Using Technology to Build Trust with Your Donors—Supporting Relationships

Aubrey Tansley
Vice President, Client Services

Many of the fears about new technology center around the idea of machines replacing humans and crowding out meaningful interactions. Trying to connect with a customer service department but being met only with an out-of-touch chatbot can drive consumers away from the retailers who depersonalize their experience.

So where can nonprofits gain legitimate efficiencies from technology in ways that build trust and support donor relationships rather than eroding them?

For example, one organization we partner with found they had a problem with returning donor phone calls. If the development manager wasn’t available when a donor called, the call was sent to a general voicemail box, and it could take several days to be returned. The development team implemented a phone system that routed calls around to their desks continuously until an available team member answered, only sending the call to voicemail if all team members were occupied.

The organization improved their response to phone calls to the point that all calls were either answered immediately or returned within two hours. In the same time period, their donor file saw a 6.6% increase in retention rate across new and active donors, while no other retention strategies were put in place.