Turning a Complex CRM into a Strategic Asset
Fondation Bernheim was ready to abandon Salesforce due to low adoption and poor alignment with their evolving mission. Instead, they partnered with Hanne Refslund to reset and optimize the system. Through a collaborative retrofit and hands-on training, Salesforce became a streamlined, user-friendly platform that now powers stakeholder management, grant processing, and reporting. Today, Fondation Bernheim leverages Salesforce to better serve vulnerable youth across Brussels—and continues to grow with ongoing guidance from Hanne Honoré.
Introduction
When Fondation Bernheim faced operational challenges with an underutilized CRM, they were at a crossroads—abandon the system or transform it. Through a close partnership with Hanne Refslund, the foundation found a path to revitalize Salesforce, turning it into a powerful tool aligned with their mission to support vulnerable youth in Brussels.
The Challenge
In September 2022, Anne-Catherine Chevalier took on the role of Managing Director at Fondation Bernheim and quickly realized the organization’s Salesforce CRM was not supporting its key processes. Over time, the foundation’s focus and activities had evolved, leaving the CRM misaligned and viewed by the team as overly complex, incomplete, and disconnected from day-to-day needs.
With low adoption and fragmented data, Fondation Bernheim was close to replacing Salesforce entirely.
The Solution
In early 2023, Hanne Refslund, then at Salesforce, proposed an alternative: to “reset” Salesforce rather than abandon it. Leveraging Salesforce’s Power of Us Program for non-profits, Hanne volunteered to lead a full transformation project.
Key Actions:
- Strategic Alignment: Collaborated with FB’s leadership to align Salesforce with the foundation’s newly defined mission and KPIs.
- Process & Data Review: Conducted a thorough review of FB’s stakeholder management processes and data structure.
- Roadmap Design: Developed a clear and actionable plan to retrofit Salesforce for current and future needs.
- Pro Bono Partnership: Engaged UPEO, a Salesforce partner, to support the project with volunteer consulting resources.
- Agile Configuration: Delivered continuous improvements as FB’s strategy evolved.
- Change Management & Training: Provided ongoing training, coaching, and onboarding for staff to drive adoption and ensure success.
The Impact
- Optimized Stakeholder Processes: Salesforce now supports all core stakeholder workflows, including:
- Grant applications from non-profits.
- Full candidate management for the Stagiaires Bernheim program.
- Grant agreements, funding approvals, and payment processing.
- Data Confidence: Clean, reliable data now powers meaningful reporting and decision-making, both operationally and at the board level.
- Efficiency & Adoption: The FB team now actively uses Salesforce as a streamlined, transparent system that supports their evolving work.
- Ongoing Partnership: Hanne continues to advise Fondation Bernheim, ensuring Salesforce grows with their mission.
“Thanks to Hanne’s leadership and coaching, we successfully turned around an outdated and underutilized Salesforce system, transforming it into a valuable tool that powers both our daily operations and deepens our engagement with stakeholders. Her business-first approach, paired with thoughtful change management and hands-on training, empowered our team to fully embrace the platform. This transformation has been key to the success we see today, equipping us with a reliable, customized solution that amplifies our impact on the organisations supporting vulnerable youth in Brussels and the Stagiaires Bernheim.”
About Fondation Bernheim
Fondation Bernheim is a Brussels-based public-benefit foundation committed to building a more just society where every young person can realize their full potential. The foundation supports social actors working with vulnerable youth across Brussels, promoting systemic change through collaboration, trust, and listening.
FB’s philanthropy is guided by four pillars:
- Financing: Long-term, structural financial support.
- Connecting: Facilitating partnerships and shared learning.
- Strengthening: Providing tailored expertise to empower organizations.
- Amplifying: Advocating for social justice and youth inclusion at the policy level.
Operating in one of Belgium’s most diverse and socioeconomically challenged regions, Fondation Bernheim aims to help young people overcome barriers and seize opportunities for a brighter future.
Learn more at Fondation Bernheim.be