Challenge
St. Francis Community Services of St. Louis (SFCS) had a 60-day window to secure a new client tracking database vendor and get the database up and running. A quick, easy, reliable solution was needed so that the agency could continue its mission of supporting people in crisis.
Solution
Provisio Partners provided SFCS with a new client tracking database on the Salesforce platform within a tight timeframe.
ROI
Provisio worked quickly, tirelessly and collaboratively with SFCS to deliver the reliable, cost-effective database within the 90-day timeframe, during the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons.
SFCS works to support vulnerable people to ultimately prevent negative situations from re-occurring.
St. Francis Community Services is one of eight agencies making up the Catholic Charities of St. Louis. With four locations and almost 40 staff, SFCS is on a mission to change the lives of the most vulnerable throughout the St. Louis region. In 2018, the agency served more than 2,600 clients, with three out of four living below the poverty line upon entering the program offerings.
Moving from impossible to possible
Karen Wallensak is the Executive Director of SFCS, and after working with data providers for a couple of decades, she is well-versed in the importance of a trusted partnership with a reliable vendor to keep operations running smoothly. She also knew the goal and timeframe were full of challenges, so she was pleasantly surprised with the ability of the Provisio team to quickly get up to speed and confidently address all the needs of SFCS.
“This was a drop-everything deal, and they listened to us and respected us. They had the expertise to get it done in a narrow window,” said Wallensak. “You have to have a lot of competency for that. Provisio understood the business of social service delivery.”
With an implementation model that works, Provisio implemented a user-friendly, affordable database for SFCS, which is critical to the organization’s day-to-day operations.
“It’s important to be efficient and reduce the keystrokes. We now have an intuitive system that’s easy and output-friendly,” said Wallensak. “It minimizes the efforts of data entry and maximizes the impact of data output. Data helps me do my job better and perform better.”
The SFCS team is also pleased with the help desk and training support provided by Proviso on their case management platform.
“Most of my employees are not technical. They need plain answers, and the quicker the better,” said Wallensak. “Provisio’s help desk has been tremendous, as has its online training program.”
How St. Francis Community Services lives its mission and makes an impact
- Promoting Equal Access to Justice. SFSC recognizes that pervasive inequality in the community violates the dignity of the poor and marginalized. SFSC intentionally promotes equity for these groups, stands with and advocate for its clients.
- Addressing Root Causes of Economic Insecurity. Understanding that poverty affects every area of a person’s life, SFSC programs help people move toward long-term economic stability. Its programs address financial barriers by building trusting relationships and connecting clients with practical community resources.
- Practicing Cultural Humility. SFSC honors its clients’ perspectives, autonomy, and self-determination. By recognizing that a person’s country of origin, race and ethnicity, legal status, and life experiences create diverse perspectives that make the community stronger.
The Partnership with Provisio
The Provisio team approached the project as a true partnership, devoting time, talent and expertise, and even driving through inclement weather from Chicago to St. Louis to get the job done. “They were 100% all in,” said Wallensak. “They have a good team concept and there were no silos. They have an integrated team that talks to one another. They went beyond what I expected a provider would do.”
And just as SFCS treats its clients with respect, they expected their partnership with Proviso to be respectful, and they were not disappointed.
“They believed in our mission and were willing to support it in a variety of ways. The feeling they gave us was 100% attention,” Wallensak said.
“At the end of the day, they wanted what we wanted – to provide the best possible services to the people we care about. That gives you tremendous confidence that with all the complexities that come from conversion, it will be OK.”
Marjorie lives in Saint Louis, Missouri. She received her Master’s degree in English from Truman State University. Her responsibilities at Provisio Partners include content creation and technical writing.