How EPCOR streamlines its community investment process with Optimy

EPCOR Utilities Inc is a utility provider to more than 2 million customers in Canada and the U.S., providing power, water, drainage, and natural gas services. For years they used a sponsorship management software that was not meeting their expectations. After another Edmonton-based organization changed tools and improved their process with Optimy, EPCOR knew they had to do the same.

To manage sponsorship, community investment, and corporate giving requests, EPCOR needed the support of a comprehensive and reliable CSR management tool. From collecting applications, through choosing the right projects to support, to reporting on impact, the tool needed to have it all.

For a few years, EPCOR used another grant management system, but making changes in the application forms was a big challenge, and the long wait for support and resolution were blocking the team from moving forward with their operations. They knew they were not the only ones that were unsatisfied with this provider’s customer service. The other Edmonton-based company had similar issues.

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According to EPCORr’s community investment team, the ease of Optimy’s system had improved the management of grants and sponsorship projects: “From the applicant’s perspective, it is very easy and straightforward to fill out the forms. Lately, we have not received a single email with concerns from the applicants.”

Besides being able to streamline the decision-making process of choosing the right applicants and having a data-driven selection, the team points out other benefits of using Optimy: “Optimy’s support is exceptional, we have a very pleasant customer experience. We are very happy with the support and customer service provided. explains Robyn Schommer, Senior Advisor of Community Investment at EPCOR.

With Optimy, the community investment team can easily filter, match applications with their giving guidelines, and choose applicants that are best aligned. They also save time by rapidly creating and customizing forms, as well as automated workflows. “The workflow triggers the creation of reminders and upcoming tasks making the internal processes very easy,” the team explains.

The team also points out that the frontend design aligns with what they expected since it integrates just right with their website. She mentions that even EPCOR’s web design team was very pleased and brought up how friendly Optimy’s user interface is.

“We would refer Optimy to anyone who is looking for a great way to organize and streamline their community investment activities. Our team now has a much easier time managing corporate giving activities with Optimy’s system and customer service support,” celebrates the team.