Wells Fargo volunteer team and an individual volunteer provided technology consulting for Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Carolinas by providing a comprehensive technology plan.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Carolinas (BBBS) create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. BBBS effectively improves the lives of youth and engages with the community through involvement with families, mentors, community funders, schools, and other partners. They create positive outcomes in the following areas: educational success, avoidance of risky behaviors, and socio-economic competence.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Central Carolinas came to Apparo for technology consulting and help with a technology plan with prioritized recommendations. Their staff had been piecemealing their tech needs. BBBS of Central Carolinas decided they wanted technology experts to help them produce a comprehensive plan.
Apparo matched BBBS with a team of skilled volunteers from Wells Fargo and an individual volunteer. This volunteer team reviewed their current processes and provided technology consulting to develop an easily executable 3-year technology plan. The nonprofit team involved included: Donna Dunlap, Dorothy Cathey, Stephanie Cummins, and Toni Freeman. The Wells Fargo skilled volunteer team included: Ranjan Ganguly, Rajesh Dubey, and Vern Wilkinson. An individual volunteer, Ronit Dey, also volunteered his time and skills. Ronit Dey had a personal connection with BBBS of Central Carolinas. “Working with BBBS has been such a meaningful and enjoyable journey. As someone who has seen the positive influence of the services provided by BBBS on many of my friends, I am so glad to have been able to contribute to this amazing organization,” he shared of his volunteer experience.
Pain Points and Goals
When the technology consulting began, BBBS identified several pain points including:
- Out-of-date processes
- Network out-of-date
- Needing to identify the most cost-efficient technologies
- Phishing Emails — what tools to use?
Their goals were:
- Establish a 3-year technology plan with priorities
- Need a solid IT company to manage their technology plan
- Need a refreshing schedule for technology — when to replace computers?
Through this tech plan, they addressed the pain points, including Wi-Fi, computers, technology in-place, and plans for future technology. One of the main recommendations the Wells Fargo team put together for the group was implementing a cloud-based service like Azure. Through the technology consulting, they also suggested BBBS of Central Carolinas hire a managed service provider (MSP) for their IT needs.
Anticipated Results of the Plan
As a result of the technology consulting provided, BBBS anticipates saving 520 hours annually of staff time collectively through the hiring of the MSP. Also, the IT manager anticipates saving between 260-520 hours a year. They anticipate using this additional time to support their mission work. Recommendations from the tech plan, will also help them communicate better with their constituents, which may result in increased revenue.
Sharing Thoughts on Their Experience
The Wells Fargo volunteers who provided technology consulting services shared their thoughts at the wrap-up of the project.
“As our project comes to a close, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of the individuals involved in this project. It has been an incredible privilege to work alongside such dedicated and compassionate individuals. I am looking forward to my next opportunity to serve in a similar capacity,” Ranjan Ganguly said.
Toni Freeman from BBBS of Central Carolinas was so appreciative of the work done by the volunteers. “We thank the Wells Fargo volunteers and Apparo for helping us develop a comprehensive technology plan. The plan will help us become more strategic about our resources and planning for the future. Also, it will help us mitigate risk and improve employee satisfaction.”
Lastly, Stephanie Cummins of BBBS of Central Carolinas shared, “I so appreciate the time Apparo and all the Wells Fargo volunteers took to help BBBSCC review our technology and get us on track to better serve the community.”
Learn more about the recent work we’ve done with BBBS of Central Carolinas.
