Updating over the Web
Although ABI has been providing online services since 1994, iMIS has revolutionized their system by streamlining
the maintenance of its customer database. Last year, ABI worked with
Armstrong Enterprise Communications of Fairfax, Virginia, to implement
iMIS as its Web-based solution. "Functionality
played a large role in our decision to implement the iMIS system," ABI Director of Administration Kathy
Sheehan said. "With a non-technology oriented audience base, it was
important to us that iMIS provided a
user-friendly interface that could be adapted so as not to change the
appearance and design of our existing Web site."
Almost immediately ABI reaped the benefits of their investment
The system allows both staff and customers to access ABI's iMIS database using the Internet. This provides
access to association information for traveling staff and ABI customers
across the country. This function is helpful for point-to-point
communication between ABI and its community in several different ways.
Customers can update nearly all of their contact and demographic
information instantly over the Internet. This saves ABI staffers time
and safeguards against common data entry errors, because they no longer
have to re-key members' demographic information into the iMIS database. In addition, iMIS is a unified database so when a person updates
a field anywhere in the system, the entire system is automatically
updated. The ultimate result is that ABI keeps its membership directory
current.
"Allowing customers to update their information throughout the year
will help us to reduce the rush of late changes associated with the
annual publication of our membership directory," noted Sheehan. In the
past, ABI has received these changes from return questionnaires sent to
its members just prior to the publication of the directory, she
said.
ABI customers also have the value-added benefit of searching online
to find other customers rather than having to refer to the annual
directory. Sheehan says the online search function is a very important
networking tool for the ABI community.
For security, the database is designed so ABI can give certain staff
members full access to its customers' names, addresses, and profiles -
yet provide others only limited access to customer profiles and
statistics. This helps ensure that only authorized personnel have access
to more secure information.
Keeping in Touch Using iMIS
The iMIS system also gives ABI the ability
to send weekly e-mails with news about legislative changes, upcoming ABI
events, customer benefits and regional interest issues. Before using
iMIS, ABI did not have an instant way to reach
out to its customer with up-to-the-minute information. "Even reminding
people about an upcoming meeting or event was difficult because calling
all of our community or sending postcard reminders was not as
effective," said Sheehan. "Now, we can simply send e-mails to reach our
everyone in a timely and cost-effective way, and we are finding that our
e-mails are getting read."
Sheehan says this is the kind of information that keeps customers
engaged and connected to ABI's system. iMIS
has empowered ABI to meet the urgent need of its community to get
up-to-the-minute bankruptcy information and to create an interactive
customer database to keep track of its community. " iMIS has done what we expected it to do and more,"
said Sheehan. "It has empowered us to continue in our role as the
leading provider of bankruptcy education and to keep our customer
database current." |
