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Executive Summary
Implementation of New System

In August of 2009, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of March Of Dimes (MOD),
Alan Kaufmann announced the integration of a nationwide database called Constituent
Relationship Management (CRM). The CRM software, purchased through Blackbaud
Enterprise, was selected because it was specifically built for large nonprofits with complex
needs. By integrating CRM, the foundation would now be able to track and organize its
current and prospective constituents. This system includes specific information about
constituents and constituent interactions which can be entered, stored and accessed by
employees regardless of the different MOD departments. MOD brought the CRM system on
board in order to help organize and consolidate the multiple systems they currently in
place. CRM was a way for MOD to stay organized and competitive as a nonprofit
organization.

Implemented Training for CRM
The training method MOD used when implementing CRM was a formal four-and-a-half day
training workshop administered by a Blackbaud representative who was familiar with the
work of the MOD. All staff and volunteers using the system were to attend. During the
training sessions, the representative explained, with the help of visual aids, the steps
involved in data entry using CRM and how to navigate the system. Upon completion of the
training, all staff and volunteers were assumed to be equipped with the knowledge and
skills necessary to effectively utilize this new database system.

Problems in CRM Implementation
Problems in the system training design were identified such as the staggered roll out of
CRM, the lack of adequate training of new incoming staff and the lack of an effective
evaluation process. CRM training occurred in 2010 even though only six states were live.
MOD chapters in Michigan suffered greatly because of this two year gap between the
nationwide training and their actual implementation of the CRM system in 2012. Once
employees completed the training workshop, they were essentially on their own to utilize
CRM, which was not in place until 2012.

Recommendations for Training
A high quality training design with top level management support is recommended.
New employees will be given an 8 hour webinar and PowerPoint presentation on CRM.
Upon conclusion of the training materials, a test of skills will be put in place to certify
employees to use the CRM system. Existing employees will also participate in an annual
certification to make sure skills and knowledge are up to date. An office liaison in each
branch will be appointed to oversee that training has successfully taken place, and assist
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with questions and issues concerning CRM. Liaisons will also communicate with top
managers to ensure absolute success of CRM. By appointing an employee as an office
training liaison, MOD is ensuring there is a multifaceted level of managerial support for all
employees.

Security of CRM
CRM stores personal and sensitive information such as full names, addresses, phone
numbers, past donations, corporate affiliation, and wealth indicators. Access of the
databases should limited to full and part time employees that require access in their job
descriptions. Background checks will now be put in place for every new incoming
employee and volunteer who will be entering the system and receiving a MOD username. If
volunteers and temporary workers need access, it should be confirmed from a higher
manager and closely monitored. Their access would only include names and address for
donation purposes.

Conclusion
Information systems are especially important to the MOD foundation. When training new
employees, it is critical that a high quality design ensures their understanding of CRM
content as well as MOD job expectations. A successful implementation program will not
only save cost in the end, but lead to a better producing company, organization, or
foundation long into the future.



















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Memorandum:

To: President Jennifer L. Howse
March of Dimes National Office
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605

From: MPA Graduate Students
Oakland University
2200 North Squirrel Rd.
Rochester, MI 48309

Subject: Recommendations for the successful implementation of a new database system

Date: April 15, 2013


Organization Overview

The March of Dimes is a United States based nonprofit organization headquartered in
White Plains, New York. This nonprofit was founded on January 3
rd
, 1938 and now consists
of 51 chapters throughout the United States. Founded by President Franklin Roosevelt, the
March of Dimes (MOD) is credited with numerous accomplishments such as the
development of a vaccine for polio and the funding of lifesaving medical treatments for
premature babies. The mission of the MOD is to improve the health of babies by preventing
birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality. In order to carry out its mission, the
MOD has led an effort to raise awareness of prematurity among the general population.
Millions of dollars are raised every year through the organizations premier fundraising
event, March for Babies. The money raised goes toward developing new treatments,
improving existing ones, and providing comfort and support to families with babies in
neonatal intensive care units throughout the United States. Due to the organizations
immense size, each chapter of MOD holds a variety of events throughout the year in order
to reach constituents. Events hosted by MOD allow the organization to educate through
awareness, cultivate new volunteers and most importantly fundraise to save the lives of
premature babies. In Michigan, the Metropolitan Detroit Division has projected eleven
events for the 2013 year. A few of these 2013 events include the Executive Breakfast at the
Detroit Athletic Club, the Fashion Extravaganza at St. John Armenian Center, the Golf
Classic at Indianwood Country Club, participating in the Arts Beats and Eats festival and
raising awareness of World Prematurity Day in mid-November (marchofdimes.com). The
largest events hosted by the Metropolitan Detroit chapter include four March for Babies.
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In each location across southwest Michigan, families, friends, and communities will walk to
raise money to support programs that will help moms have healthy and full term
pregnancies. Along with Metro-Detroit, 7 million people will be walking at similar events
across the United States to celebrate the 75
th
year of the MOD.

