The Problem: How to streamline communication and services for NASWA’s diverse members using existing systems?

The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) is a leading organization that supports workforce development across the United States, with a membership that includes state workforce agencies, workforce professionals, and public sector stakeholders. NASWA’s services span policy advocacy, research, workforce data sharing, and educational initiatives.

However, the organization faced challenges in managing its growing member base and ensuring smooth communication across a wide variety of touchpoints. Their existing systems were disjointed, and manual processes created inefficiencies. Data on member engagement, event participation, and workforce trends were not integrated into a single platform, leading to missed opportunities for targeted communication and service delivery.

The core of the challenge: NASWA needed a solution that would integrate their member management systems and provide a seamless, personalized experience for both members and internal teams.

The Solution: A seamless Drupal and Salesforce integration

To solve these challenges, NASWA turned to Drupal for their web platform needs and Salesforce as their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. By integrating these powerful tools, NASWA could streamline member management, enhance communication, and offer more tailored services to their diverse membership base.

Key Objectives for Integration:

• Centralized Data Management: Bring all member-related data, including engagement metrics, event participation, and service usage, into a unified system.

• Dynamic Salesforce Data in Drupal Ecosystem: Replace a member displays, member search and data export feature using Drupal user data with new search feature using Drupal front-end elements with Salesforce data.

• Automated Communication: Use Salesforce’s powerful automation features to send targeted messages, manage event registrations, and track member engagement automatically.

• Personalized Experience: Provide personalized content and service recommendations to members based on their profiles, behaviors, and history with NASWA.

• Scalability: Build a future-proof solution that could scale as NASWA’s membership base grew and its service offerings expanded.

Integration Process:

1. Assessment and Planning: The team began by reviewing NASWA’s existing data and service processes. This step included mapping out member journeys and identifying key touchpoints where the integration would have the most impact.

2. Drupal Integration: Drupal was customized to act as the front-end experience, with seamless access to member portals, event registrations, and educational resources. Using Drupal’s flexible API-first architecture, the team ensured that the system could integrate effectively with Salesforce, allowing both platforms to share data in real time. Replacing an old solution of using Drupal user data for member information with Salesforce integrated data ties together the system that the members are familiar with but with contact data served in a more manageable system.

3. Salesforce Customization: Salesforce was configured to track and manage all member data, automate event workflows, and monitor engagement. Custom fields and reports were built to segment members based on region, industry, and engagement level, enabling personalized communication strategies.

4. Testing and Launch: After a thorough testing phase, including user acceptance testing (UAT), the integration went live. The final solution offered a streamlined experience for both members and administrators.

The Results: Streamlined Operations and Enhanced Member Engagement

The integration of Drupal with Salesforce transformed how NASWA operated and interacted with its members. The outcomes included:

• Improved Data Management: Member data is now centralized and accessible, ensuring that teams can work more efficiently with up-to-date information at their fingertips. With Salesforce as the CRM backbone, NASWA can track membership trends, segment audiences, and make data-driven decisions.

• Automated and Personalized Communication: The integration allowed NASWA to automate member communications, including event reminders, policy updates, and customized content. Salesforce’s automation tools also enabled targeted outreach, ensuring that members received information relevant to their interests and needs.

• Increased Event Participation: By integrating event registration and communication into Salesforce, NASWA was able to manage sign-ups, track participation, and send reminders, leading to higher engagement with conferences, webinars, and training sessions.

• Efficient Service Delivery: With the ability to monitor member interactions and engagement, NASWA’s teams could quickly identify at-risk members and offer personalized solutions, such as targeted training programs or policy advice.

• Scalability and Future Growth: The integration between Drupal and Salesforce is built to scale, allowing NASWA to continue expanding its membership and service offerings without overhauling its infrastructure.

Conclusion: A Game-Changing Integration for NASWA’s Growth

By integrating Drupal and Salesforce, NASWA created a seamless, automated, and scalable solution that elevated its operations, improved communication with members, and enhanced service delivery. The integration not only solved immediate challenges but also positioned NASWA for future growth, enabling them to better serve their members and deliver on their mission to support workforce development across the nation.