HOW CAN CHARITIES USE TECH TO BOOST EFFICIENCY?

By: / Chariot, News / Comments Off on HOW CAN CHARITIES USE TECH TO BOOST EFFICIENCY?

Technology is constantly evolving. It’s always offering new solutions and more efficient, effective ways to tackle problems or take the strain off demanding workloads. For the charity sector, it can be a huge boon. Tech innovations are finding a home in charity shops and on charity websites in the form of artificial intelligence, apps, and much more.


Are you thinking about upgrading your charity technology? For some inspiration, here are just a few ways others in the charity sector are using technology to boost efficiency for staff, volunteers and customers alike…


Chatbots


Some charities, namely the larger ones like Age UK, have been using chatbots on their websites to “speak” to customers. Chatbots can sound a bit sci-fi. But this kind of technology is becoming more and more common as a simple solution to everyday problems. 


A bot can respond to your users instantly, reducing your response time down to seconds, improving customer service, and freeing up your staff for other tasks. Simply, it’s a way to boost efficiency. Chatbots also allow charities to provide customers with information and support outside of working hours. If needed, the chatbot can hand over to a real person, so it’s the best of both worlds.


EPoS


The right EPoS system will make your daily operations run smoother, improve customer experience, and help reduce tedious or admin-heavy tasks. If they’re built specifically with the charity sector in mind, even better; you can get even more out of them. 


Some systems are designed to help with Gift Aid, making it quicker and easier for people to register, which can increase revenue by as much as 25%. Many points of sale systems also have a built-in CRM, which lets you capture the customer’s details for reasons other than Gift Aid, such as loyalty schemes.


Apps


Apps can be helpful to customers, providing them with important information and telling them how they can donate. But apps can also help staff. Some charities have been using apps to streamline operations, helping employees and volunteers with administrative tasks. 


A good example being Age UK with their app “Steps”. The app helps staff and volunteers have deeper, more human conversations with older people. It allows them to take notes and create sharable action plans. Steps helps to streamline processes that might otherwise take a lot of time. And most importantly, it’s able to do this without eliminating any of the human touch we’ve come to expect from charitable causes. 


Social media


Social media is everywhere. Whether it’s “I saw that on Facebook” or “ I heard from LinkedIn”, everyone seems to have their finger on the pulse with social media. And this should include the charity sector. With billions of active users, and one of the most cost-effective platforms for widespread communication, it’s no surprise that charities are taking to social channels to tell the world about what they do, how they do it, and how people can help.


Tech has a lot to ways to boost efficiency, both for staff and volunteers, as well as donors and customers. 75% of staff and volunteers in the charity sector believe changes in technology could affect their workplace and organisation in a positive way. If this stat and Age UK’s successful digital transformation is anything to go by, perhaps it’s time we saw even more tech in the charity retail space. 


With almost thirty years of experience, Nisyst provides a bespoke HMRC-recognised EPoS system. If you’d like more information, get in touch on 01204 706 000.