09 September 2010

ShelterBox International responds instantly to natural and manmade disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who are most in need. ShelterBox contacted SouthwestCRM to help them streamline their support and recruitment services.

Solutions:

1. SugarCRM Community Edition
2. Secure Web Portal
3. KnowledgeTree Document Management
4. Event Management solution

ShelterBox International responds instantly to natural and manmade disasters by delivering boxes of aid to those who are most in need. Each box supplies an extended family of up to 10 people with a tent and essential equipment to use while they are displaced or homeless.  Highly trained ShelterBox Response Teams (SRTs) distribute boxes on the ground, working closely with local organisations, international aid agencies and Rotary clubs worldwide.

The key challenges faced by ShelterBox were:

• Keeping all SRTs up to date with the latest key documents.  Information became out of date very quickly so a web-based secure area (Portal) was needed where SRTs could log in and download key documents
• Keeping their database up to date with accurate information on each SRT was vital so that new deployments could be managed and SRTs co-ordinated appropriately.  This was a challenge since each of the 140+ SRTs has a constantly changing CV containing vaccination records, qualifications and specialist skills etc..  The Portal would enable each SRT to keep their details up to date
• Globally ShelterBox receives hundreds of applications from the general public offering their services for free.  It was important that all SRT and Volunteer applications from the public were handled methodically and that no one is ignored.
• Keeping track of each deployment was important so that ShelterBox is able to co-ordinate efficiently and deploy very effectively to future disasters. Therefore it was vital that records were kept of previous deployments and which SRTs were involved, the type of disaster and the location.  An internal database was built in SugarCRM and linked to the Portal so that the database was instantly updated when SRTs edited their details in the Portal
• Build up a knowledgebase of SRT experiences, skills and specialisms and allow SRTs to share this knowledge amongst each other in order to help cope with challenging situations.
• ShelterBox Academy is a subsidary operation that shares skills, training and expertise that not only boosts knowledge and capabilities, but also directly funds ShelterBox's international humanitarian effort.  The Portal would provide a way for scheduled courses to be displayed on-line for people to register.
  

The Solution

Three core products were selected by SouthwestCRM to achieve a working solution.

1. SugarCRM - An internal-facing database to store details of people and staff activity
2. Joomla! - A public-facing website with secure log in facility where people can update their details and gain access to vital information
3. KnowledgeTree - A secure document management repository where all company documents can be uploaded and accessed, subject to permissions, by external people, SRTs and associates.

SouthwestCRM developed a link between these three industry leading software applications so that they became one solution which provided vital benefits to ShelterBox including:

• No double entry
• Easy management
• Ensure everyone has latest information
• Increased revenue from training courses with an online payment handling system
• An place for all involved to come together to discuss, learn and excel.