Learn how the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region leveraged a 15-year partnership with Daxko to improve operational efficiency, member experience and financial sustainability.
For community recreation organizations, technology decisions often come down to more than software features. Leaders are looking for tools that can support growth, improve efficiency, and help organizations adapt to changing member expectations and financial pressures.
For the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, that search led to a 15-year partnership with Daxko.
Discover what led to the partnership and how Daxko enhanced the Y’s offerings below.
Finding a Platform That Could Grow With the Organization
The Colorado-based YMCA chose Daxko in 2011 as it explored a more comprehensive technology platform to support an evolving organization. According to Boyd Williams, the president and CEO of the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region, the organization needed a solution capable of keeping pace with its growth and operational complexity.
“We chose Daxko in 2011 due to their full integration of software platforms all within one CRM,” said Williams. “They offered the most inclusive suite of products as compared to other providers. We were evolving and growing as an organization and the previous CRM wasn’t meeting our needs and new expectations.”
Over the years, Williams said the partnership has extended beyond software implementation. As the YMCA has navigated industry shifts, changing member behaviors and evolving operational demands, Daxko has continued to adapt alongside its customers.
“Daxko has evolved over the past 15 years and has listened to its customers, trying to find solutions to unique problems,” explained Williams. “Daxko has made our front-line staff more efficient and has offered products that have improved our bottom line significantly.”
A Customer-Driven Approach to Innovation
This customer-driven approach is something Cody Norton, the VP of sales at Daxko, said remains central to how the company works with nonprofit rec organizations.
“Boyd put it best in our recent conversation with him: ‘We’re not just customers, we’re partners,’” said Norton. “That’s the standard we try to hold ourselves to.”
According to Norton, the partnership model includes bringing YMCA leaders directly into product conversations through Daxko’s Customer Advisory Board (CAB), where operators provide feedback on existing challenges and emerging needs.
“We listen, and we get to work,” said Norton. “The CAB isn’t a marketing exercise; we bring Y leaders into a room with our executive leadership to tell us what’s broken, what’s missing and what we should build next.”
Williams has served on the advisory board twice, providing feedback that has helped shape future product development. Norton said leaders like Williams help ensure solutions remain grounded in the realities community recreation organizations face every day.
Addressing Financial Pressures Without Barriers
One example of that collaboration has been the implementation of Daxko’s Flex Fees program. As many nonprofits continue to face rising operational expenses, staffing challenges and uncertainty around funding sources, organizations are searching for ways to strengthen financial sustainability without increasing barriers to participation.
“Costs are up, competition is up, and grant and government funding is harder to count on than it used to be,” said Norton. “Nonprofit CEOs are looking to make decisions that return real dollars to their mission without raising dues, cutting programs or asking staff to do more with less.”
Norton said the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region saved approximately $300,000 during the first year after implementing Flex Fees, allowing those dollars to be redirected toward programs and staff during a critical recovery period following the pandemic.
The implementation process itself also reinforced the value of partnership. Daxko worked alongside YMCA leadership to develop member communications and rollout plans ahead of the launch.
“When the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region was preparing to communicate Flex Fees to 85,000 members, our team sat down with theirs and drafted the communications and implementation plan together,” said Norton.
Beyond operational efficiencies and financial outcomes, Williams said the platform has also helped create a consistent member experience.
“The software is user-friendly and we have remained consistent for a long period of time, which has helped to offer an experience of familiarity to our members,” said Williams. “The complaints of software issues by members over the years have been minimal.”
Lessons for Community Recreation Leaders
For many community rec leaders, maintaining that balance between operational effectiveness and member satisfaction remains a constant challenge. Williams believes long-term success begins with identifying organizational priorities before evaluating technology providers.
“There are several CRM software options for rec leaders, and typically I suggest decision-makers do their homework,” said Williams. “Identify what your organization’s priorities are, what are the key essential software features that are non-negotiable.”
He also emphasized the importance of selecting partners that continue investing in innovation as technology rapidly evolves.
“I believe Daxko is the leader of any CRM provider,” said Williams. “It’s fully integrated and continues to add business lines and evolution with their products that meet, not only the current needs of customers, but continues to fund research and development as technology changes at a pace unlike the market has seen.”
As community rec organizations face increasing pressure to operate efficiently while continuing to serve their communities, the YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region’s experience highlights a broader lesson: technology investments are most effective when they function as long-term partnerships rather than one-time purchases.
Williams said the partnership has thrived because of Daxko’s responsiveness, collaborative approach and shared commitment to fulfilling the organization’s mission.
“The leadership listens to customers, the end-users who have practical experiences on what’s happening, possibly identifying gaps and needed tweaks,” said Williams. “Daxko continues to invest in technology and the support they offer continues to improve, all driven by their senior leadership team.”
