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Case Studies

Case Study: The Center for Education Reform

Back Ground:

The Center for Education Reform (CER) creates opportunities for and challenges obstacles to better education for America's communities. Founded in 1993 to translate ideas into action, CER combines education policy with grassroots advocacy to work deep within the nation's communities to foster positive and bold education reforms. Today, this premiere national group serves as a full-service education reform engine working in over 40 states.

In keeping with its efforts, CER has to be responsive to its members in order to successfully accomplish its mission. Part of this process involves distributing information to both membership and non membership individuals. A key vehicle for this information distribution and gathering has always been the www.edreform.com website because it is an efficient way to distribute and quickly collect information from multiple sources.

The Problem:

The www.edreform.com website, was not always the most efficient way to distribute information for CER or for members because of the breadth of information added to the site daily. In fact, with over 2000 documents, over 3500 links, and hundreds of job postings, events, files and images, it was extremely burdensome for CER staff to keep the site updated. Additionally, the amount of information made it very difficult for members and visitors to find the information they wanted. Additionally, the website did not integrate with CER's legacy membership management software, so there was no way for the website to differentiate between members and visitors. Finally, there was no vehicle for CER to proactively distribute information to members through the website without members visiting.

Solution:

BIS Global took the existing CER website design and implemented a custom Content Management Engine, Membership Management System, E-Commerce Solutions, and Newsletter Management system to make the website completely dynamic, searchable, interactive to members, and proactive in its communication. BIS Global implemented a custom content management system that allowed CER staff to update website content daily within the site format without any technical website knowledge.

CER staff now simply logs into a secure portal where they can manage any aspect of the website content including documents, files, jobs, events, images, and newsletters. Additionally CER staff has control over where these elements are published on the site, when they expire, whether they are searchable or not and more.

Now CER members and benefactors can donate online through the website securely and they are automatically tracked in the CER membership database so that they can receive benefits from CER. This data integrates directly with the website database so custom content and features can be made available to these members and benefactors and they can be corresponded with separately from regular website visitors.

BIS Global also implemented an ecommerce engine with the website so that CER members and visitors will have access to buy proprietary content directly from the website.

CER staff also have the ability now to correspond proactively directly with its membership directly though the website. CER staff can publish content and have it sent via email directly to members with the push of a button.

Products/Solutions Used:

• Database Administration
• Custom Application Development
• QueueMailer and QM Monitor Server
• Dedicated Hosting