Organising information, cutting through the digital noise, and saving time with better tools and easily accessible info – so teams can focus on what matters.

ProMo Cymru runs four helplines — Meic, BVC, GATA, and CVAG — providing vital support to young people and communities across Wales. But until recently, managing those helplines involved juggling fragmented systems and scattered information. It was time for a change.

The Challenge

Working on the helplines used to mean constant multitasking across disconnected platforms. Teams stored vital information in Word documents, spreadsheets,  and inboxes. 

Helpline Advisors routinely had 14+ tabs open when speaking to a person. There were separate databases, overlapping files, and difficulties with version control . 

The different software systems often slowed our staff down rather than making things easier for them.

The Solution: Airtable + AI + Automation

We built a custom Airtable system to streamline everything — a modern, visual database that acts as a single interface for the whole helpline team.

What is Airtable? Airtable is a flexible, user-friendly platform that combines the simplicity of a spreadsheet with the power of a database, allowing teams to organise, connect, and collaborate on information all in one place.

Now, our helpline Airtable system manages (to name a few):

• Contact records
• Knowledge bases and resource libraries
• Staff rotas and end of shift reports
• Email activity (across four inboxes)
• Referral partners and advocacy organisations
• Meeting notes and shared documents

Instead of digging through disconnected files, everything is available in one well-organised interface, with filters, tags, and links that make navigation fast and stress-free.

Smart Automation and AI Integration

Among many improvements and functionalities, one of the most powerful was integrating automation and AI tools into the contact-handling process.

Now, when a contact is logged through our call-handling system, an API (a digital connector that lets different apps share information automatically) generates a record in Airtable. An AI assistant then drafts a summary of the conversation — highlighting key quotes, tagging topics, and keeping the format consistent. Staff review and refine this, working in partnership with the AI to ensure every case is clear, accurate, and easy to revisit.

This change had an immediate impact:

“We used to spend an hour or two hours on a call, then maybe another two writing it up — that’s time we couldn’t spend helping someone else. This has saved us an incredible amount of time and completely revolutionised how we work. Plus, it’s all happening within our Airtable database.”
— Helpline Lead

The AI summaries save hours of manual admin, reduce human error, and make it easier to spot trends across services. It also improves feedback and reporting — replacing long transcripts and extra forms with structured, meaningful insights.

Human-Centred, Design-Led

Although the tech is smart, we built this system with people at its core. The new Airtable interface:

• Reduces digital overload
• Provides clarity in busy shifts
• Helps advisors move between tasks with confidence
• Makes time-consuming admin more manageable
• Supports a consistent, team-wide approach
• Helps us observe trends and measure impact

From tracking contact history to managing resources and relationships, the system values human time as a limited, valuable resource — freeing up energy to focus on what really matters: helping people.

Scaling Beyond the Helplines

Since launching the new helpline system, we’ve adapted the model for our other projects. At Ebbw Vale Institute, we’ve developed an Airtable-powered project tracker that:

• Monitors participant journeys and details
• Tracks outputs, outcomes, and targets in real time
• Automatically compiles data for funder reports
• Reduces manual data entry and admin errors

The approach is  scalable, cost-effective, and flexible – already improving project delivery and accountability.

We Can Help You Do the Same

We offer  consultancy and support for organisations looking to build smarter, more streamlined systems using Airtable, AI, and automation.

Whether you’re managing helplines, services, or creative projects, we can help you:

• Clean up and connect your data
• Automate time-consuming tasks
• Build user-friendly tools for teams
• Use design and tech to reduce pressure on staff

Let’s talk. We’d love to help you transform the way your systems work – just like we did for ours.