At ECS, we have an amazing team and can’t help but brag about the skills, expertise, and unique perspective each person brings. Meet Emily Megnin. She has over 15 years of experience in performance management with expertise in customer service, advanced knowledge of business software such as ETO™, CaseWorthy™, Salesforce™, and Apricot™. She is an expert in data analysis and reporting, qualitative and quantitative research, public speaking, and crisis management.
Learn more about Emily and what she brings to the team.
What is your professional background and experience?
In college, I studied Sociology and Women’s Studies and interned with several domestic violence shelters and legal support organizations. My first job out of college was in a group home for children. Direct service work wasn’t exactly for me, though. I knew I wanted to make an impact, but wasn’t sure how. When I took a customer support position with Social Solutions, it was the best of both worlds: I was able to support the people doing the work on the front lines and be in a role where I could think bigger and help more than one of nonprofit at once. I saw the benefits of how nonprofits could use performance management and a data system to really improve their services.
I ran the gamut of roles at Social Solutions. By the time I left, I had grown the customer support department from a team of one (me) to over 50 people in customer support and training. One of my favorite parts of the job was still advising customers on the best ways to design a system to meet their needs.
I have worked with a wide variety of organizations – from food banks to domestic violence programs, criminal justice to workforce development, youth services and more. At ECS, I enjoy being able to focus in depth on each of our customers.
Why is performance management valuable?
Performance management is critically important. Social service programs have told me time after time, “We just want to know that we’re going a good job.” But I’ve had customers also discover that certain things they were doing weren’t helping their clients like they thought. That really motivated me to learn more about the field. I’ve been able to help so many customers move beyond using data systems to check boxes or collect demographics.
It has become my mission to help people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. I’m in the business of making them better at their jobs and their jobs easier. I like to challenge people to really understand why using software and a performance management system can support the work they’re doing. They can track data, compare outcomes. They can know for sure that they’re making a difference.
What is your approach to working with customers?
My goals are to make customers happy, to improve their organization and the services they are providing, and to make sure they find the value in using a performance management system. I really do want them to be able to spend less time using a database and more time providing services.
Listening to our customers’ needs is important, and I’ve realized over the years that I have to go beyond listening. As we’re building a system together, I can help them understand why it’s so important to spend time on it and do it right. I help them see the benefit of performance management and how a clean, well-managed system can give them the reports they need.
At ECS, I can focus in on the needs of our customers and really get to know them. I can help them answer the question of if they’re meeting their goals and outcomes.
Who or what inspires you?
I’ve been most inspired by my parents who always encouraged me to help others. Before my mother retired she was the executive director of a non-profit legal services organization, and my father was always very involved in volunteering and fundraising throughout his life.
To learn more about Emily and the rest of the ECS team, see our About Us page.