Communication + Automation Modernization Proposal
"One Church. One Communication Hub. One Connected Member Journey."
Prepared by Team Stream Solutions · Caterina Harris Earl, Founder
caterina@teamstreamsolutions.com
510.220.7827
Zion Is Already Doing the Work
You already have the vision, the leadership, the ministries, and the people. The challenge isn't effort — it's that communication is scattered across multiple people, systems, and lists, making it harder for every connection to be captured and every person to be followed up with consistently.
Text Communication
Managed separately from email and other channels
Multiple Contact Lists
Not everyone receives the same information consistently
Manual Follow-Up
Difficult to track and easy for people to fall through the cracks
Admin Burden
More automation is needed to free up staff capacity
From Fragmented to Connected
Today
- Multiple contact lists across departments
- Separate email and text processes
- Manual follow-up prone to gaps
- Information stored in different places
- Staff carrying repetitive administrative tasks
- Limited visibility for leadership
With Team Stream Solutions
- Centralized CRM with full contact history
- Unified email and SMS communication
- Automated follow-up sequences
- Clear ministry routing and handoffs
- Reduced repetitive admin work
- Better reporting and leadership visibility
Built Around Zion's Mission
Every feature and automation we recommend maps directly to what Zion is already called to do. Technology becomes a stewardship tool — not a replacement for ministry, but a support for it.
Reach Them
Capture visitors, inquiries, prayer requests, registrations, and new contacts the moment they engage.
Mend Them
Follow up with care, connection, prayer, and consistent communication that doesn't rely on memory alone.
Disciple Them
Guide members into Foundations, ministry involvement, and ongoing development pathways.
Send Them
Track participation, leadership growth, service engagement, and meaningful next steps.
Technology should support the mission already happening at Zion — not redirect it.
The Team Stream Solutions Hub
One connected platform replaces the patchwork of separate systems. Everything works together, giving your team a single place to communicate, follow up, and track every person's journey.
CRM + Contact Management
Every contact, every history, every tag — in one place.
Email + SMS Communication
Send the right message to the right person at the right time.
Automations + Forms
Workflows that run behind the scenes so your staff doesn't have to.
Reporting + Analytics
Leadership visibility into engagement, attendance, and follow-up activity.
Where We Recommend Starting
Rather than trying to automate everything at once, we focus first on the highest-impact workflows — the ones that immediately reduce staff burden and ensure no one is missed.
First-Time Visitor Journey
Capture, welcome, and follow up with every first-time guest automatically.
New Member Journey
Guide new members from welcome to Foundations to ministry involvement.
Ministry Interest Routing
Route inquiries to the right ministry leader with automatic notification.
Prayer Request Workflow
Acknowledge, route, and follow up on prayer requests with care.
Event Registration + Reminders
Automate confirmations, reminders, and post-event follow-up.
Birthday Automation + Smart Segmentation
Personalized touches and organized contact lists — without manual effort.
First-Time Visitor Journey
Every first-time visitor represents someone God has brought to Zion's door. This workflow ensures that no one who takes a step toward connection is ever forgotten — without requiring a staff member to remember every name.
No visitor forgotten. Every step is tracked, every follow-up is assigned, and every person is welcomed with intention.
New Member Journey
Membership is not a destination — it is the beginning of a discipleship journey. This automated pathway ensures that every new member is welcomed, informed, guided toward Foundations, and connected to a next step — all without extra staff coordination.
Turn membership into a connected discipleship journey — one step at a time.
Ministry Interest + Prayer Routing
When someone raises their hand — whether for prayer, serving, or ministry involvement — the system routes them instantly to the right person and creates a follow-up task. Nothing gets lost in an inbox or a sticky note.
Ministry Areas Routed
- Prayer
- Youth Ministry
- Marriage + Family
- Missions
- Leadership Development
- Discipleship
- Serving + Volunteering
What the System Does
- Tags the contact appropriately
- Notifies the correct ministry leader
- Assigns a follow-up task
- Sends next-step communication
- Tracks prayer requests with privacy in mind
Event + Birthday Automations
Small, thoughtful touches create meaningful connection. These automations run in the background, making every event feel personal and every birthday feel remembered — without adding to your team's daily task list.
