Download summary case study (pdf)

About TUI

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) represents over 22,000 teachers and lecturers across post-primary, higher and further education. With 57 branches across 19 areas, the TUI is the voice of educators in schools, colleges, technological universities, further education centres and specialist settings across Ireland.

As a union, the TUI negotiates nationally and locally on behalf of its members, provides legal and professional support, and delivers a wide range of benefits. To keep pace with rising expectations for digital services, and to streamline its core operations, the TUI set out on a journey to replace its ageing membership system with a modern, future-proof platform.
 

The challenge

The TUI’s legacy membership system was more than 20 years old. It had been customised heavily over the years and was increasingly expensive to maintain. With most members paying by Deduction at Source (DAS), accuracy and reliability in payment processing were critical.

Key challenges included:

  • Fragmented systems – manual processes, siloed data, and reliance on CSVs and Outlook.
  • No quick access to member number breakdown by branch or area and no real time information
  • Growing member expectations – demand for self-service, mobile access, and personalised engagement.
  • Future growth – the need to scale easily, support branches and reps, and provide better management insight.
     
/site/media/media/images/screenshots/websites/tui_portal.png

The solution

Working with smartimpact, the TUI implemented a new Membership Relationship Management (MRM) system and members’ portal, powered by Microsoft Dynamics 365. At its core was a smarter, automated DAS collection process for subscription processing and reconciliation.

Highlights of the new solution:

Unified MRM – a single source of truth for all members, reps and contacts.

DAS automation – intelligent parsing of employer files and accurate reconciliation.

Member Portal – bringing online join and self-service tools, online access to DAS forms, information about branch meetings, and a national events booking facility.

Branch Management via the Portal – secure access for local officers to contact and support members directly.

Branch fund management – automated allocation of branch funds based upon membership income.

Smart dashboards & reporting – real-time insights into membership, income, arrears, and engagement.

Strong GDPR & security framework – vital for sensitive member and employment data.
 

/site/media/media/images/illustrations/chart-on-monitor-screen.svg

The results

The new platform has already delivered efficiencies and service improvements:

Operational efficiency

  • DAS auto parsing reduced manual processing effort
  • Automated validation checks improved data quality frees staff time
  • Automated communications keep members informed and reduce manual intervention

Improved member experience

  • Over 18,000 members pay via DAS seamlessly
  • Streamlined membership join process has reduced onboarding time
  • Members can update their details, book onto events, and engage with their branch via the new member portal

Better financial visibility

  • Real-time dashboards show income by branch, employer, and member status
  • Automate branch funds management based on membership income
  • Finance & audit teams can access monthly DAS breakdowns instantly

Future-proofed platform

  • Flexible design supports phased rollout of new features
  • smartAI suite already being rolled out for case management, communications, and reporting
For us, this isn’t just about technology - it’s about trust. Members need to know their payments are secure, their data is accurate, and their Union is fit for the future. This project delivers on all of that. The new system has helped us future-proof the organisation. We now have a clear view of our membership, finances and engagement, all in one place.

Michael Gillespie (General Secretary)

Metrics that count

57 branches…

Empowered to engage with branch members via the new portal

Real-time…

Financial dashboards now at the staffs’ fingertips
 

19,000+ voices…

United in a smarter membership system
 

The journey continues…

The TUI is in the early stages of rolling out smartAI applying automation and intelligence in a safe and secure manner, increasing efficiency and improving service to our members.

This investment ensures the TUI can deliver sector-leading services to its current members, while attracting and retaining the next generation of teachers and lecturers with a frictionless, digital-first experience.

/site/media/media/images/screenshots/customer-insights-on-laptop.png

Solution summary

  • Automated DAS parsing and processing into Dynamics
  • Unified Dynamics 365 membership CRM
  • Member & Branch self-service portal
  • Real-time dashboards & reporting
  • smartAI rollout for communications & case management
Download summary case study (pdf)
This has been an exciting time of change for the Union. We’ve modernised not just the technology but the way we work with our members and branches. It’s about making things simpler, smarter and more accessible for everyone. What I value most is the efficiency. Processes that used to take hours or even days now happen automatically in the background, freeing our teams to focus on what really matters - supporting members.

Patricia Keating (TUI)