Outward Bound
A Complete Digital Transformation in 6 Months: How Outward Bound NZ Rebuilt Their Organisation from the Inside Out
THE OPPORTUNITY
Rather than modernise one system at a time, Outward Bound NZ committed to a bold goal: replace every core business system in a single, integrated programme of work.
With the right partner, tools, and delivery model, they could not only relaunch their public website—but reimagine enrolment, donor engagement, ecommerce, CRM, HR, payroll, and financial operations. All within six months.
What We Did
Apolinar delivered a full end-to-end digital transformation across the entire organisation:
BACKEND INTEGRATIONS AND MANAGEMENT
Xero Finance Integration | Real-time sync of financial data and reconciliations |
New HR & Payroll System | Cloud-based solution with staff onboarding, leave management, and payroll automation |
Change Management & Team Training | Full internal enablement plan to ensure successful adoption across teams |
OLD CRM - OBTAINS
NEW CRM - ZOHO
SITE STYLE GUIDE
Tech Stack
Contentful + Apolinar Launch Pack
Algolia (Course Finder + Search)
Zoho CRM
Shopify Hydrogen
Stripe
Xero
Cloud HR/Payroll Platform
FUNCTIONAL ABILITY PROFILE PROTOTYPES
PDF MEDICAL FORM → SELF-SERVICE MEDICAL FORM
The Results
BEFORE | AFTER |
|---|---|
Siloed systems with no real-time data | Unified, cloud-native digital platform |
Manual student enrolment and data entry | Seamless self-service experience |
Unsupported CRM and outdated finance tools | Modern CRM, finance, HR and payroll stack |
No ecommerce or donation automation | Online store + streamlined giving flow |
Feature development in months | Agile delivery in 2-week sprints |
Overwhelmed internal teams | Empowered staff, reduced admin, higher impact |
CLIENT FEEDBACK
“The transformation Apolinar led has changed how we work. Our students are better supported, our internal teams feel more empowered, and our digital platforms are finally aligned with our mission.”
Up Next
Thinking Bigger Than a Website Redesign?
We help purpose-driven organisations relaunch more than just a website. If you’re ready to rethink your entire digital foundation—CRM, ecommerce, finance, self-service, HR—we can help you do it, fast.