Event Automation
Birthday Automation
Birthday Identified
Contact birthday field triggers the workflow
Personalized Message Sent
A warm, personal greeting delivered on the day
Optional Staff Notification
Leadership or pastoral team alerted for personal outreach
Smart Contact Segmentation
Instead of one massive list where everyone receives everything, smart segmentation ensures the right message reaches the right person. Every contact is organized by their actual relationship with Zion and their specific interests.
Visitors
First-time and returning guests not yet connected
New Members
Recently joined, in Foundations or early pathway stages
Active Members
Established congregation with ministry involvement
Volunteers + Leaders
Serving, leading, or in development tracks
Online Audience
Engaged digitally but not yet locally connected
Donors + Partners
Financial partners and ministry supporters
The right message goes to the right people. No more one-size-fits-all blasts.
What About ACS?
Zion currently uses ACS for membership records and donor-related information. We do not recommend removing or replacing it without a careful assessment first. Data integrity — especially donor history — must be protected before any migration takes place.
What We Assess
- What information currently lives in ACS
- What donor history must remain intact
- What membership data is ready to migrate
- What can be cleanly exported
- What should remain in ACS long-term
- What could eventually be replaced or integrated
Your Website Does Not Have to Change on Day One
There is no need to rebuild your website before you can begin improving your systems. Zion can keep its current website exactly as it is while Team Stream Solutions quietly builds and launches the automation infrastructure behind the scenes. In the future, the website could be updated to make automation even more seamless.
We Start Here (Day One)
- CRM setup and contact import
- Smart forms embedded or standalone
- Automation workflows built and tested
- Landing pages for events and signups
- Email and SMS communication configured
Website Refresh (Future Project)
A full website update can happen later as a separate, well-planned project — after the communication foundation is solid and the team is ready.
We do not have to rebuild everything to start improving the system that matters most right now.
Three Ways to Work With Team Stream Solutions
We meet Zion where you are. Based on your team's capacity and goals, we offer three engagement models. For most churches beginning this kind of transition, we recommend starting with Done For You.
Do It Yourself
Platform access and ongoing support. Your designated team builds, manages, and maintains all workflows independently. 24/7 Tech Support
Done With You
We build alongside your team, providing guidance and hands-on training so your staff develops strong ownership of the system.
Done For You ✦ Recommended
Team Stream Solutions maps, builds, tests, and launches the complete system. Your team receives training and documentation, then takes the wheel.
As you evaluate, "What Does the Software Cost?"
Ask, "What is Zion paying today — for all the things this one system can help accomplish?"
Software subscriptions
Administrative hours
Manual follow-up
Duplicate work
Missed communication
Outside contractors
THE TRUE COST OF A FRAGMENTED SYSTEM
Team Stream Solutions helps consolidate the technology and automate the repetitive work — so Zion's people can spend more time doing ministry.
Zion Phase One: Done-For-You Implementation
This one-time investment covers the complete build, testing, and launch of your seven core automation workflows, plus training and documentation for your team.
What's Included
- First-Time Visitor Journey
- New Member Journey
- Ministry Interest Routing
- Prayer Request Workflow
- Event Registration + Reminder Workflow
- Birthday Automation
- Contact Tagging + Smart Segmentation
- Core Email and SMS Setup
- Workflow Testing + Quality Assurance
- Administrator Training + Documentation
One-Time Implementation
Complete Done-For-You build, test, and launch of all Phase One automations.
We would need one contact person to provide clear flow, copy and graphic support.
These are all basic church workflows, based on the complexity we may have to adjust pricing slightly.
Recommended Zion Investment
Phase One Done-For-You Automation Implementation
$2,500
Includes the seven Phase One automation systems, testing, setup, and handoff.
Initial Platform Onboarding
$199
Account setup and guided onboarding to establish the platform foundation.
Team Stream Solutions Platform
$297/month - Free for First 30 days
Includes core platform access and 24/7 technical support. Platform access includes the capability for all core categories. Some communication usage (email, SMS, phone) and advanced AI services may carry usage-based charges depending on volume and configuration.
5-Session Technology Training Package
$600
Four dedicated 60-minute hands-on implementation and training sessions. This could work if you choose to do it yourself.
