26 Nov 2008
The Guide Dogs for the Blind
Association is to implement the IRIS CARE CRM and fundraising
system developed by IRIS NFP Solutions across the entire
organisation.
This order for IRIS follows a review by the charity to ensure
that the delivery of its future fundraising targets are underpinned
by the most appropriate system and processes synonymous with an
annual income of c£72 million.
The IRIS CARE system will provide
essential support for the charity’s fundraising operation that
encompasses direct marketing, individual giving, community and
branch activity, events, corporate relationships and legacy
marketing, trusts and in memoriam gifts.
IRIS CARE provides Not For Profit organisations such as Guide
Dogs with a rare mix; an ‘out-of-the-box’ mature solution with
universal functionality influenced by its third sector user base
and an inherent flexibility that allows a level of configuration.
The ‘closeness of fit’ is one of the key reasons that IRIS CARE was
selected by Guide Dogs along with the ease with which the system
can be rolled out to its remote users who will utilise the system
through ‘Smart Client’ feature rich technology.
For a charity with the size and profile of Guide Dogs, the
organisation needs to have complete confidence in the suppliers it
works with. Simon Fowler, Managing Director of IRIS NFP Solutions,
explained how the IRIS approach differs from others in the sector.
He said: “IRIS CARE is unique in the fact that it can be
implemented organisation-wide and with the sheer scale of the Guide
Dogs organisation, it is crucial that the project is managed
diligently and with complete stewardship. We are now in the most
important phase of the audit and consultation process where we
assess the charity’s needs so that the implementation is fast and
trouble free.”
The demonstrable IRIS track-record of product delivery, aligned
with a full project managed service persuaded Guide Dogs that IRIS
had the capability, resources and stability to meet their stringent
needs.
Shahid Choudbury, Project Manager at Guide Dogs said: “We are
most impressed by the functionality of the IRIS CARE system and we
believe it will bring tangible benefits making it possible for our
remote workers to access live information that will improve
efficiency in all the operational areas.”
About Guide Dogs
Guide Dogs' vision is of a world in which blind and
partially-sighted people have the same rights, responsibilities and
opportunities as everyone else.
There are around 4,500 guide dog partnerships in the UK and it
costs around £10 a day to breed, train and support each guide dog
partnership.
