This week, we welcome back Sally Grantham from partner ACS Technologies to the Vanco blog. Sally spent the weekend thinking about how technology shifts so frequently and how we can and should be applying these shifts to operations and giving solutions in the church.
I finally took a vacation. A real vacation where I left my cell phone in a hotel room and relaxed all day. I take vacation days throughout the year, but I admit they usually include checking my cell phone and responding to both work and personal interactions. This time, I stepped completely out of the world for a break, other than reading the New York Times with multiple cups of coffee each morning. And I do mean a real paper that leaves ink marks all over your hands.
In the midst of my relaxing and paper reading, Pokémon GO exploded onto the scene, and in the blink of an eye a new craze had firmly taken hold. How can a game so quickly become the all-encompassing activity of adults and children? The record-breaking number of app downloads is part of the story, but the media coverage on every news program is even more telling. Over my long weekend, technology changed again. And somehow, I missed it.
Do you ever feel the same way when keeping up with the technology at your church? For churchgoers focused on the non-changing word of God, the secular world we live in IS changing rapidly. The methods in which we communicate and interact have changed as well. Then, just as quickly as we try to master something new, some other new technology comes along.
With this ever-changing landscape, the church can frequently be one of the last to get up-to-speed with technology. That doesn’t mean it has to be tough. One of the trickiest aspects of implementing new technology is making sure that church staff knows how to actually implement and use it.
How do you do that effectively?
- Internal review – Schedule time twice a year to take a look into the tools and technology used by your church and perform an internal review
- Are these tools continuing to help you reach your goals? Are they easy to streamline across your whole team? How often are you using the tools effectively versus teaching yourself how to use them?
- Tech training – When you implement a new technology or tool, schedule time to train your whole staff and others who will use it.
- If users are not in the know from the get-go on the technology you want to implement, it won’t end well. Training is a big investment up front, but it’s worth it in the end.
- Keep your eyes open – Pay attention to other churches and their actions.
- What kind of systems are other churches using? This could be as simple as watching their social moves, their content produced or their emails sent. Explore these options, decide what you like and make it happen in your own church.
Sometimes it is hard to know where to look first when trying to find the right tools and technology for your church. This is especially important around giving technology because there are so many different options – mobile, text, app, kiosk – and each member demographic prefers or is comfortable with different ways to give.
Which avenues of giving should your church utilize? Which ones are right for your members? How do you communicate these options to your members and get them to work? Then there is always the fear that while you implement something new, something else will come out that you miss!
To help you confidently address all of these questions and concerns, it is important to have a provider who will truly partner with you throughout the process – not just sell you a solution.
Technology shifts. And during those shifts, user expectations change as well. You need help navigating those waters and understanding which solutions are right for your church, and which are easy to use and implement. It isn’t about just “having electronic giving.” It's about implementing the product and making it work for you. Make sure you have a technology partner who can help you bring the best solutions to your congregation.
Working with a partner who continues to educate and work with their clients to help them use the most current and up-to-date technology is crucial. ACS Technologies partners with Vanco Payment Solutions for electronic giving, and we continue to grow together to help churches strengthen their ministries and give back to the community. ACS Technologies also offers e-Giving coaches to assist mutual Vanco clients with giving technology. To learn more, check out infamilygiving.com.
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