Speed - When Bernard was demonstrated for us, it became immediately apparent that the speed with which data was exported was amazing. So much so in fact, that I became suspicious that perhaps the demo database was configured with a minimum of data to increase performance.
When we were in the midst of the conversion we had both our existing Donor Management platform and Bernard running side-by-side, I created exact duplicate queries and exports in both systems, and then monitored the time to complete each. Working with over 1.7 million records, it took our system over 13 hours to complete the export. With Bernard, exporting the exact same fields, it took 3 minutes and 10 seconds. As someone who works extensively with the data, this is a huge advantage.
Technical Needs - A local installation of the system we replaced requires a mid to upper range database server, with maximum processing power and memory. In addition, for optimal performance, any user that works primarily with queries and exports requires a workstation with upgraded processing power and memory. With Bernard, as all the heavy lifting occurs on the database platform, users only need a normal workstation that has Internet access. This has greatly reduced our IT support needs, and has given our solicitors a power tool when away from the office.
Customization - Our organization had many processes and procedures that were unique to our operation. These required customization of the Bernard system to meet our needs. We found the development staff to be knowledgeable, and most importantly, accessible. They took the time to understand the situation, and very quickly developed acceptable solutions.
Previously, I have been involved in several customizations, and found the process very cumbersome and expensive. It took much longer than anticipated, and quite simply was overcomplicated. It is not an experience I would care to repeat.
Direct Mail - We have an extensive direct mail program, and Bernard is a perfect fit for our needs. Their development team understands the direct mail process, and the reporting, the way the mailings are recorded and indexed, and the ability to track a donor's lifecycle are far superior in Bernard compared to the system we replaced.
Steve Dixon, Resource One
Donor Manager for DSA
Phoenix, Arizona
“We looked at six different donor management software packages from Blackbaud on down. We chose Bernard because feature for feature, dollar for dollar, Bernard is the best fit!”
- Capitol Ministries