Ethicall

Modernising charitable fundraising with an integrated telephony and database solution

Client
Ethicall

Ethicall specialises in telephone fundraising for clients including Young Lives V’s Cancer, Global Justice Now and Cat’s Protection. Ethicall engage donors by delivering inspiring conversations to encourage and enhance the support of charitable organisations. Through their dedicated approach, they empower supporters to make a positive impact on the world. Ethicall's main goal is to connect with charity supporters, create genuine interactions, and increase support for their charity partners.

The Challenge

Ethicall approached Newicon with a challenge and a broad vision. Their off the shelf CRM, “Syntelate” and custom built back end “MIS” whilst competent, was a clunky combination of an off the shelf call centre front end and an on premise solution tailored back end, specifically for their fundraising centre. As an organisation Ethicall recognised the potential for elevating and streamlining their operations, they required a more agile system that would support their growing ambitions and adapt to the emerging digital-first landscape along with their scaling business needs.

Their objectives were clear: to refine data management processes, foster smoother operations, and align their technology infrastructure with the modern digital age. To achieve this, they sought a technology partner equipped to guide their transformation and implement a solution that best fit their already successful business model.

The Solution

Newicons' response was to craft a custom-built solution that enhanced their traditional system with the advantages of cutting-edge web technology and intuitive User Experience. 

The first phase of the project involved developing a web-integrated phone system. This not only made operations sleeker but became a lifeline during the Covid lockdowns, ensuring business continuity, when many other competing organisations faced disruptions.

*TAPI - The Microsoft Windows API Telephony Application Programming Interface was being used on premise.  In order to aid a smooth transition to a cloud system Newicon created a telephony software interface service.  Then decoupled the application to talk to the service instead of TAPI directly - this allowed us to then develop telephony drivers that could talk to other systems.  Plivo / Twilio and TAPI.  The system migration had to happen with minimal disruption to the current business.

The front end was an Angluar js web application that ran on raspberry pi.  The raspberry pi offered a very affordable base station for each fundraiser to use the call centre software.

Key functionality implemented:

Front end user interface:

With the major telephony workload then being delegated to Twilio, Newicon crafted a sophisticated call orchestration system. This user-friendly interface not only now provides callers with immediate access to scripts but also streamlines the donation process, the data entry GUI adapts based on the flow of conversation, it enables real time bank and card information and dispatches automated confirmation emails. 

The new system also eliminates the need for manually tracking calls and navigating through disjointed scripts. What this means for the caller is everything they could possibly need is now conveniently housed on one integrated platform. Team coaches can also effortlessly join calls and see collective team results.

Legacy solution upgrade

Newicon also rebuilt internal MS Access systems into a cloud Laravel based application, and migrated older symfony components.

The Result

Ethicall have embarked on a transformative journey over a period of years, evolving their operations for the modern era. Initially operating with a combined clunky “off the shelf” and a bespoke software foundation, their growth and expansion brought new challenges and opportunities. As they built their team and navigated significant business changes, the right technological solutions were crucial. Transitioning from an on-premise database and phone system, Ethicall embraced a comprehensive online platform, streamlining their entire operation. 

This wasn't just about new tools; it was about enabling Ethicall to face the future with confidence and agility. Now, with robust security, cloud integration, and ongoing support, Ethicall stands resilient and future-ready.

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