Case Study:
The British Cardiovascular Society
The British Cardiovascular Society (BCS) is a prestigious membership society founded in 1922. It supports a wide array of discipline-focused affiliated organisations, each with unique membership requirements. However, the BCS’s previous membership system failed to handle the complexities of its diverse and evolving needs.
By partnering with VeryConnect, the BCS transitioned to a modern, user-friendly membership platform that streamlined operations, improved member engagement, and empowered data-driven decision-making across all affiliates.
“The VeryConnect platform does exactly what we’ve asked for, which is very much an improvement over what we had before. Even the more intuitive elements of it, such as automated emails, member filtering, and the ability to generate various reports – are all significant improvements on the system we had previously.”
Natalie Billing, Head of Membership and Engagement
Challenges
The BCS faced several challenges with their previous membership system, which were limiting their potential for growth and efficiency:
Poor implementation and misalignment with organisational needs
The existing system lacked the essential features required for effective membership management. Its structure and language were not suitable for a charity organisation like the BCS, making it difficult to manage memberships and support organisational goals.
Outdated and inefficient technology
The previous platform was clunky, buggy, and difficult to use. It made everyday tasks like payment processing and event management cumbersome, hindering member experience and administrative efficiency.
Complex organisational structure
With multiple affiliates, each having its own specific membership needs, the old system failed to offer the flexibility required to support each group individually, while still providing a cohesive user experience for all the BCS members.
Solution
The VeryConnect team worked closely with the BCS throughout the entire process of customising and implementing their new membership platform and websites, delivering a solution that addressed the needs of the BCS and its affiliates.
Our Approach
We follow an agile methodology, allowing for an iterative, collaborative, and adaptive project process. Working in incremental phases, we ensured that each step of the project was aligned with the BCS’ goals before moving on to the next. Our approach included several key components:
Collaboration at every stage
We discussed each aspect of the project with the BCS before implementing it, confirming that the solution fully met their needs at each stage.
Testing and refinement:
Our team, alongside BCS staff, conducted thorough testing at each phase so that the platform was tailored and effective for all users.
Reliable post-deployment support
The BCS’ platform is now live and we continue to provide support to maintain its optimal performance.
How our way of working was great fit for a complicated problem space with many moving parts
Our incremental, collaborative process allowed us to tackle the BCS’ complex requirements one phase at a time.
We began by implementing the core membership platform for the BCS, then expanded it to support the needs of individual affiliates, and gradually added additional features like websites and enhanced functionality.
By maintaining close communication with the BCS, we were able to tailor the platform to evolve with their changing needs, making the transition as seamless as possible for both staff and members.
Results
The VeryConnect membership platform has significantly improved the BCS’ administrative operations, streamlined their processes and provided tangible ROI – all while staying within budget.
Key benefits include:
A system designed for their needs
The platform aligns with the BCS’ goals and charity values. The user interface and language are designed to support membership management, making the system intuitive and effective for a charitable organisation.
Consistent and user-friendly design
Each affiliate now has a tailored platform and website, but the design is consistent across all. This gives an intuitive user experience across the board and easy navigation for members who belong to multiple organisations. The intuitive admin panels on the platform empower each affiliate organisation to manage the system independently, without needing to rely on the BCS for support.
Simplified administration and greater efficiency
Automated processes, including payment handling and membership renewals, have significantly reduced administrative burden. Our advanced reporting features allow the BCS to generate actionable insights from complex data, enabling datadriven decisions on membership trends, event engagement, and financial performance.
“The project has gone really well. When you evaluate the cost, time and scope of the project – it’s all really positive”
Rhys Chesters-Lewis, Project Director
Maximising ROI: Efficiency, Growth and Cost Savings
The implementation of VeryConnect platforms and websites has helped the BCS maximise return on investment (ROI) by improving operational efficiency, creating growth opportunities, and reducing costs.
- Operational efficiency: By automating time-consuming processes, the BCS has freed up staff to focus on more strategic tasks, like member engagement and relationship building.
- Growth opportunities: New front-facing websites and event management features have created opportunities to grow membership, attract new participants, and strengthen connections with non-members attending events.
- Cost reduction for future growth: With VeryConnect, the BCS has been able to reduce costs compared to their previous system. These savings are now being reinvested into future platform enhancements and other value-added features.
An Ongoing Partnership
Thanks to the successful partnership between VeryConnect and the British Cardiovascular Society, the BCS now has a flexible, scalable platform that supports its diverse needs. The project was delivered on time, within budget, and has already shown measurable ROI.
The BCS is now working with us on further enhancements, including the development of a comprehensive mentoring solution and a new standalone Digital Knowledge Hub website. As the BCS continues to evolve and grow over the next 100 years, we look forward to continuing our partnership to deliver even more value and support their ongoing success.
Get a demo
The BCS’ membership software helps their team save time and better engage their members. Get in touch to see how we can help you do the same.