William Harper Associates

Helping Organizations That Do Good, Do Better

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Case Studies - All

Problem	Solution	Result
A mid-sized association had to move quickly to implement a member-management system, and free itself from expensive association management services. But, it lacked the time and knowledgeable resources to properly manage the vendor selection and implementation.	We worked within their tight time and budget constraints to manage the selection process. Because their budget did not allow for a full project management role, we tailored our work to provide high-level project leadership, oversight and facilitation services during the project.	The member management system was successfully implemented. Members and volunteers were pleased and impressed with its operation. Senior management time on the project was kept to a minimum. As an added benefit, our in-depth knowledge of the sector allowed us to source enterprise-class database software for this client at a small fraction of the retail price.
A new community health-care organization lacked the expertise to implement effective, yet practical financial controls and policies.	We developed customized and practical financial checklists and procedures that were suited to this organization's small size, but still effective.	Both the organization's Board of Directors and its auditor found the new controls to be effective, practical and easily understood. The checklists allowed each staff member to correctly perform the procedures required of them without using lengthy policy documents and procedures.
A small charity had completed its first strategic plan, but needed help developing a practical, measurable operating plan that supported its strategies.	We gathered the organization's best ideas and initiatives into a practical, workable plan given their very limited resources, and persuasively presented it to their Board. Because we developed an understanding of the organization's culture and unwritten goals through staff and volunteer interviews, we were also able to assume an advisory role to the new executive director in the delicate task of supervising, motivating and directing volunteers.	The organization approved the plan, and is in the process of implementing it through a series of volunteer committees. The executive director is providing effective leadership and support to the volunteers. And, the final fee was only two-thirds of the initial limit set in the organization's RFP.
A small association needed to start offering professional education to its members, but its small staff team was fully engaged in other pressing priorities.	We have assumed an ongoing advisory role to the executive director. In this capacity, we are providing input and advice on various approaches to meeting their members' needs and the related communications and positioning issues involved in doing so. We are offering a sounding board for a variety of professional and regulatory issues faced by the executive director.	The executive director is able to consult on strategic initiatives so that ideas are well-formed, plans are realistic, and operations are aligned to deliver on the professional education strategies currently being rolled out.
A large association was seeking to develop a comprehensive professional education program, related professional standards of qualification, and a new professional designation for a traditionally unstructured area of its members' practice. It wanted to collaborate with local and international partner bodies and major private sector organizations. It lacked the staff time and breadth of expertise in implementing a program of this scope, however.	We provided program director services, assuming overall responsibility for program and standards development, education program marketing and delivery, and all other aspects of the program. We worked closely with an international partner, several private sector organizations, academics and practitioner volunteers to develop and implement a curriculum, standards of qualification, program materials and related marketing materials, including a professionally developed brand strategy.	The program was successfully launched with the public support of several of the private sector organizations. The first offering of the professional education program was over-subscribed. The program was seen as sufficiently successful for the association to hire a full-time program director to continue its operation. The new professional designation is now in use in the market place.
An association sought to ensure that its member service offerings were comprehensive and member-focused, identifying any gaps in its offerings. It also wanted to review current delivery channel options with a view to appealing to a younger demographic with its offerings.	We conducted a brief Web-based market review, and summarized both offering and delivery options in a presentation to management. We presented a number of focused, cost-effective and practical recommendations. We identified new offerings that could be quickly brought to market, and also identified new media delivery channels that should be used for delivering content to younger members.	Had the client acted on these recommendations, they would have been among the first to market with this type of offering.
A large organization sought to work more effectively with one of its key markets. It did not understand how the market was organized, however, and what opportunities might exist to work in the field.	We advised the client on the market, providing concise explanations of how it operated, and who the key players were. On behalf of the client, we liaised with several key market representatives to identify opportunities, build relationships, and maintain dialogue in a market traditionally was not known for its effective relationships.	The client has an improved understanding of this key market and has a much stronger appreciation of the difficulties in working with the representatives in question.
Planning in a major professional body was ad hoc, budgeting was disconnected from planning, and strategies and tactics were not aligned. Continuing operations failed to embrace shifts in strategic focus.	We developed and implemented integrated strategic planning, operational planning and budgeting processes. We ensured that operating plans reflected and supported the strategic plans, and that budgets reflected the operational plans.	Over the several years of improved planning processes, the organization consistently set and achieved balanced budgets, saw operational initiatives better aligned with strategies, and stakeholders better informed.
A growing mid-sized charity had ineffective and outdated governance structures, including articles of incorporation, bylaws and Board policies.	We worked with the Board chair to craft, sell and introduce clear, workable bylaws. We worked with several Board committees to bring governance structures to life. And, we provided ongoing support to the executive director through policy development and implementation.	The charity had more focused and effective committee meetings, and less frequent, shorter and better focused Board meetings. The organization's small staff also had a clearer understanding of the direction being set for the organization.
A large association had several departments, each of which operated more-or-less autonomously, with inconsistent policies and service s tandards, duplication of effort, and inefficiency.	We reengineered organization-wide business processes, moving the association to a customer service focus. A centralized member service and transaction-processing group was established, providing consistent levels of customer service, and smoothing out workflow among departments.	Overtime and temporary staff costs were reduced, association-wide head-count was reduced, and customer service was improved and made consistent.
