Churches are at the heart of many communities, with hundreds of volunteers helping in various events throughout the year. For example, the Diocese of Norwich supports many local churches and events in their area. They have over 1,800 resources they share with them and have chosen Booqable to help them manage the equipment and create an online portal for members to make bookings.
Diocese of Norwich
For many years, the Diocese of Norwich has supported churches in Norfolk, England, with their resource center. It is staffed by volunteers from churches, church schools, and non-profit organizations who assist with the day-to-day running of the church for the three days it operates per week.
Local churches, schools, and organizations can sign up to use the resource center for a one-off fee, which gives them access to their online booking portal. Members can book over 1,800 items in their system year-round for their events. This self-service aspect has become very important as their inventory of items has grown.
The resource center lends a wide range of items to churches and schools, including gazebos, outdoor games equipment, youth resources, soft play equipment for toddler groups, and books, In addition, they provide a variety of other resources to support Prayer Spaces, RE and missional activities.
Knowing what’s available with barcodes
Initially, they took bookings by phone, but as their inventory grew, it quickly became apparent that they would need a system to manage availability. They needed help to keep up to date with what had been booked and what had been returned. So, they began looking for rental software to enable them to achieve these goals and automate the process. After trying many options, they decided Booqable provided the best experience.
Since using the software, they have created an online portal where members can search and browse items, see their availability, and make a booking. This automatically updates the backend so that everyone knows what’s available and prevents double bookings from occurring. This has been a considerable timesaver and cut out over 90% of inquiries made over the phone.
In addition, they have used the calendar and reporting functions to identify stock that is being used heavily and purchase extra items as required. Meanwhile, extensive use of barcodes and the mobile app has dramatically streamlined item check-out and return processes. This has reduced product loss while increasing efficiency.
Growing resources
Now that their resource management is under control, they plan to add more resources to their collection. They would like to share the stories of how they are being used so people can see their excellent work. Additionally, they anticipate increasing the use of their two satellite resource centers and providing a range of exhibition and catering equipment to churches that run community events.
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