United Work & Travel (UWT), a designated sponsor of the Summer Work & Travel and Intern/Trainee programs, had been relying on a bespoke Sage CRM system built 14 years prior. As their programs expanded, their technology did not. With no updates, no flexibility, and a system that no longer reflected their operational reality, UWT reached a critical point: they needed a modern platform that could keep up with a fast-evolving BridgeUSA landscape.
UWT manages multiple BridgeUSA programs as well as H-2B filings, requiring a system capable of supporting high-volume data, compliance tasks, documents, partners, and host organizations. Their legacy system forced them into manual processes, duplicate work, and slow responsiveness- problems that became more apparent as their participant numbers grew.
After exploring alternatives including an internal Salesforce build that ultimately failed to meet program needs, UWT’s leadership discovered Hanover through industry recommendations and peer use casesAfter a hands-on trial, Program Director Lizzy Heinbauch and Program Manager Barbora Pignatora were confident Hanover could deliver the flexibility, innovation, and industry-specific functionality they needed.

A New Beginning: An Intentional, High-Impact Onboarding Experience

UWT describes their onboarding with Hanover as not just positive but foundational to their success and transformative for their team. They arrived more prepared than most organizations, something Hanover’s Product Owner, Aly Burgess, noticed immediately. She first met the UWT team at WYSTC and remembers them as “geared up and excited to get started… asking all the right questions about transferring data and system adoption before onboarding had even begun.”
Before kickoff, UWT chose two internal Hanover champions - Lizzy and Barbora - giving the project clear ownership, consistency, and accountability. This set the tone for a highly organized and open-minded onboarding experience.
Aly noted that from the very beginning, UWT approached onboarding with curiosity, structure, and an impressive willingness to learn. As she explained:“They were eager to learn, but also eager to get support around best practices and the implications the system could have.” “They asked really good questions about how to adopt the system and what it could mean for their workflows.” She added that beginning with a walkthrough of UWT’s old system was especially helpful: “Starting with a demonstration of their existing system was powerful - it helped us understand their previous processes and really get our heads around how their business works.”
Hanover’s team began with a deep review of UWT’s legacy system to understand historical processes. Together, they adopted a phased rollout, beginning with Summer Work & Travel before expanding to Intern/Trainee. Because UWT invested in the paid onboarding package, Hanover could tailor the rollout plan to their size, objectives, and seasonal timelines - ensuring progress without overwhelm. Lizzy said, “We could not have launched without the paid onboarding; it was money well spent.”
Speaking to the value of the paid onboarding package, Aly emphasized: “Engaging in the paid onboarding package is an investment - but it’s what allows businesses to adopt the system properly and set themselves up for success.”
The biggest challenge was not technical but operational: managing onboarding during audits and program peaks. Instead of pushing through blindly, both teams communicated openly and adjusted timelines as needed.
Aly shared: “We were really good at putting our foot on the gas or taking it off… motivating them without putting them under unnecessary pressure.” Reflecting on the onboarding relationship, Aly shared: “There was a really strong mutual respect… and a shared goal of getting them set up.” “We communicated openly, had fun on calls, and got to know each other as people - that made everything easier.”
This dynamic allowed challenges to be solved collaboratively and strengthened trust between both teams, and created the foundation for a partnership that remained strong long after launch. 

Operational Transformation

United Work & Travel experienced a dramatic operational shift after moving to Hanover. Processes that were once slow, manual, or duplicated have become faster, clearer, and more reliable across their entire workflow.According to Aly, UWT’s biggest challenge wasn’t the system - it was balancing onboarding with audits and ongoing program responsibilities. There were no major roadblocks, only the natural friction of parallel priorities. Hanover addressed this through realistic timelines, short pauses during peak workload, and maintaining alignment without pushing for progress at the wrong moment. This approach allowed UWT to stay on track without burnout or rushed decisions.
One of the most significant improvements was Hanover’s direct communication with SEVIS. For the first time, UWT’s internal data finally matches what appears in SEVIS. As Lizzy explained, “having that two-way communication with SEVIS… has been a massive time-saving. What we are looking at is what is in SEVIS for the first time ever.”
Batching and DS-form production, which once required long hours and strict daily caps, are now fast and flexible. UWT described how quickly they can now process urgent cases:
“It is so fast… you can do a very quick emergency processing of things. We did not have that before.”Document management also underwent a complete transformation. Paper folders, scattered resources, and manual reminders have been replaced with clear, automatic workflows. As UWT shared, “the digitization of our forms has freed up our staff to be more available to our stakeholders.”
Host and partner experiences have improved as well. UWT can now collect more detailed data, reduce manual inputs, and give hosts clearer access to the information they need. Hosts with multiple locations have especially benefited, with many telling UWT how much they appreciate being able to manage everything under a single login.
Hanover has also encouraged UWT to rethink long-standing internal processes: “It made us rethink some of the processes we were doing for 14 years.” With clearer tools and more autonomy, their team can now adjust workflows themselves instead of relying on IT queues or lengthy approvals.
Hanover didn’t just streamline tasks - it modernized and future-proofed UWT’s entire operational backbone.

