A novel use of Salesforce Maps to modernize volunteer coordination at scale.
For organizations that rely on connecting people to people, speed and accuracy shape the experience. That was the challenge facing a large, community-based volunteer program supported by enGen. Coordinators were responsible for matching individuals with nearby volunteers for assistance like check-in calls, errands, and ongoing companionship, but the systems behind the process were slow, fragmented, and difficult to maintain.
“We were managing thousands of records in spreadsheets,” said enGen technology lead Rishi Abhange. “Data had to pass through multiple tools before coordinators could even see who was available.”
A fragmented, delayed workflow
The workflow relied on a patchwork of tools:
- Manual data entry in Excel
- Overnight processing through Alteryx
- Next-day visualization in Tableau dashboards
Coordinators were forced to wait for batch processing before they could identify potential matches.
“In some cases, coordinators had to wait close to 24 hours just to see which volunteers were within a certain radius,” explained Rishi.
The issues extended beyond speed. Because the process depended on manual inputs and disconnected systems, errors were common and often only surfaced after processing was complete.
“If an address wasn’t entered correctly, you wouldn’t know until the next day,” he said. “That created both validation challenges and delays.”
At the same time, coordinators were manually cross-referencing static maps and spreadsheets, which added complexity and increased the likelihood of missed or outdated information.
“In some cases, coordinators had to wait close to 24 hours just to see which volunteers were within a certain radius.”
-Rishi Abhange, enGen Technology Lead
A shift to a unified, real-time approach
To eliminate these bottlenecks, the team redesigned the process around Salesforce Service Cloud, consolidating all data and workflows into a single system with built-in data validation and tracking capabilities.
“We moved everything out of Excel and into Salesforce so that it could be tracked and updated in real time,” said Rishi. “Now, addresses are validated immediately, and we have a full history of every update.”
The next challenge was solving proximity-based matching. Rather than building a custom solution, the team turned to Salesforce Maps - a tool traditionally used by field sales teams.
“Salesforce Maps was designed for reps in the field,” explained Rishi. “We looked at it differently and asked: can we use the same capability to coordinate people instead of sales visits?”
By integrating Salesforce Maps directly into the CRM, coordinators gained a real-time, visual layer of intelligence. When viewing a record, they can now:
- Instantly map an individual’s location
- Identify nearby volunteers
- See availability and proximity in real time
“It’s essentially like a live map with pins for every available resource,” said Rishi. “The moment a coordinator opens a record, they can instantly see who’s nearby and available.”
Internal users report that matching can now happen in approximately five minutes - an improvement that fundamentally changes how teams operate.
“What used to take nearly a full day can now be done in minutes,” said Rishi.
Equally important, the shift reduced operational complexity. Previously, the process required multiple specialized skill sets across different tools. Today, it is managed within a single platform - simplifying maintenance and reducing overhead.
“We moved everything out of Excel and into Salesforce so that it could be tracked and updated in real time.”
-Rishi Abhange
A scalable model for coordination
Beyond speed and efficiency, the new system provides a foundation for scalability. With real-time data, integrated mapping, and a unified platform, the program has been able to expand to new regions, serve more individuals, and support a growing volunteer base.
For Rishi, the project represents a proof point for rethinking how existing platforms can be applied. “Individually, these capabilities already existed,” he said. “The innovation was I bringing them together to solve a completely different kind of problem.”
As organizations look to modernize operations, the takeaway is clear: sometimes the biggest breakthroughs come from applying existing technologies in new ways.