Anthology Encompass vs. Bloomerang CRM

Great for the simpler side of online transactions and not-so-complicated events. Is not as robust as other programs when trying to accomplish complex events (like a Homecoming weekend) that span multiple days and venues. It does require some level of expertise with the system to get the most out of it. It's less WYSIWYG and more coding/customization.

Incentivized

If you are a small organization just getting started, Bloomerang can be a good fit. It is simple and straightforward for development staff who maybe aren’t super savvy with data management or analysis in spreadsheets. In the sales demo they will try to upsell a lot of extras that are ultimately not necessary unless your stuff is very unfamiliar with database software. The base price of the software is something like $300 per year, as long as you mix all of the training and phone support add-ons they initially present you with.

Incentivized

• It allows us to create fields as needed.
• Creating an export of data is really easy.
• Merging of records is fairly simple.

Incentivized

• Reporting: Once I understood the logic behind Bloomerang's reporting tools, I could not believe I'd ever worked a different way. Some of our funders request very complicated reports and getting the relevant data out of Bloomerang is SO much easier than it was with our previous CRM tools.
• Website integration: I love the tracking functionality that Bloomerang offers, as well as how easy it is to integrate event ticket, volunteer, and other forms into our existing website.
• Intuitive design: I've introduced total novices to Bloomerang and been very impressed with how quickly they've been able to figure out all the top level navigation as well as deeper functionality.

Incentivized

• User Interface, Clunky appearance.
• Can require deep customization.
• API can be fragile.

Incentivized

• Some of the searches did not bring up the expected results. It would be good to see the logic be a little more "fuzzy".
• More pre-set reports would be helpful for small organizations who do not understand the logic behind how to get the results they are seeking.
• An ability to just page through donor records would be nice. Sometimes you just want to browse the data to get inspired.

Incentivized

It does not have the automation or event tools that we are desperately needing at this time.

Incentivized

#1 - I am very happy with the product and support so far.
#2 - With significant data migration costs, I wouldn't even consider another option for at least 3 years no matter how much better it might be.

Incentivized

Includes nice features like click-through tracking, where an email recipient can click a link and land on a gift or RSVP page with their information pre-filled. Though it requires some back-end customization to really make it hum, in areas like user fields, taking the time to do the work allows for some really neat role-based experiences where certain criteria deliver a different experience to different individuals. However, those fields and roles require manual manipulation instead of automatic attribution.

Incentivized

Data and settings are very customizable to fit the needs of our organization. We are able to not only keep track of donations, but also other interactions we may have with a constituent. Support is extremely helpful when issues arise.

Incentivized

It is usually up and running.

Incentivized

No integration.

Incentivized

I usually get an accurate response to issues. Your service techs are knowledgeable in how the software works and is set up.

Incentivized

Any time i had a problem or question it has been easy to find an answer or tutorial. When I cannot find an answer, it is easy to email or live chat with support and they resolve my problems very quickly.

N/A I've only attended webinar training, which is great when you are on live, not so much when watching a recording.

Incentivized

Most are recorded, so questions that arise are not easy to get answered.

Incentivized

Unknown. I wasn't here.

Incentivized

Encompass provides the closest thing to a single-vendor service for many engagement activities. An entity like GiveCampus, while it excels at microcampaigns, is also highly limited to that functionality. Encompass offers Advancement offices the opportunity to manage one API, define a superuser, and extend features on an as-needed basis, customizing them to the user experience.

Incentivized

We left DonorPerfect for Bloomerang. I had come from an organization that used Raisers Edge and there was no way I was going to stay with DP. RE is great for larger organizations with staff dedicated to the database, but we were a much smaller organization and needed to have something we could all use easily. We demoed Salsa and Neon and liked them both, but Bloomerang had better integration features and seemed to be the most user-friendly.

Incentivized

• Single solution for multiple options is a positive ROI. Only one vendor needed.
• Other vendors may excel in one area (like events), creating a trade-off between a single user experience and the use of multiple vendors.
• It can easily take in 10X the dollars vs. the annual cost.

Incentivized

• Because my organization has been using Bloomerang for only one year, we haven't yet studied what impact it has had on our ROI. We have, however, noted that we are able to more efficiently and more rapidly communicate with constituents now than we were able to before we had Bloomerang. We can quickly and efficiently generate acknowledgements and tax receipts - and do so - better than we ever did before.

Incentivized