Home-Start Cambridgeshire
Customer Story

How Kinabase Transformed Home-Start Cambridgeshire's Operations

After facing multiple setbacks with CRM implementations, Home-Start Cambridgeshire found the perfect partner in Kinabase. With a smooth, tailored solution, they transitioned from outdated systems to a dynamic platform that cut costs, increased productivity, and enabled their team to focus on their mission: supporting young families in challenging circumstances.

Home-Start Cambridgeshire

Industry

Charity

Company size

10-20 employees

Headquarters

Cambridgeshire, UK

Key features

  • CRM
  • Case Management
  • Reporting
  • Compliance

Challenge

Home-Start Cambridgeshire’s operations were still run on paper and spreadsheets; earlier CRM projects had failed, so staff were stuck with error-prone, labour-intensive admin that slowed service to families.

Solution

Kinabase replaced every manual log and sheet with a configurable, charity-specific platform, giving the team a secure “operational engine” that automates data capture, reporting and compliance.

Results

1 FTE
Cost saving
Database-support vacancy no longer required
Paper-free
Process overhaul
All paper forms and spreadsheets eliminated
Quicker service
Productivity boost
Less time on admin means faster family support

About Home-Start Cambridgeshire

Home-Start Cambridgeshire is a UK-based charity dedicated to empowering families with children under five years old. They focus on building resilience and well-being through tailored support, offering weekly volunteer visits to assist with challenges such as parental mental health, isolation, postnatal illness, and bereavement. Their goal is to strengthen parent-child relationships, reduce isolation, and foster meaningful community connections.

The Problem

Home-Start Cambridgeshire faced significant operational challenges with a paper-reliant system that was inefficient and resource-intensive. According to Jonathan Jelley, “the entire workflow of the charity was essentially on paper, with all the inefficiency and overhead that has.” Previous attempts to digitise their processes had failed, creating anxiety over adopting a new system.

Why Kinabase?

When Home-Start Cambridgeshire began searching for solutions, their experience with Kinabase stood out immediately. Unlike other providers who failed to respond, Kinabase's team engaged promptly and empathetically.

"The initial engagement with Jason and the team was so encouraging. We never for a moment thought they were thinking about themselves but were solely focused on understanding our needs," shared Jonathan Jelley MBE JP.

The key differentiators were Kinabase's intuitive interface and the ability to customise the system to match Home-Start's unique workflows and language. This flexibility ensured that staff felt confident about the transition.

The Kinabase Solution

Kinabase quickly became central to Home-Start Cambridgeshire's operations. The charity replaced its reliance on paper and spreadsheets with a comprehensive digital system that streamlined data management, enhanced regulatory compliance, and saved valuable resources.

Jelley highlighted the transformative impact: "Kinabase has become the trusted operational engine of our charity, making us more efficient and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements as well as saving money."

Beyond their initial CRM needs, Home-Start plans to leverage Kinabase for other functions, such as fundraising and event management, further expanding its impact.

Results and Efficiency Gains

The adoption of Kinabase delivered immediate benefits:

  • Increased productivity: Staff spent less time on data entry and administration.
  • Cost Savings: The charity avoided filling a vacancy for database support, saving significant funds.
  • Operational Flexibility: Processes became more streamlined, enabling faster, more effective service delivery.

Jelley noted, "We spend less time on administration because the process of inputting and managing our data is now so efficient. It is quickly moving from being our CRM system to an ERM system, allowing us to grow and help more families."

Why Recommend Kinabase?

"We would without any reservation whatsoever recommend Kinabase to others. If you are looking for thoroughly decent people to work with, who provide IT solutions with a firm set of values based around integrity, trust, and honesty, Kinabase are absolutely those people," Jelley affirmed.

Final Thoughts

Kinabase's partnership with Home-Start Cambridgeshire demonstrates how a well-implemented software solution can go beyond solving immediate problems to empower an organisation's mission. The strong alignment in values and unwavering support from the Kinabase team have laid a foundation for future growth and success.

Support Home-Start Cambridgeshire's work by visiting Home-Start Cambridgeshire's website.

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