Just the Facts

Client: Big Stone County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA)
Units Managed: 63 Public Housing Units + 34 Section 8 Units
Location: Big Stone County, Minnesota
Previous Software: RAM Housing Software
Kanso Representatives: Zach Lenart, Dakota Koontz
Executive Director: Amber Huebner
First-Year Cost Savings: $4,166.44
Total Annual Impact: 804 Productive Hours

Key Benefits at a Glance

Total Annual Impact: 804 Hours

Time Saved: 600 hours (Efficiency improvements in daily operations)
Time Reallocated: 204 hours (Now used for grant research, increasing funding opportunities)

Time Savings (Total: 600 Hours Annually)

Tenant Recertifications: 138 hours saved (✔ 75% faster)
Bulk Late Fees: 42 hours saved (✔ 87.5% faster)
Move-In Processing: 30 hours saved (✔ 50% faster)
Interruptions Reduced: 360 hours saved
Financial Reporting: 30 hours saved

Strategic Time Gained

Grant Research: Expanded from 3 hours per month to 5 hours per week, unlocking new funding opportunities (204 hours annually)

Financial & Operational Impact

$4,166.44 saved in the first year (Kanso costs less than RAM while delivering significantly more benefits)
Stress & workload reduction: 75% decrease in daily stress levels

What Life Was Like Before: Struggling with an Inefficient System

Amber Huebner and her team at Big Stone County HRA were caught in a daily struggle. Their previous software, RAM Housing Software, was a roadblock, not a solution. Simple tasks like tenant recertifications were exhausting, financial reports were always behind, and the team spent more time fighting the system than doing their jobs.

"We spent anywhere from one to four months struggling to understand how even to operate the software." — Amber Huebner.

There was no clear guidance on how to navigate RAM. Staff had to create their own handwritten instruction manuals just to remember which abbreviations and steps were needed for routine processes.

"This is the RAM manual we created. And I'm not kidding you when I tell you we need this—it's front and back, everything because we created it on our own after a phone call. They don't have one. They don't give you anything." — Amber Huebner.

Beyond frustration, the inefficiencies were costing them valuable time and increasing stress:

Tenant recertifications took 2 full days
Late fee processing was a 4-hour ordeal every month
Move-ins were bogged down by manual work
Financial reporting was months behind
Every system issue took days—sometimes a week—to resolve

Something had to change. Amber needed a system that worked for them—not against them.

What We Discovered While Working Together

From the first conversation with Kanso, the difference was clear. Instead of just selling software, the Kanso team took the time to listen and understand the real pain points Big Stone County HRA was facing.

"We were wasting hours double-checking everything. I saw how Kanso simplified that and thought—this is exactly what we need." — Amber Huebner.

Through deeper discussions, Amber and her team realized just how much time was being lost on manual tasks and workarounds. Interruptions, troubleshooting, and redoing work weren't just annoying—they were stealing productivity every single day.

The discovery process revealed:

They were spending 1.5 hours per day just handling system-related interruptions
Financial reporting delays were causing confusion and unnecessary stress in board meetings
Amber was only able to spend 3 hours per month on grant research due to operational bottlenecks

Kanso wasn't just about replacing software—it was about giving time back to the team and improving how they worked.

What We Did About It: Implementing Kanso

The transition to Kanso was immediately impactful. The automation of core processes eliminated the need for constant double-checking and drastically cut down the time spent on previously labor-intensive tasks.

"Before Kanso, financial records were up to six months behind. Now, it's all right there. Less anxiety. We're all on the same page." — Amber Huebner.

Kanso transformed the way Big Stone County HRA operated:

Tenant recertifications that once took 2 full days now take just 4-5 hours
Bulk late fees went from 4 hours per month to just 30 minutes
Move-ins, which previously took 1 hour per tenant, were now completed in 30 minutes
Interruption-related downtime dropped from 1.5 hours per day to 0 minutes
Financial reporting was no longer a source of stress—it was real-time and accurate
Grant research expanded from 3 hours per month to 5 hours per week, opening new funding opportunities

Support was no longer a frustration. Instead of waiting days or weeks for responses, Amber's team found that Kanso's support team was available immediately.

"If I had a system issue before, it took a week to get a response. Now, Rachel answers her phone 95% of the time, and things are fixed immediately." — Amber Huebner.

What Life Is Like After: A Complete Transformation

With Kanso fully implemented, Amber's team finally had the time to focus on what truly mattered—helping their tenants and running their housing authority efficiently.

The stress and anxiety that had come with constantly fighting their software was gone. No more manual workarounds. No more lost hours.

"I don't have to second-guess myself anymore. The information is right in front of me." — Amber Huebner.

How This Has Impacted Their Organization

Big Stone County HRA is no longer stuck in the past. With more efficiency, clarity, and control, they can focus on serving their tenants and meeting their long-term goals.

Board meetings are more effective, financial reports are real-time and accurate, and the team is less stressed and more productive than ever before.

Amber no longer worries about missing deadlines, manual errors, or wasted time. The difference is night and day.

"It jumped us 40 years ahead." — Amber Huebner.

Final Thoughts: What Would You Say to Another Executive Director?

"If an Executive Director is considering Kanso, I would tell them—don't think about it, just do it." — Amber Huebner.

Conclusion: Why Kanso?

Big Stone County HRA's transformation reveals the power of purposeful technology. Kanso does more than automate processes—it creates meaningful impact, reducing administrative burdens and allowing dedicated professionals to focus on what truly matters. By eliminating inefficiencies and improving transparency, Kanso has become an indispensable tool for modern housing authorities.

For any Executive Director seeking to transform operations, Kanso is the clear choice.

Big Stone County HRA: Cutting Costs, Boosting Service