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Our Daily Bread Ministries

From Disconnected Data to Clear Visibility

With vital data spread across vendors and spreadsheets, Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODBM) lacked a single view of their operations.

The move to a unified MIS gave them the clarity and confidence to take control.

Our Daily Bread Case Study 1
quoteBG

“We had postage stats in a spreadsheet over here, our third party inserter had its own measurement over there, but there was no holistic view in terms of management. We needed the ability to measure everything.”

Ron Underwood,
Supply Chain Team Lead, Our Daily Bread

About the company

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Our Daily Bread Ministries, founded in 1938, shares God’s Word through print resources that encourage daily faith and reflection. From devotionals and booklets to study guides and magazines, millions of copies are printed in multiple languages each year, reaching people around the world.

Complementing this strong print legacy, ODBM also invests in digital platforms, films, podcasts, and other media to reach people wherever they are. With its US headquarters in Cascade Township, Michigan, the ministry combines traditional publishing with modern technology to ensure its message of hope and encouragement remains relevant and accessible across cultures and generations.

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35 +
Offices worldwide supporting global ministry efforts
books Icon - eProductivity Software
60 million +
Resources distributed annually in over 150 countries
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300
Staff, and 100 volunteers, serving from the US headquarters in Cascade Township

The challenge

Our Daily Bread Ministries struggled with disconnected systems and a lack of holistic visibility across their direct mail workflow.

Postage data lived in spreadsheets, third-party inserters tracked their own measures, and production teams were left without a single source of truth for scheduling, costs, and overall project performance.

Key Requirements
cloud-binary Icon - eProductivity Software Centralize data from multiple sources
binoculars Icon - eProductivity Software Gain full visibility across mailing workflow
chart-line-up Icon - eProductivity Software Track and measure all production costs

Connecting Disparate Systems for End-to-End Visibility with ePS Avanti

A bulk of Our Daily Bread Ministries' production costs support a direct mail workflow. Our Daily Bread Ministries' main objective was to capture the scheduling and cost performance of all their mailings.

They had access to information coming from a variety of departments, disparate islands of automation, and "spreadsheets all over the place", as Ron Underwood, Supply Chain Team Lead for Our Daily Bread Ministries, puts it. "We had postage stats in a spreadsheet over here, our third-party inserter had its own measurement over there, but there was no holistic view in terms of management."

In addition, the ministry was in the process of re-organizing work roles to further streamline efficiencies, yet they were missing the key component in the cost collection and tracking paradigm.

Every fall, Our Daily Bread Ministries produces a fundraising calendar which has become extremely popular to its members. This mailing initiative, produced and mailed alongside their millions of printed materials, is fulfilled upon receipt of a return postcard. To date, the ministry has been unable to systematically measure the entire initiative from beginning to end against their donation base. This includes both tangible and intangible. 

Given the breadth of products and the ministry's global presence, they needed solution that could not only manage the printing requirements of the individual items, but provide the production staff a comprehensive, real-time view of the project - as a whole, including costs. "Each mailing project is made up of individual components like booklets, brochures, address cards and envelopes", states Ron.

 

Our Daily Bread Case Study 2

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quoteBG

“Our challenge was how to oversee the entire project, with each component having individual requirements. We needed the ability to measure everything.”

Ron Underwood,
Supply Chain Team Lead, Our Daily Bread

The Solution

Our Daily Bread Ministries looked at several Print MIS vendors. The ministry had history with ePS Avanti; they have been an Classic client since 2006.

With that history was a familiarity in Avanti's commitment to product improvement and assistance in getting the most out of the software. "We felt that the approach Avanti took in rewriting Avanti Slingshot from the ground up was the right one" declares Ron.

Our Daily Bread Ministries liked the user interface for its simplicity and organization. The fact that Avanti is browser-based was particularly appealing.

  • Real-Time Cost Visibility

    Avanti provides real-time access to costs from setup through fulfillment, giving teams a clear view of each mailing and where money is spent.

  • Improved Efficiency & Scheduling

    A unified view of mailing processes increases flexibility, streamlines scheduling, and reduces errors, allowing teams to improve efficiency and set measurable goals.

  • Cost-Savings Opportunities

    Comprehensive reporting identifies savings opportunities and optimizes workflows, supporting long-term growth, stronger donor retention, and improved membership loyalty.

quoteBG

“There are tremendous advantages to a browser based solution. The visibility we get from real-time access to our information from both within — as well as outside — the plant is game-changing. Avanti has a 40+ year history and a deep understanding of the print industry.

Additionally, the upgrade path to Slingshot was attractive from a cost standpoint. Other systems were either far behind Avanti or over-engineered. We could have spent far more on other MIS solutions, yet not received the benefits and personal attention we get from Avanti.”

Ron Underwood,
Supply Chain Team Lead, Our Daily Bread