43North

43North faced a few challenges, as their existing CRM wasn't optimal:

1. They needed a place to house all of their applicant and sponsor data.
2. Their existing application had to be connected to and deeply integrated with a CRM.
3. All communications with people and by extension, companies, needed to be housed in one central location.
4. They needed to document all processes and steps so no one employee became a linchpin or irreplaceable.

We had just over 1 month to migrate data from the old system to the new system and have a working MVP (Minimal Viable Product). The solution needed to be powerful and flexible, understanding that processes will evolve over time.

We took a multi-step approach to solving the challenges:

1. In order to fully understand what needed to be done and what 43North expected of us, we worked with key employees to go over their existing processes/practices and discuss efficiencies, pain-points, and any critical facets. This allowed us to prioritize the challenges and and work through potential solutions.
2. We defined the key data points 43North required and worked back from that to ensure the MVP contained them.
3. We designed our plan to build an MVP by the agreed upon deadline. While building it out, we supplied weekly updates to the 43North staff and discussed any relevant feedback when necessary. We developed a shared document to house important processes, internal discussions, and status updates.
4. We built a custom reporting feature for the Sponsorship Department so they could view data and insights in a way the Director of Development was most comfortable with.
5. To ensure user adoption, (a critical aspect of major software integration) we worked closely with an individual from 43North, Brian, who acted as our primary point of contact and customer champion. He ensured the system was being optimally utilized by enforcing best practices and working closely with staff members.