Implementation of New System

In August of 2009, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of MOD, Alan Kaufmann
announced the integration of a nationwide database called Constituent Relationship
Management (CRM). This system was incorporated to help improve the way in which
March of Dimes was able to do business and eventually achieve a higher level of success
within the organization. By integrating CRM, MOD would be able to track and organize its
current and prospective constituents. These constituents include volunteers, donors,
participants, corporate sponsors, advocates, neonatal intensive care unit families, media
partners, and staff (MOD Handbook).

The CRM software selected by MOD is purchased through Blackbaud Enterprise. CRM is an
off the shelf system often referred to as COTS (Commercial-Off-The-Shelf). Blackbaud CRM
specializes in bringing together disparate information-such as annual and capital giving,
major giving, online communication, social media and direct marketing systems- across the
various programs and various organization sites, (blackbaud.com). By hiring Blackbaud,
MOD was confident this off the shelf system was specifically built for large nonprofits with
complex needs. By selecting this type of software, MOD was limited to customizations of
COTS. Therefore, they were limited to customized modifications of the software not only as
a result of higher costs, but also because too many changes could create problems with the
software code (Rocheleau, 2005).

They believed this system would have the ability to greatly benefit MOD because it could be
configured to support the operations already in place within the organization. This system
includes specific information about constituents and constituent interactions which can be
entered, stored and accessed by employees regardless of the different MOD departments
(MOD Handbook). As an operating model, CRM includes tools to capture strategic data and
analyze relationship strategies and customize marketing.

Goals for CRM

MOD brought the CRM system on board in order to help organize and consolidate the
multiple systems they currently have in place. Before the integration of this new system,
upper management had been frustrated that the organization was unable to get a 360-
degree view of how constituents were supporting the nonprofit and how MOD was
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supporting them (Citation Memo). Therefore, the belief was that CRM would be able to give
a big picture view of their supporters. Over time, the goal was for MOD to be able to
communicate more effectively with constituents in a way that better understood their
interests. CRM was a way for MOD to stay organized and competitive as a nonprofit
organization. Management stated, This is not just an IT system that requires data entry; it
is a way of doing businesses that in the long run will give us all better opportunities to
serve our current and prospective constituents (Citation Memo).

The following benefits were outlined to MOD staff regarding the opportunities CRM would
also encompass.

Detailed list of constituents and a prospective list
List of companies and corporations who have worked with other MOD Chapters
Assistance tracking commitments with constituents
Regular reminders of upcoming events or commitments with supporters
Data from past MOD systems would be available and would avoid duplicate entry
Regional reports will be accessible from CRM including data that was entered into
spreadsheets (Citation Memo).

These unique tools and detailed information about constituents had been a missing
component from prior systems. The capability to not only acquire aggregate data but also
analyze such an immense amount of information was a piece that had been missing in the
past. Therefore, CRM offered the ability to view MOD constituents in the widest scope
possible in order to be effective and efficiently moving forward.

Projected Timeline

After Vice President & CIO Alan Kaufmann, outlined that CRM integration would be
occurring, he structured the roll out of this new system in chapters across the United
States. The plan was composed of design teams who were made up of representatives from
National, Regional and Chapter offices. These representatives worked with Blackbaud to
configure the system so it was ready for individual chapter use. Once the system was up
and running, it was extensively tested by the design teams before it was to be used by all
MOD Staff. A distinctive component of rolling out this system was a staggered roll out,
beginning with six test chapters. The test chapters were Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois,
North Dakota, South Carolina and Oregon. There were essentially five phases that
encompassed the goal MOD had for implementation.

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Phase 1 - Design (MarchAugust 2009): Working with design teams of MOD
employees and defining the tools the system needed and how the system should be
configured

Phase 2 - Training Design (August- September 2009): Develop plans and begin
writing training development materials & online coursework for MOD staff.

Phase 3 - User Acceptance Testing (September-October 2009): Users from all over
the organization perform tests on the system to make sure it is working as intended.

