When making the decision to implement a new church software, the first question likely raised is “What’s the return on investment (ROI)?” That question is sometimes easier to answer than others—there are certainly tangible financial ROIs to implementing a church management software, but there are also less tangible ministry ROIs that are equally valuable. When calculating ROI, you need to take into account both ministry impact and dollars saved to get the full picture of the benefits of the software. We’re breaking down some of the most common returns your church office will see when implementing a church software and why it might be a worthwhile change for you.
When considering whether church software is worth it, many pastors and church leaders want to know the financial ROI of investing in it—a tangible way to know that money is being stewarded well. Some of these financial savings are easy to track, while others are more intangible, but both are equally important to calculating the overall ROI of a new software.
Burnout among church staff and volunteers is incredibly common, so it’s important to steward your employees’ time well. Church software can reduce administrative burden, streamline processes, and automate tasks so your team can save time.
If your staff is paid hourly, you might see some negligible savings in payment for hours worked, but the true ROI here is that your staff’s time is freed up to do the things that technology can’t do—building connections with members, coming up with creative new ideas, and implementing new ministries.
Another somewhat intangible financial ROI to church software is reduced errors across the board. Any time you involve a human in a process, there’s the potential for mistakes—from a finger that slipped on the keyboard to misreading a number to mixing up a name. These errors are to be expected, but they are certainly reduced when you automate some processes with your church management software. Errors can, of course, still occur, but they are greatly reduced!
Reduced errors mean less time spent double-checking work, fixing errors, and double-checking again. This means your staff’s time is freed up to do more important tasks, like analyzing data to apply it to ministry.
Another very visible way your church software provides a massive ROI is when you implement and encourage online giving—specifically, recurring online giving.
When your members sign up to have their giving automatically taken out each week or month, your church accounting and finance team will be able to more reliably predict giving, allowing you to better budget for the future.
To get the full picture of the ROI, track your regular giving for the year before you encouraged recurring online giving and compare that to afterward. You’ll likely see a huge jump in regular giving, which means more financial stability for your church!
One of the most tangible ways to calculate the ROI of your church management software is to look at all of the different software it combines into one. Rather than requiring you to subscribe to tons of software separately, they’re now combined into one single subscription, likely at a large savings to your church!
Many software solutions, like the Church360° Suite, combine the following into one end-to-end solution:
While most of us might think of church technology ROI in terms of cost savings, it’s important to remember that there are intangible ministry returns that church software can bring. So while these ministry returns might not show up as a number, they are equally as important when it comes to reducing staff burnout, stress, and overwork. Additionally, these ministry returns can further engage your members and visitors!
When you have a church management software that’s running smoothly, you’ll have stronger member engagement. From event calendars to community pages to prayer groups to online directories, you’ll give your members opportunities to engage and connect in the digital space—which will translate to real-life engagement!
And with your improved automated processes, you can also improve your visitor experience and engagement. By sending out automated emails after their first, second, and third visits, you can increase guest engagement and get them involved and informed about your ministry.
This could fall under financial ROI as well, but cleaner data is a huge ministry return when you implement church software. When your data is accurate and easy to analyze, you’re better able to understand the success of your ministries, events, and outreach.
We all know that numbers aren’t everything in the church, but sometimes data can be a clear indicator of success, especially when comparing events year over year. When you better understand what is happening as a result of your campaigns or events, you can get a clear picture of the ministry ROI.
Lastly, when looking at the ROI of your church technology, you’ll see better communication across the board for both your staff and members.
For your staff, church management software consolidates data—no more navigating multiple, separate Excel spreadsheets, asking if this information is up-to-date. Now, everyone has access to the same data, saving you from sending emails and scheduling meetings to figure out a simple question. You’ll more clearly be able to communicate about what’s important.
For your members, a church software improves communication between them and your church office. Implementing SMS and email marketing plans can keep members abreast of last-minute event changes, upcoming events, and ministry updates to be aware of. With the right strategy, you’ll keep everyone on the same page—and reduce the number of calls and emails your office has to answer.
Get a taste of the benefits of church management software without the investment with a free 30-day trial of our membership-based software, Church360° Members.