When the Salvation Army Switzerland needed a way to better understand and connect with donors and patrons, they worked with a Microsoft partner to create a loyalty program app with Microsoft Power Apps.
The organization uses Dynamics 365 to glean insights from their data to inform where to open new stores, how to better manage secondhand shops, and to strengthen relationships with patrons.
"Without data, we would be blind when making decisions on where to open new stores. This solution provides new insight on our customer base and helps us reach them."
- Mathias Haller: CIO and Head of IT, The Salvation Army Switzerland
On a recent day, Michael Stern was working in a Salvation Army Switzerland thrift store when a customer approached him. The shopper thanked Stern—and the entire organization. Yes, the customer was grateful for being able to buy secondhand goods. But he also shared that his brother had gone through a Salvation Army-funded drug rehabilitation program that changed the course of his life.
“At the Salvation Army Switzerland, people are our focus,” says Stern, CRM marketing campaign manager and head of the loyalty program's customer service, who periodically works in the thrift stores to better understand customers. “We do everything possible to show a human life is worth something.”
Salvation Army stores empower people with barriers to employment, and revenue from the stores helps meet basic human needs and community services.
The eager adoption of the loyalty program surpassed nonprofit expectations. After just one year, more than 65,000 people have signed up, far exceeding the goal of 40,000 in four years.
Continue reading on Microsoft Story link The Salvation Army Switzerland deepens relationships with supporters through a CRM-based loyalty program.