digital files, which were then forwarded as an email attachment to everyone in the company. The email server was becoming bogged down and copies of old files were still circulating.

The solution was to create a web-based administrative tool that lets them save the latest insurance updates to their web site server, as a web link or as a file. This allows the latest information to be available at all times from their web site, and the files are only downloaded or viewed as needed. As updates are added to the system, they become part of a searchable database. Guests can now customize their own resource page, showing only the links to the carriers they use most. The result is that the updates circulating are all current, customers can more easily find the data they need without additional help, and the load on the email system has been significantly improved.

Improving communications, increasing efficiency
When a catastrophic event arises, the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey (www.njredcross.org) has a plan to help. Their web site has become a vital part of the way they communicate. In addition to disseminating up-to-the-minute information on their public web site, they run a Business Network, helping local corporations prepare for, and respond to, emergencies. They also have developed an extranet to provide current resources and information to their staff and board members. They use the web to manage course registration, special events, and even take credit card donations online. All of these web tasks improve the immediacy and reach of their information, and streamline the internal processes required to manage such a diverse non-profit organization.

Insuring quality, maximizing resources
The Rose Group (www.rosegroupdining.com) manages 46+ Applebee's restaurants and has created an extensive suite of web-enabled tools. It was important to them to centralize company resources and be able to support their locations around the clock. They have recently added web-based testing for their manager-in-training program that provides instantaneous scoring and reports; this used to be a laborious task that had been done by hand. To insure the quality of special company events, they now analyze feedback from attendees via online surveys, and have just launched a system that lets them distribute their monthly financial reports, securely, via the Internet. This is a time and money savings as it replaces copying and overnight shipping of pounds of paper each month.

Creating accessibility
By building web-based applications, companies can efficiently and affordably share data and administrative capabilities, requiring only a web-enabled computer at the other end. New Jersey SHARES (www.njshares.org) uses a custom online system to provide financial relief for New Jersey residents who need temporary assistance with their utility bills. Agencies that provide assistance throughout New Jersey can submit requests for assistance online, from their own location. The NJ SHARES system gives a real-time total of available relief funds, verifies and approves the applicant, and records all transactions in a central database.

Enhancing meaning with rich media
There are some ideas that can't be effectively conveyed in a paragraph of text or a pie chart. Amper, Politziner and Mattia (www.amper.com) is known as one of New Jersey's largest accounting firms, but they also provide consultancy in a wide variety of business disciplines. Part of a new web campaign, soon to be released, will be a series of streaming videos that explain these areas of expertise, presented by the professionals that head each department. The campaign aims to more clearly define each service, while adding a memorable and personable feel to their web presence.

Building customer loyalty, reinforcing brand
You shouldn't be shy about asking someone for their business. If you work for a non-profit organization, then you need to ask people for their support. As part of their ongoing efforts to maintain contact with their supporters, United Way of Greater Mercer County (www.uwgmc.org) added custom-branded online greeting cards to their outreach efforts this Thanksgiving. The web-based system provides feedback on which email addresses are current, how many cards were opened, and gives recipients the opportunity to reply. By combining a well-branded web site with professional online correspondence, United Way stays current in their supporters' minds, while communicating more effectively and economically.

Are you using the web in an innovative way?
We would love to hear from you!

Michael A. Miller (mike@setnow.com) is VP and Creative Director of Set Now Solutions (www.setnow.com), and is Chairman of the Mercer Regional Chamber's Technology Committee.