Phase 4 - Test Chapters (November 2009- May 2010): New CRM system introduced
to all of MOD staff. Six test chapters: CT, GA, IL, ND, SC, and OR sign on live to CRM.
These chapters will be in charge of providing useful feedback. Issues that arise
during this trial period will be corrected by design teams.

Phase 5 - Deployment (May- November 2010): Deployment begins for all remaining
chapters, regions and national departments. Plans for the order of deployment were
not specific (Citation Memo).

Actual Timeline

Although MOD had a projected timeline, the actual phases of implementation occurred in a
different order, or not at all.

Phase 1- Design (November 2009): The new Constituent Research Management
system introduced.

Phase 4- Test Chapters (November 2009): Six test chapters: CT, GA, IL, ND, SC, and
OR sign on to CRM.

Phase 2- Training Design (August- September 2010): Foundation wide four and half
day training workshop regardless if chapters were live on CRM.

Phase 5- Deployment (May 2010- Present): Extremely slow and staggered rollout to
all chapters and regions nationwide. The Metropolitan Detroit division in Michigan
implemented CRM in late Fall of 2012.



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Implemented Training for CRM

The training method the MOD used when implementing CRM was a formal four-and-a-half-
day training workshop administered by a Blackbaud representative who was familiar with
the work of the MOD. One representative was sent to each state in order to administer this
workshop. In Michigan, all MOD chapters were to report to Southfield Michigan in 2010 for
this workshop.

The representative was informed of the needs and mission of MOD prior to the training.
All staff and volunteers using the system were to attend. During the training sessions, the
representative explained, with the help of visual aids, the steps involved in data entry using
CRM and how to navigate the system. Upon completion of the training, all staff and
volunteers were assumed to be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to
effectively utilize this new database system.


Problems in MOD Implementation

Training
During any implementation process, training plays a critical role in the success or failure of
a new system. Training manuals and online materials were developed and distributed to
employees throughout the organization, in August and September of 2009, as part of the
beginning of the MOD training process. Staff members were given a CRM Pre-Read prior
to attending the training sessions. They were asked to review the information contained in
the pre-read before training was to begin, with the goals of giving employees a head start
on understanding CRM and enabling the Blackbaud representative to move quickly into
the training agenda (dimension.marchofdimes.com). When beginning the four-and-a-half
day training workshop in 2010, it was assumed that all current employees and volunteers
had read and understood the pre-read materials.

When implementing this new system, the MOD failed to consider these key components
needed for successful implementation.

Top level management support
High quality design
Designer-user interaction
Clear project definition
Educated and motivated end users


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Top Level Management Support-
Top level manager support is essential for the system and creates optimism among the
staff. Positive expectations lead to system acceptance by stakeholders. Since they see
favorably the change caused by the systems introduction, they will be motivated to accept
it (Abreu & Conrath,1993). MOD failed to account for such leadership in the following
ways.

There was no local manager identified within individual chapters to assist in
implementing the system.
No local liaison to report training status
Over emphasis on informal learning with absence of Blackbaud representative

High Quality Design-
A high quality design accounts for the infrastructure of the organization. When achieved,
high quality design results in higher productivity while reducing cost and minimizing
future problems. MOD failed to have a high quality design which was evident during their
nationwide CRM training which occurred in 2010, even though only six states were live.
Due to this staggered rollout, some chapters had a lapse between training and
implementation. MOD chapters in Michigan suffered greatly because of this two year gap
between the nationwide training and their actual implementation of the CRM system in
2012. This two year gap resulted in the following issues:

The four and half day workshop was not offered to employees hired after November
2010. Instead, they were given a brief PowerPoint presentation in attempt to
replace the workshop which was no longer available. There is no follow up with new
hires to ensure PowerPoint was completed and they comprehend the use of CRM
Training resources were wasted on employees who left MOD before implementation
in 2012, which was costly and overall inefficient for the foundation.
Current employees who received prior training in 2010 were expected to retain and
use the information two years later.

This training design was inefficient and ineffective in meeting the needs of the organization
because of the delayed rollout of CRM.

Designer-User Interaction-
A partnership between designers and end users must effectively communicate with each
other regarding their successes and concerns. This helps to ensure a strong completion of
implementation.
Once employees completed the training workshop, they were essentially on their
own to utilize CRM.
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There was not a consistent dialogue between Blackbaud and MOD end users in this
implementation.
There was a lack of assistance and support from Blackbaud to make sure there was
successful implementation in MOD. Representatives from Blackbaud failed to ensure
the design was a good fit for the foundation.