Financial and operational reporting in a large association was not user focused and was not tied into strategies and plans, leaving Board members dissatisfied.	We significantly enhanced Board-level reporting, including implementing full quarterly financial reports and briefings, and annual report management discussion & analysis.	Board members reported a higher level of satisfaction with, and understanding of, reporting. Improved transparency and accountability to members was also achieved, exceeding the expectations brought about by emerging private-sector governance requirements.
Line staff in a large association believed that communicating with members was not their responsibility, instead relying on communications staff to tell their story.	We were instrumental in persuading staff to take ownership of information and timely communications with their customers. We enabled this culture change by implementing a comprehensive website content management system.	We saw significant organizational culture change in this multi-stakeholder environment. Line staff communicated more directly with members and became more responsive to their views and needs, all concurrent with a leading-edge website deployment.
Volunteer committees in a small policy-development group were cumbersome and ineffective, reducing advocacy effectiveness and wasting volunteer time and talent.	We streamlined the volunteer structures, including replacing several committees with flexible, responsive volunteer talent pools.	The group experienced a far more effective use of volunteer resources, clearer staff accountability, and increased volunteer satisfaction with their roles. Concurrently, policy development and issue response times were reduced by 50%.
An information technology service bureau, established to serve several sister professional bodies across Canada, was not customer-focused. Several clients were unhappy and considered taking shared functions back in-house.	We reorganized the service bureau, making customer service a priority for all staff. We increased both the breadth and depth of services, offering new applications, infrastructure support, and new customer service facilities.	No customers left the service bureau; in fact, several additional organizations began using its services. Satisfaction levels improved, and the service bureau's financial performance improved during this time.
The continuing education program of a large professional body was caught in a "death spiral" of increasing course fees and declining attendance. Several competitors moved into the market, further reducing attendance and critical mass.	We introduced a dramatically changed pricing model, significantly improved marketing, and implemented a lower cost-structure for course operations.	Program attendance increased four-fold in the following year, and by a further double-digit increase in the year after that. Once attendance had been stabilized, the program showed improved profitability, with no increase in staff head-count servicing the market. Several competitors left the marketplace.
A number of insurance-based member services in a large association, failed to offer innovative features that were appearing in the marketplace. Marketing and branding was so poor that many members did not even realize that the association was the source of these popular services.	We worked closely with the third-party service providers to develop a strategy of introducing program enhancements and innovations on a scheduled basis. We also worked to develop improved and unique marketing materials that closely tied the services to the association.	The high level of market penetration of these services was maintained, even as the market changed significantly. Members appreciated that the services were in fact offerings of their association, improving their perception of value for their membership fees.
A large association was locked into a long-term, mortgage on its building and property. While the interest rate was reasonable at the time of entering into the mortgage, rates had since declined significantly.	After confirming the unwillingness of the lender to renegotiate, we entered into a "synthetic mortgage blend-and-extend" transaction with another financial institution using interest rate swap products.	The net effect of the transaction was an immediate reduction in the effective borrowing rate of over 2 percentage points, reducing the association's annual interest expense by a six-figure amount.
Several sister organizations were independently acquiring Web-based e-learning software. Even though the same package was in use by several organizations, costs were high due to uncoordinated license purchases, and there was no focal point of expertise being developed in the application.	We led a project to quickly confirm the choice of software and implemented a shared version of the package.	The application was made available to cooperating associations at considerable savings over the aggregate costs previously being incurred. We also implemented improved security over student materials, and increased user satisfaction with the application through improved support for it.
An information technology service bureau - supporting a complex array of integrated software applications - had poorly organized testing and upgrade procedures. As a result, system availability suffered due to frequent maintenance outages, IT staff job satisfaction suffered, and users did not have access to improved features on a timely basis.	We oversaw the introduction of rigorous version control, testing and upgrade plans and schedules.	Operations had increased system up-time performance, and resulting user satisfaction. IT staff were satisfied with less, but more predictable weekend work, and a more stable production environment was put into place.
An association's major new charitable and profile-raising initiative was mandated to achieve significant growth in participation, fundraising, and promotional goals.	We worked with communications staff, organizational suppliers and members to establish effective marketing and communications strategies and mutually rewarding sponsorship relationships for the event. We also worked in a hands-on logistical capacity to ensure the event was a high-quality experience for all participants.	The event increased its net charitable proceeds 25-fold, becoming a major near-six-figure fundraiser for children's' charities.
Sister associations across Canada ran similar continuing education programs without sharing information or content. Costs were duplicated and good ideas implemented inconsistently across the country.	We worked, through a new informal inter-association structure, to rebuild strained relations and create an environment of trust among participants.	The structure became a model for other pan-Canadian activities. Program costs for newly-shared activities declined by a factor of ten. Program quality increased and became consistent across the country.
An association found that maintaining a library facility for its members was increasingly difficult and expensive.	We worked with a university faculty library to develop and implement a strategic alliance and support arrangement, enhancing the university library's collection and resulting in the association's membership having preferred access to it.	Association costs were reduced, including reducing facilities space and staff head-count, concurrently with providing an expanded resource to its members.
A profession's self-regulatory framework was dated and inconsistent across several jurisdictions. It did not address environmental changes taking place in the area of multi-disciplinary practice.	We provided the staff lead, research and creative energy for a pan-Canadian task force of senior profession volunteers to provide a new conceptual self-regulatory framework for the profession.	Most of the task force's final recommendations were ultimately adopted in principle by the profession's bodies, and implementation (which is often contingent on legislative reform) continues. One major recommendation was adopted by the profession in the USA.