Working with NCHM
The National Center for Housing Management (NCHM) is an international non-profit organization that provides training, services, products and information for the federally subsidized housing industry. Over 75,000 individuals and 35,000 organizations - located in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and on military bases all over the world - rely on NCHM for a wide range of specialized training courses required for property management certification. NCHM also provides timely updates about pertinent policy changes effecting the industry.
In 1997, NCHM's President, Glenn Stevens, came to Euclid with a series of seemingly insurmountable problems that limited his organization's ability to fulfill its mission. NCHM was struggling with five different databases and a frustrated staff that was forced to spend untold hours working to keep all five databases current. Customer service was suffering because there was no ability to access a "single view" of all customer information-meaning that if a customer contacted NCHM, the customer service representative could only access a limited amount of information. Providing up-to-date information on invoices, upcoming training events, or critical changes in event logistics was not possible without significant effort. In addition, because the database systems were so difficult to use, only a few employees had the expertise to extract information from them. Moreover, NCHM's existing software applications had no real marketing capabilities to target customers with any precision (i.e., those with specific interests and training backgrounds) for upcoming events and new products; consequently, its marketing efforts consisted solely of expensive and inefficient blanket mailings.
After an exhaustive search, NCHM selected Euclid Technology and its ClearVantage software. "In addition to having the most innovative product on the market, Euclid had worked with numerous businesses like ours and knew how to help improve our operations in order to meet our business objectives," notes Stevens.
Euclid worked closely with NCHM to understand its internal operations and paid particular attention to those organizational processes that were unique to its industry. Euclid developed a strong partnership with NCHM, together creating a clearly defined business vision. The project team identified that customer service was the organization's number one priority. Improving customer service could best be achieved, the team concluded, by allowing NCHM staff to view the "start to finish" experience of each customer via one integrated, easy-to-use software application. Euclid demonstrated that this and other important business goals could be met using the power of ClearVantage.
Today at NCHM, thanks to ClearVantage, registering an individual for an event takes less than one minute (whereas previous registrations took up to 20 minutes!). Should information related to an event change, NCHM can now quickly send a notice (via e-mail, facsimile, and/or letter), notifying registrants of such changes. NCHM also regularly uses ClearVantage to conduct targeted marketing efforts that have dramatically increased program attendance and overall revenue. "Before ClearVantage, my organization was fragmented and departmentalized. Now, everyone at all levels of the organization has access to whatever information they need to ensure that the organization runs efficiently and effectively-from accounting, to direct mail, to membership services. All are operating in harmony with each other, with great results for our organization,." Stevens concludes.
NCHM's website is powered by Euclid's ClearVantage Web technology. This advanced web application is fully integrated with NCHM's backend database, allowing customers worldwide to register for events, purchase products, download housing rules and regulations, use the NCHM hotline, and update their records 24 hours a day, 7 days a week - all in "real time".
To survive in a highly competitive industry, NCHM needed to find a powerful solution that would allow it to meet its business objectives. Today, thanks in part to Euclid's ClearVantage, NCHM is not just surviving...it's thriving.