Educated and Motivated End Users-
By educating and preparing staff for a new system, they will be more effective and
motivated to embrace the new technology. Regardless of their time of hire, Michigan MOD
staff failed to be adequately prepared for CRM implementation in 2012. This left staff
feeling overwhelmed and reluctant to begin using this new system.

Security
The next major problem with CRM is security, most importantly, who was allowed access
to the database. MOD collects information in a number of ways including through member
account creation, making donations, and the use of the mobile application. Personal and
sensitive information such as full names, addresses, phone numbers, past donations,
corporate affiliation, and wealth indicators are many of the details stored in CRM. This data
is considered confidential and proprietary information to the foundation (MOD Handbook).
Those who have access to the CRM system include full time employees, part-time
employees, temporary workers, consultants, and even volunteers. Many employees whose
job responsibilities do not include retrieving information from CRM, have access to the
system. Access and the use of CRM are for business reasons only, and all employees must
refrain from access of viewing constituent record for casual or personal reasons. Any
violation of the terms of use, or abuse/misuse will result in appropriate disciplinary action,
including termination from the MOD foundation (MOD Handbook).

Current MOD IT plan for Security
All employees must follow the Privacy Policies of the Foundation
The CRM is closely logged, monitored, and recorded.
All actions taken in the system are logged including
o The name of the employees accessing data, and making entries.
o Date of action
o Any Export of data
Do not place proprietary information on the Internet or transmit it via electronic
communication without prior authorization.
o Do not export data from MOD
o Access or modification of employee constituents records is prohibited.
o Review of constituent records is strictly used for business purposes only,
and not used for curiosity or personal reasons.
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The information from donors is an essential resource for MOD. A breach of security can
jeopardize the entire system, which can cause the foundation to fail. These following
problems could lead to a breach in security.

Volunteers, Temporary Hires, and Consultants are given access to CRM, because it is
an open system everyone may not have rights to edit, but everyone may view.
MOD does not run background checks on Volunteers, Temps or Consultants before
granting access to personal and financial data in CRM.
Interim staff are not required to sign any privacy or confidentiality paperwork that
address ethical responsibilities

Recommendations for Training
The lack of top level management support, high quality design, clear project definition and
poor designer-user interaction hindered MOD from rolling out a successful new system.
Moving forward it is imperative the MOD creates a training system that encompasses these
steps as well as avoids a time gap between training and implementation. Therefore, these
following expectations of staff at every level within the organization will ensure a
successful implementation.

New Employee Training Expectations
New employees will be given an 8 hour webinar workshop, as well as a basic
PowerPoint.
Upon conclusion of the webinars and PowerPoint, a test of skills will be put in place
to ensure the new employees successfully completed the training process. If the
employee passes this test, they will now be certified to use the CRM system.
To test the knowledge of the current staff, an evaluation of what they know of CRM
will be handed out before the first certification.
Following the evaluation, a certification test will also be implemented to to keep
existing employees updated and informed with the system. This certification test
will then be conducted annually.
Following the certification test, a post evaluation test will be given to measure
knowledge attained about CRM

Appointing of an Office Training Liaison

Each branch office will now have an office Liaison, responsible for
The oversight of training for new employees.
Conduct pre and post evaluation with employees in regards to certification tests
Informal learning for general questions and concerns that employees have.
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They will report to top level management if there is a question, or a problem that
cannot be fixed within CRM.
Attend an annual conference, hosted by both Blackbaud and MOD, to stay up to date
with database changes and updates
MOD will include these additional responsibilities in employee job description and
will account for them in their annual performance review

The Top managers of MOD will be responsible for
Monthly meetings with Office Training Liaisons
Information conveyed from HQ regarding CRM is relayed to Office Training Liaisons
Attend an annual conference, hosted by both Blackbaud and MOD, to stay up to date
with database changes and updates
In charge of communication problems and errors in CRM with HQ, located in New
York.

HQ will be responsible for
Maintaining working relationship with BlackBaud in case certain problems arise.
Communicating with top managers at MOD chapter to ensure the success of CRM.

