Contact: Paul Backes, Fresh Vine, 612-386-3442
MINNEAPOLIS, Sept. 27, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following is submitted by Paul Backes of Fresh Vine:
Many churches are migrating to a web-hosted (online) church management system (ChMS). What are the benefits of having a web-hosted system instead of the traditional system? This article identifies four primary reasons for using an online ChMS and provides real life examples of how users of Fresh Vine, an online church management system, achieve these benefits.
1. User Access: The vast majority of church management systems can only be accessed in the church's office, and in many churches the system is only available on one single PC. By contrast an online system can be accessed by authorized users from anywhere with internet access. Using Fresh Vine, a small group leader can use her home internet access to search the member and visitor roster to find potential group members who have similar demographics, interests or location. She can also take attendance using her smart phone at the beginning of the group's weekly bible study. And the senior pastor and board members can go online to view trends in giving and membership.
2. Ease of Use: A well-designed online system will provide users an intuitive and easy to use system, which significantly reduces training time and learning curve. Our goal is to have a church administrator, pastor or volunteer group leader learn everything they need to use the system in a single training session. At Fresh Vine we accomplish this through a user design that is very intuitive and easy to use. Users only see system features to which they are permitted so they are not confused by features which are not pertinent. All features have the same look and feel, and each window displays direct links to other system features that would logically be accessed from the current feature (again based on user permissions).
3. System Upgrades: Online systems are regularly and automatically updated. Customers get to take advantage of improvements and new features instantly. We typically provide new feature upgrades to all customers on a quarterly basis, with appropriate information and online training. And we can implement a small update at any time. The customer does not need to take any action in order to receive an upgrade.
4. Data Security: Online systems typically provide built in flexibility to allow user accounts appropriate access to data (not everyone seeing the giving). For example, Fresh Vine provides 18 different feature and data access permissions, which can be organized into an unlimited number of access groups. In addition to keeping prying eyes out, online system providers will perform daily backups of your data (on-site and off-site) so that a church can recover quickly in the event of an equipment malfunction.
The power of the web can provide church's administrators/volunteers an easy and secure system accessible from anywhere. Such access can empower your volunteer leaders to manage and grow their groups and at the same time significantly reduce administrative work.
Paul Backes is a Principal with Fresh Vine, Minneapolis, MN, www.freshvine.co.