Partner Enablement

One of the most powerful cultural changes Hanover enabled was UWT’s creation of weekly Skill & Solve sessions- live, interactive support hours where partners can log in, ask questions, share screens, troubleshoot issues, and learn best practices directly from the UWT team.
This initiative did not exist before Hanover. The new system gave UWT the clarity, efficiency, and capacity to shift from reactive support to proactive, ongoing partner training. “We host a weekly skill and solve session where our partners can log in and ask questions in real time… We troubleshoot, share screens, talk about new features, how we use Hanover, tips and tricks.” These sessions have quickly become a core part of UWT’s partner support model. 
They have already:● Helped successfully onboard 45 partners using just Hanover-built guides + these sessions● Successfully onboarded 2,000+ participants with minimal confusion● Reduce partner support emails● Improve communication● Build confidence among hosts and partners
Even when attendance is light, UWT still finds internal value: “Even if our partners don’t log onto the calls, we sit there and talk amongst each other about Hanover.”
This culture shift - from administrative fire-fighting to structured, community-centred learning - is one of the clearest examples of how Hanover elevated UWT’s capacity as a sponsor.

The Value Hanover Brings

While the operational improvements were substantial, UWT repeatedly emphasized that the greatest value Hanover provides goes far beyond features.
For them, Hanover represents clarity, innovation, and partnership. One theme echoed throughout the conversation was the platform’s constant evolution. As one team member put it, “the greatest investment in all of it is the constant innovation.” Updates roll out frequently and always with an eye on real program needs. Lizzy noted, “Sometimes you have SEVIS changes updated before I’ve read the email.”
This pace of innovation gives them confidence that Hanover is not just keeping up, but staying ahead.But the most meaningful value, in UWT’s words, comes from the human side - the partnership, transparency, and genuine investment in their success. They expressed how rare it is to work with a tech provider who doesn’t hide from challenges: “You’re putting yourselves out there in front of the people using your platform.”The relationship feels collaborative, supportive, and ongoing.
As Lizzy said, “It’s not a pay-and-walk-away platform. I feel like you guys are our friends.”Product Owner Aly recalled a sense of “really strong mutual respect” throughout the onboarding, with both teams sharing an aligned goal and communicating openly about competing priorities, audits, and busy periods. UWT’s honesty about bandwidth allowed both sides to “put our foot on the gas or take it off the gas” as needed - keeping momentum without unnecessary pressure.
This transparency helped build a team-like dynamic where challenges were tackled collaboratively rather than transactionally.
They also highlighted how much they appreciate having a team that understands the BridgeUSA ecosystem deeply: “There’s nobody else who has a product catered to this industry that even compares.”
For UWT, Hanover is not only a system that supports their daily work - it’s a trusted partner helping them grow, adapt, and deliver better experiences to thousands of participants, partners, and hosts each year.

Results at a Glance

Hanover’s Product Owner, Aly, noted that UWT has become “a very low-maintenance now because of the intentional detail they put into onboarding” and attributes this directly to the intentionality and effort they invested during onboarding. Their early preparation, designated champions, and openness to adjusting long-standing processes laid a foundation that made continued success almost “smooth sailing” afterward. 
Operational improvements: ● 2,000+ participants onboarded with minimal confusion● 45 partners onboarded using only UWT’s Hanover-powered resources● Two-way CIS integration eliminating duplicate entry● Fast batch processing-even in emergencies● Complete removal of DS-form shipping costs● Significant reduction in manual compliance tasks● More efficient document management and expiration tracking
Cultural & strategic impact● Stronger partner and host relationships● Better internal communication frameworks● Empowered program administrators● A system that evolves at the pace of the industry

Advice UWT Gives to New Organizations Considering Hanover

1. Invest in onboarding.It's the fastest path to successful adoption, and it pays for itself in reduced confusion, faster setup, and expert guidance.
2. Come in with an open mind.Change feels scary, but the payoff is worth it.
3. Use the expertise of the Hanover team.Their insights make the buildout process smoother and more effective.

The Value UWT Places on Hanover

For United Work & Travel, Hanover has become more than a database, it’s a central part of how their team works, collaborates, and continues to modernize their programs. They describe Hanover as clear, user-friendly, and consistently improving, helping them streamline operations and stay aligned with an industry that changes rapidly.
UWT shared that the platform’s continuous innovation is one of the most impactful elements for their team. Updates arrive frequently, often before they’ve even finished reading the release notes, ensuring they are always working with the most current tools and features. This steady pace of improvement gives them confidence that Hanover is moving forward with them and for them.
They also highlighted how Hanover empowers them to refine internal processes that had been unchanged for more than a decade. Centralized resources, automated compliance checks, two-way CIS communication, and digital document flows have reduced manual workload across their entire team and improved accuracy and transparency for partners, hosts, and participants.
Beyond the technology, UWT emphasised the value of Hanover’s people, the responsiveness, transparency, and genuine partnership that make them feel supported at every stage. Whether at conferences, on calls, or through open feedback sessions, they expressed that Hanover’s team remains actively invested in their success.
For UWT, Hanover is a long-term collaborator and an essential component of their daily operations, program management, and future growth.
Aly shared how meaningful it has been to continue meeting UWT team members at conferences, allowing for ongoing check-ins, relationship-building, and continuous feedback. Those in-person touchpoints reinforce the partnership beyond onboarding and keep the collaboration evolving. 

Conclusion

United Work & Travel’s transition to Hanover CRM is a story of transformation at every level- operational, cultural, and strategic. Through purposeful onboarding, a responsive partnership, and a continuously evolving platform, UWT has modernised the core of its program delivery.
Hanover has become an integral part of UWT’s identity: “It’s almost so valuable it’s invaluable.” “Hanover gives us the power to make our own changes- autonomously.”
For UWT, Hanover is more than a system. It is a strategic partner helping them scale, modernize, and better serve thousands of participants, hosts, and partners every year.