In motion with data at the Koninklijke Wandelbond Nederland

Walking for everyone

The Royal Walking Association Netherlands (KWbN) is the main point of contact for walking in the Netherlands. With a large network of organizations and activities, KWbN inspires people to get moving, from the Evening 4-Day Walk to short strolls and inspiring routes. What makes KWbN unique is that it supports both individual walkers and organizations. "Where in some team sports membership of the association is a requirement to participate, walking is a different story," says Luuk. "Our challenge has always been to engage walkers without making it mandatory. That's why we listen closely to the needs of walkers and provide inspiration, events, and support. We collaborate with organizers and other organizations that embrace walking." KWbN believes that walking is accessible, versatile, and sustainable. Everyone can participate, at any level. In this way, the association aims to contribute structurally to a fitter and more vital Netherlands.

A digital challenge

The organization grew rapidly, but the digital landscape lagged behind. There were separate systems for member administration, newsletters, campaigns, and the portal for associations. Connections were cumbersome, data became fragmented, and many processes were manual. "We had to manually load a new member, add them to the newsletter, and segment them ourselves," says Luuk. "That took time and was error-prone. The associations portal was also outdated. It became clear that we needed a fresh start." KWbN needed an integrated solution that aligns with the ambitions of the organization.

The choice for Axelio

Through another association, KWbN came into contact with Axelio. Their experience with similar organizations provided confidence. "We saw that Axelio had successfully implemented a solution for a sports association," says Luuk. "That gave us the assurance that they understood our situation. The story and approach convinced us." Axelio started with a thorough analysis of the processes and translated that into a CRM solution based on Microsoft Dynamics 365. In a weekly project group, a dedicated team from Axelio and KWbN worked together. "What I really appreciated was that we always saw the same people," says Luuk. "No changes, just familiar faces guiding us through the process from start to finish."

A new flow

The result is a central CRM system where all members, organizations, and contact moments come together clearly. Important processes now run automatically. New members register online and are immediately added to the system and the appropriate email campaigns. Segmentation happens instantly based on behavior and membership, making communication much more targeted. Invoicing and other forms of correspondence now also run automatically. "All manual steps have been replaced by one streamlined flow," explains Luuk. "That saves us a tremendous amount of time and ensures a logical journey for members. Associations also notice the difference: they experience more user-friendliness."

Better service and more insight

Because customer contacts are recorded centrally in the CRM system, employees can assist members more quickly and personally. "We can see the history immediately and respond better to questions," says Luuk. "Members don't have to repeat their story as often. That provides a pleasant experience." Strategically, KWbN is also making significant strides. Data from various sources is now centralized and available in Power BI dashboards. This allows the organization to better manage KPIs. Newsletters, for example, are analyzed accurately, and open and click rates have already improved significantly due to segmentation. Additionally, the system helps to categorize affiliated organizations into groups. Large organizers with tens of thousands of participants have a different information need than small clubs. Thanks to these insights, KWbN can now support the segments more effectively.

Collaboration

The collaboration with Axelio was intensive and involved. "We certainly faced challenges, especially with the connection between the CRM and the financial system," says Luuk. "We really had to work through that together. But because we remained in good contact and worked as one team, we arrived at the best solution."

The future: data-driven and personal

With the new CRM system, KWbN has a solid foundation for the future. "We can now analyze data much better and discover trends," says Luuk. "That helps us to become even more relevant for walkers and organizations. The system not only makes us more efficient, but it also provides us with the tools to be more personal and innovative." This way, KWbN can more powerfully fulfill its social mission of getting as many people moving as possible through walking. With the support of Axelio, there is now a digital foundation that grows with the ambitions of the organization.