Connecticut Public
“Every new client brings a unique set of goals and challenges. With Connecticut Public, we knew that most of their issues would be solved by Revolution CRM and the many integrations we have in place for public media organizations. We’re so excited when a client of their size can achieve levels of efficiency that exceed those of much larger organizations.”
Wendy Fox
Senior Vice President, Client Operations
ROI Solutions
Turning the Tide:
Enhancing Member Relationships through Efficiency and Automation
In 2022, Connecticut Public approached ROI Solutions with some trepidation. Two years earlier, they had migrated from Team Approach to Salesforce NGOC, which was now set for discontinuation. Poor data, cumbersome processes, and failing integrations hindered their ability to provide a seamless member experience.
Confidence waned as they struggled with inefficiency and unreliable data, finding themselves fighting their technology to perform basic tasks. Processing 22,000+ monthly donations and pulling files for direct mail programs required so much manual work that it consumed staff time at all levels, delaying investment in critical growth initiatives.
Fortunately, they managed to turn the tide by implementing Revolution CRM with ROI Solutions, establishing a new level of efficiency and care that Connecticut Public had never experienced from a technology partner.
“From day one, we thought ‘this feels different,’” said Lauren Komrosky, Chief Digital Officer. “ROI Solutions is a team that’s actually going to help us change and succeed from a business perspective, not just get us onto a new platform.”
About Connecticut Public:
Connecticut Public is home to Connecticut Public Television (CPTV), and Connecticut Public Radio (WNPR). Connecticut Public serves more than one million people each week through radio and television, as well as through their many digital and online platforms, including ctpublic.org. Through their mission to inform, educate, and inspire the people of Connecticut, they connect people of all ages to high-quality journalism, storytelling, education, and experiences, and amplify the voices of their diverse communities. Connecticut Public is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Hartford, CT, with a $22 million annual budget, funded primarily through community support from individuals, foundations and corporate sponsors.
Opportunity
Before Revolution CRM, Connecticut Public began each month riddled with anxiety due to unreliable renewal processes and a Salesforce integration that erroneously expired members’ access to PBS Passport benefits. Its Audience Care staff would handle 60-100 member service issues for the first few days of each month, leaving scant time for other essential tasks. Audience and Members are the top priority for Connecticut Public, so the consistent Passport challenges left staff frustrated, unable to focus on stewardship and new benefits that could improve the member experience.
Outcome
Connecticut Public knew the importance of getting the basics right in a competitive media landscape. Every month, substantial recurring revenue was jeopardized due to unreliable renewal processes. Connecticut Public’s processes now require little manual intervention, allowing staff to focus on new, strategic initiatives and higher-level relationship building with members.
The Solution
Streamlined Operations Stimulate Growth
ROI Solutions worked diligently with Connecticut Public to thoroughly understand its data hygiene and processing issues, identify root causes, and ultimately develop remediation plans. ROI Solutions supported Connecticut Public’s goals to automate integrations and evergreen processes. They transitioned to paperless communication with members and donors for renewal notices, failed transaction alerts, and acknowledgments wherever feasible. Connecticut Public increased recurring revenue by automating renewal emails, prompting members to make online transactions while reducing manual efforts and costs to manage it.
Reduced Friction
Automated sustainer processing, failed transaction recycling, and dependable PBS Passport integration improve the member experience.
Enhanced Care
Streamlined inbound emails, case management workflows, and email templates for efficient membership inquiries and issue resolution.
Automated Exports
Regular data submissions like industry-standard ROAR report exports that used to take 2-3 days to process manually are now completely automated.
Paperless Operations
An integration with Engaging Networks eliminates printed acknowledgments and receipts while promoting cost efficiency.
The Result
Sustaining the Beating Heart of Public Media
Connecticut Public has become an innovative leader in public media, effectively leveraging Revolution CRM to transform its operations to a level that exceeds that of many larger organizations. Their transition to a paperless acknowledgment system for monthly and annual receipting resulted in significant savings annually. Leveraging automated exports, reports, and other processes saves hundreds of hours of effort and frustration each month.
They also aren’t leaving money on the table anymore with failed transactions. “With Revolution CRM and Engaging Networks, we’ve automated processing and communication around declined sustainer transactions,” said Brendan Foley, Senior Director of Member Growth Strategy. “After implementing these processes, we recaptured over $80,000 in annualized donations during the first few months. That’s significant and essential, as many public media stations focus on ways to increase revenue and reduce expenses.”
At a recent board meeting, Mark Contreras, Connecticut Public’s CEO spoke of the migration’s rousing success. Frequently, talk of migration projects in such meetings focuses on delays, cost overruns, and revenue dips as staff become familiar with the new system. A migration process without obstacles is a real rarity. Contreras emphasized that this project exceeded his expectations and contributed to year-over-year growth, defying industry trends.
