| When
the Fundraising Division of the British Heart Foundation (BHF) asked us
to provide a single combined view of supporter history from disparate data
spread across numerous databases we had several options of how to do it. |
| The
simplest way was to combine and de-duplicate data snapshots. The BHF, however,
wanted deduplication to be a permanent feature of the new system. |
| The simplest way was
to combine and de-duplicate data snapshots. But that would need to be done
every time the data was brought together and the BHF wanted a permanent
link between master records, deautomatic updates and instant availability
of the Single Contact View and data extractions from across all databases. |
| The
ideal solution for the BHF, as the table below shows, was database linking: |
| |
Data
Snap-shots |
New
Application |
Link
existing databases |
| Permanent
master record de-duplication and updating |
X |
|
|
| No
business interruption |
|
X |
|
| Immediate
availability and low cost |
|
X |
|
|
| This was the birth of the Central Information Management System (
Database Link Server ) at the BHF, which so far, has brought together 8 databases to
operate seamlessly as one. |
| |
| We
began by recommending and undertaking the repatriation of an externally
maintained database. The cost savings from this exercise alone financed
the whole project in the first two years and is now a contributor to net
revenues. The savings also allowed the BHF to set-up a Data Management team,
which provides data analysis on demand. Increased revenues from processing
efficiencies such as Gift Aid claims alone largely absorb the cost of the
team. |
| |
| With
the centralisation of its fundraising data the BHF can now successfully
pursue the supporter journey, which is at the core of its fundraising strategy. |
