Cru Streamlines Donation Processing with OPEX® Document and Mail Automation Solutions
For Over 25 Years, Cru Has Relied on the Combined Solution from OPEX and RTL to Process Donation Checks Same-Day.
The Background
Founded as the Campus Crusade for Christ in 1951 on the UCLA campus, Cru is a mission non-profit dedicated to spreading the Gospel worldwide. Under its umbrella, Cru has nearly 9,000 ministries worldwide, including ministries specifically for families, schools, colleges, inner cities, and the military. Donation Services processes all donations at Cru’s headquarters in Orlando, FL. Cru experiences its highest donation volume during the last two weeks of December, with a smaller peak during the Summer from school mission trips.
The Challenge
Cru typically receives up to 45,000 mail pieces monthly and processes about 17,000 mixed-transactions daily, with the highest mail volume typically occurring on Mondays. During major peak seasons, Cru relies on temporary and cross-trained staff to stay ahead. The non-profit receives a variety of donation types: approximately 14% checks, 33% credit cards, 47% EFT, 5% wire transfers, and 1% non-cash and cash. Donation Services processes anywhere between two and ten mail trays per day, each containing about 800 mail pieces. Not all mail received contains donations, and some envelopes can contain multiple transactions.
Key Challenges
Need to Maintain Same-Day Transaction Processing
Need to Maintain Same-Day Transaction Processing
High Donation Volumes During Winter and Summer
The Solution
Cru has relied on OPEX,® document and mail automation solutions for over 25 years, integrating the solution into its process with RT Lawrence (RTL). The non-profit currently uses five Falcon RED™ scanners with integrated mail opening, and one Falcon scanner for donation processing. The team first sorts mail pieces according to the related ministry and its contents. The scanners automatically open envelopes and allow the operator to remove and scan the contents, then upload images into the system, enabling transactions to be quickly processed. Three teams of seven cross-trained staff are primarily responsible for handling incoming mail and donation processing. Staff enjoy working with the OPEX systems, and training is quick and easy.
The non-profit aims to open and scan donations on the same day, with a noon deadline on the next business day for days with heavier volumes. Additionally, there are mid-month and end-of-month closing deadlines. With OPEX’s technology, Cru can easily meet its same-day processing goals and accurately track and provide insights on its performance. The automated workflow improves donor confidence by providing assurance that donations will be accurate and processed in a timely manner.
In addition to the Falcon scanners, Cru uses an OPEX OMATION® Series 210™ mail opener for mail received from its New Donor Acquisition program. This program’s campaigns are conducted up to six times per year to boost donation volumes. The Series 210 opener is used for all types of mail, even mail that does not contain donations. Any donations that are received are then processed on the Falcon RED scanners.
Key Results
2
Hours for Donation Designations to be available
25
Years of Success with OPEX’s Solutions
8000
Years of Success with OPEX’s Solutions
“When we give tours to missionary staff, their favorite part is to see the OPEX extractor open and present mail pieces.”
Anyelina Lopez,
DSG Tech Support & Liaison, Donation Services Group
The Future
With OPEX’s systems, Cru is in a solid position to maintain its current volume and handle future growth. The non-profit is committed to using automation to stay ahead and be effective. It plans to explore additional applications for its OPEX systems and to continually improve staff training. OPEX provides continuing technical support, allowing Cru to minimize and prevent any downtime.
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Cru Streamlines Donation Processing with OPEX® Document and Mail Automation Solutions
Pioneers Streamlines the Donation Process, Achieving Same-Day Processing
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