Advanced AI, custom integrations, ACS migration, additional workflows, funnel builds, website projects, and other custom implementation are quoted separately.
What Your $297/Month Platform Includes
One Platform. Multiple Systems.
Instead of paying for multiple disconnected subscriptions, Team Stream Solutions brings many essential church communication and administrative tools into one centralized platform.
One login. One connected system. More ministry capacity.
Platform access includes the capability for each category listed. Some communication usage (email, SMS, phone) and advanced AI services may carry usage-based charges depending on volume and configuration.
What Could Team Stream Solutions Help Replace?
Depending on what Zion currently uses, Team Stream Solutions may reduce or eliminate the need for separate tools used for:
Current Tools That May Be Replaced:
- Email Marketing (e.g., Constant Contact, Mailchimp)
- Text Marketing (separate mass-texting services)
- Online Forms + Surveys (Google Forms, Typeform)
- Appointment Scheduling (Calendly or similar)
- Landing Pages + Funnels (separate funnel/landing-page software)
- CRM / Contact Follow-Up (separate contact databases and spreadsheets)
- Social Media Scheduling (separate social scheduling platforms)
- Digital Documents + Basic Agreements (some DocuSign-type use cases)
- Website Chat (separate website chat tools)
- Workflow Automation (manual staff follow-up that can be automated)
The Bigger Savings
- Staff time spent copying information between systems
- Time spent maintaining multiple lists
- Manual reminder emails and texts
- Following up with visitors one person at a time
- Sending repetitive event confirmations
- Routing ministry requests manually
- Tracking who has or has not been contacted
- Paying multiple people to perform repetitive administrative tasks
AI Is Available Throughout the Platform
Artificial intelligence can help Zion reduce repetitive work and improve response time.
AI Capabilities Can Include
Website chat assistance
FAQ responses
Basic visitor and member inquiries
Content assistance
Email and text drafting
Workflow assistance
Review responses
Appointment support
Conversation assistance
AI-powered phone agents
Advanced AI agents and automated actions
HighLevel currently offers several AI products, including Conversation AI, Voice AI, Reviews AI, Content AI, and additional AI agent capabilities. Voice AI can even handle conversations and appointment scheduling when configured for that use.
Important
Optional AI Services
Team Stream Solutions can design and configure advanced AI services as needs develop. Examples:
- AI receptionist
- AI voice answering
- 24/7 FAQ assistant
- Event information assistant
- Visitor information assistant
- Appointment scheduling assistant
- Advanced website conversational agent
AI Is Scaled to the Use Case
We determine:
- What should be automated?
- What should remain human?
- How often will AI be used?
- What will the usage cost be?
Then Zion decides what level makes sense.
AI should extend ministry capacity, not replace ministry relationships.
Support Beyond the Software
Team Stream Solutions provides comprehensive support, from ongoing technical assistance to specialized hands-on training, ensuring Zion's team maximizes its platform capabilities.
Included With the Platform
24/7 Technical Support — Zion's team has ongoing access to technical support for platform questions and troubleshooting. This is included with the active Team Stream Solutions subscription.
Initial Onboarding
The $199 onboarding fee includes the initial account setup and guided onboarding process. This helps Zion establish the basic platform foundation and get its account configured correctly.
Phase One Done-For-You Build
The $2,500 implementation includes Team Stream Solutions building the agreed Phase One automation system. This includes: Workflow planning · Core automation builds · Testing · Initial administrator handoff · Basic documentation
Optional Hands-On Tech Training
$600
Five 60-Minute Implementation + Training Sessions
These sessions can be used to:
- Train designated church administrators
- Learn how workflows are built
- Build a simple workflow together
- Learn how to clone and modify existing workflows
- Build or edit forms
- Learn funnels and landing pages
- Update email and text templates
- Create event registration processes
- Review contact tagging and segmentation
- Work through specific Zion technology questions
Additional done-with-you or custom build sessions may be purchased as needed. Larger funnel, website, automation, data-migration, or AI projects will be quoted separately.
Let's Build the System Behind the Ministry
We minister.
Technology helps make sure fewer people fall through the cracks.
Reach Them
Mend Them
Disciple Them
Send Them
Team Stream Solutions
Making technology work behind the scenes so ministry can stay focused on people.
Zion Covenant Church International