These recommendations will not only allow MOD to maximize its ability to have a 360
degree view of their constituents but also successfully implement a system that will benefit
their employees. When training new employees it is critical that a high quality design
ensures their understanding of CRM content as well as MOD job expectations. By testing
new employees, they are aware of the organizational goals thus have a clear understanding
of the project definition. This in-depth training will ensure that employees are educated
and motivated for the job. This education will be tested by the annual certification and will
guarantee knowledge of changes made within the system throughout the year. By
appointing an employee as an office training liaison, MOD is ensuring there is a
multifaceted level of managerial support for all employees. Defining clear responsibilities
and communication between top managers, MOD headquarters, and Blackbaud allows for a
strong chain of managerial support. This high quality design will also account for changes
and questions as they arise at every level of the foundation. Finally, continuous interaction
between designer and user and clear project definition between MOD and Blackbaud will
allow CRM to continue to be successfully implemented.

Potential Barriers to Training
o Job responsibilities for the office training liaison may become overwhelming
o Blackbaud may limit designer user interaction
o HQ may have difficulty regulating the annual certification exam nationwide
o Certification tests may not encompass the job responsibilities of every position
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Recommendations for Security
IT security is important for many reasons. Proper security protects the software,
hardware, and the overall network of the MOD. It prevents security breaches including
hackers, viruses, botnots, trojans, and malware. Most importantly, security protects the
foundations assets and integrity.

New Security Plan
Background checks will now be put in place for every new incoming employee and
volunteer who will be entering the system and receiving a MOD username.
Access to the database should be limited to those jobs that require access including
the majority of full time and part time employees.
If volunteers and temporary workers need access, it should be confirmed from a
higher manager and closely monitored. Their access would only include names and
address for donation purposes.
Proper education on IT security will be included in initial new hire training sessions,
stressing the importance of password security, ethical responsibilities, and the use
of outside storage devices.

Other alternatives to address IT security for the MOD foundation as a whole include
Installation of anti-virus software to all desktops and servers (and updates).
Incremental back-ups of all important files and an off-site storage location.

Potential Barriers to Security
o New security measures may not guarantee system security
o Background checks are costly
o Passing a background check does not guarantee trustworthiness
Conclusion
For the past 75 years, MOD has been making an impact on the lives of babies and their
families. To successfully complete this mission, the development and maintenance of an
accurate database is critical. All employees and volunteers must have the resources
necessary to make effective use of the information this database provides.

Problems in the system training design were identified such as the staggered roll out of
CRM, the lack of adequate training of new incoming staff and the lack of an effective
evaluation process. These problems have crippled the success of a potentially invaluable
resource. In addition, problems involving security such as potential breaches to the
integrity of donor and constituent information were identified.

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To address problems involving training, a high quality training design with top level
management support is recommended. New employee training expectations are outlined
and the appointment and roles of an office training liaison are detailed. New guidelines for
top level managers and HQ are explained. To improve evaluation, a survey will be
implemented to examine what employees currently know about the use of CRM. The
survey will be readministered upon completion of training to assist in gauging the
programs effectiveness.

To address problems involving security, a new plan was outlined which will require
background checks on all paid and volunteer staff members and will restrict access to
information vital to job completion. Security education will increase and be emphasized to
staff members.

Information systems are an ever-growing importance in any business. Technology and
database systems are especially useful in that they can store and transform data into
ultimately useful information(sagelearning.com). Information is vital to a companys
success, and without properly trained employees, inefficiency can result. Because of the
high turnover rate and large influx of volunteers at MOD, the foundation and the jobs are
constantly changing. There is a consistent need to remain updated with current IT plans
and projects. People have to be able to learn new skills continuously throughout their
careers. Learning needs to be a continuous process, not just a quick one-time training
session (sagelearning.com). A successful implementation program will not only save cost in
the end, but will lead to a better producing company, organization, or foundation long into
the future.










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References:
Abreu, A.F., Conrath, D.W. (1993). The Role of Stakeholders Expectations in Predicting
Information Systems Implementation Outcomes. Proceedings of the 1993 Conference on
Computer Personnel Research. Association for Computing Machinery, 408 415.
Applications: CRM (2012). Retrieved March 14, 2013, from
www.dimension.marchofdimes.com
Blackbaud Enterprises (2013). Direct Marketing and Data Services. Retrieved April 9, 2013,
from www.blackbaud.com.
March of Dimes (2013). Retrieved March 23, 2013, from www.marchofdimes.com.
March of Dimes Employee Handbook (2013). Retrieved March 13, 2013, from
www.dimension.marchofdimes.com.

Rocheleau, B. (2006). Public Management Information Systems. Idea Group: Hershey, PA.