Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE)

Directed the development and implementation of a Customer Resource Management tool for the small business organization’s 16,000 members. COSE launched its new Web-based customer relationship management tool fittingly called the COSE OneForm in May 2005. The OneForm is driven by the collection of data to create a “one-to-one” relationship strategy with members. Knowing what members want, when they want it and how they want to receive it enabled the organization to increase enrollment in product and service offerings; provide access to quality resources; and ultimately enhance membership value and retention.

With such a large membership base, COSE has long wrestled with the challenge of effectively communicating with a substantial and diverse audience. The idea of the OneForm stemmed from a simple marketing agenda – make it easier for current members to enroll in COSE’s affinity programs. However, after much discussion at the staff and key volunteer level, it was clear that the potential of the OneForm as a marketing tool was much more than originally planned. It ultimately laid the foundation for a full-service Customer Relationship Management tool. Our research and external market analysis indicated that the type of CRM tool COSE was considering – often used in corporate America, but typically not found in the nonprofit world – could support COSE’s mission and have a positive return on investment. With the COSE OneForm, the organization has taken a major step toward delivering a customized membership to its members.