How the Pomeranian Chamber of Architects transformed mentoring with Zoho Desk

Overview

Pomeranian Chamber of Architects in Poland implemented Zoho Desk for a straightforward mentoring process that is easier for both the mentors and mentees.

The company

The Pomeranian Chamber of Architects is a non-profit professional organization dedicated to supporting the architectural community in northern Poland. Established in 2002, it operates as an independent statutory regulator, ensuring high professional standards in architecture across the region.

The Chamber forms part of Poland’s broader self-governing architectural system, which includes the National Chamber of Architects (IARP) based in Warsaw, along with 16 regional chambers representing each voivodeship (province). The Pomeranian Chamber serves around 1,300 active members, contributing to a nationwide network of approximately 14,300 registered architects.

As a pioneer in its field, the Chamber is the first in Poland to introduce a structured knowledge-sharing mentoring initiative that is designed to connect experienced professionals with architects at earlier stages of their careers to foster meaningful mentorship.

The program is coordinated by the Chamber's Vice-Chairman, architect Daniel Cajzer, whose leadership is grounded in extensive international practice and membership in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Rather than being central employees, the mentors are independent professionals, often principals or directors of their own firms, who offer real-world business and design insights.

The challenge

The original inspiration for the mentoring program came from observing a similar mentoring model in the UK. That model relied entirely on telephone communication: a member would call a support officer to register an inquiry, which was then passed by phone to a senior architect or mentor, who would later call the applicant back. While the system worked, the time between initial inquiry and final response was considerable—and the process required at least two people to manage each case.

For a nonprofit organization without a dedicated support function, replicating this model was not viable. The model did not offer timely resolution either. The Chamber needed a different approach—one that would:

• Eliminate the manual coordination step between member, support officer, and mentor.
• Significantly reduce response times without adding staffing.
• Prevent inquiries from being missed or handled informally across scattered communication channels.
• Provide visibility into the mentoring process for program coordinators.

The team decided to find a technology-based solution that could deliver a professional, structured service with scaling capabilities and an affordable cost.

The solution

After evaluating available options, the Chamber chose Zoho Desk for its combination of powerful features, flexibility, and suitability, even for a small, mission-driven team.

Implementation & onboarding

Pomeranian Chamber of Architects noticed that the overall rollout of Zoho Desk was smooth, with mentors quickly adapting to the system and gaining a clear understanding of the features required for their day-to-day activities. The primary challenge was not user adoption, but rather configuring the system correctly—particularly in setting up automation rules. They employed Rozsądna Cyfryzacja, Zoho's Authorized Partner, which provided strong implementation support through online assistance.

Enhanced operational efficiency with Zoho Desk

To streamline its mentoring program and improve inquiry management, the Pomeranian Chamber of Architects implemented Zoho Desk, creating a more structured and efficient support system.

The team currently emphasizes structured inquiry handling, leveraging selected channels based on their needs. All inquiries are captured in a single system, ensuring they are properly monitored instead of being handled informally or getting lost across multiple communication channels.

The automation and assignment rules were introduced to support coordination and reduce manual effort. Once configured, these automations streamlined how inquiries are tracked and managed—an essential capability for an organization operating without a dedicated support person for each request.

A key objective was to minimize response times and ensure no inquiries go unanswered. Zoho Desk enables the team to monitor response timelines effectively and maintain control over service standards, even within a relatively simple setup.

Internal collaboration has also improved significantly. Through private comments and shared ticket visibility, mentors can access previous responses and the full context of each case. This allows multiple mentors to contribute when needed, enhancing both the continuity and quality of support provided.

Reporting and dashboards are used primarily to track response times and assess the quality of responses. The emphasis is on maintaining visibility, ensuring all inquiries are addressed and a consistently high standard of support is upheld.

Benefits & ROI

The main benefits since adopting Zoho Desk have been faster responses, better visibility, and a more reliable support process overall.

The mentors at Pomeranian Chamber of Architects now have full case context and can see prior responses. Additionally, members in some situations receive input from more than one mentor, adding further value and depth to the advice provided.

Key outcomes include:

• Response times: Significantly improved compared with a traditional phone-based or manually coordinated process.
• Automation: Reduced manual coordination and lowered risk of missed or delayed responses.
• Cost efficiency: The service runs without a dedicated support person for every inquiry, which is critical for a non-profit organization managing lean resources.