On the Line...with Jason Fisher

Using Student Emergency Records to Bolster Cell Phone Numbers in Database

Cell phones are likely to present the single largest problematic issue phonathons will face in the coming years.  Data integrity will be the primary concern of hundreds of institutions as they prepare for the future in a world of wireless-only households.  It is projected that in just 3 short years, as many as 33% of all households will only have a cell phone as their means of telephone communication.  To combat this and update demographic information, all instititutions will be challenged to improve the quality of their data.  This posting takes a closer look at one of those methods programs can use to accomplish this objective.

 

The vast majority of colleges and universities have updated their emergency plans and protocol for handling on-campus issues in recent years.  Many of these plans include a text message component instructing students how to respond to the events as they unfold.  To accomplish this, institutions have requested and in some cases required students to provide an updated cell phone number upon registration for classes.

Thank You Calls Are an Investment During a Tough Economy

There’s always a place for thank you calls in my phonathon program, and never more so than this fiscal year.  Periodically, alumni, parents, and friends need to hear from the institution without being asked for money.  Perhaps this is just once or twice per year, but it is important for them to understand that when the caller ID says XYZ University, you’re not always soliciting for a gift.  Giving during today’s economy shows real commitment to the institution and a sense of understanding about the important role that philanthropy plays in higher education.  For that, we owe more than just a debt of gratitude to those constituents remembering our program during this challenging time.  Reaching out personally and thanking them makes sense on a number of fronts, not the least of which are donor relations and stewardship.

 

I blogged a few weeks back about the “Philanthropic Priority List”, using the article to emphasize that our constituents have a multitude of choices for where they wish to direct their charitable contributions.  Higher education is effectively in a competition with other worthy organizations, and if your institution does not do a very good job of convincing them of the needs and reasons to give back to your campaign, you’ll likely lose that donor to another group with a good cause. 

The Death of Phonathon: Fact or Fiction?

In my professional career, I have been on over 100 college campuses working with phonathon and annual giving programs.  I author this blog, produce web seminars, give conference presentations, write for trade magazines, and have co-written the only comprehensive book on phonathon planning.  I have spent a good portion of my professional career helping institutions understand that phonathon is a business, and running a business takes innovation and expertise beyond just plugging in computers or dialing a few phones.  So why in the world would I be writing a blog entitled The Death of Phonathon?  I do it out of concern for the well-being of the industry.  Let me explain.

 

The world is ever-changing.  Handwritten letters were replaced by the typewriter.  The typewriter was replaced by the PC.  The fax machine was supposed to revolutionize business…and it did …for about 5 years.  Just in the last few weeks two major newspapers, one in Denver and the other in Seattle have announced they are closing.  Over 120 papers have shut their doors in the past 12 months because of decreased revenues- primarily because they couldn’t compete with the internet.  The U.S. Postal Service recently recommended that they go down to five days-per-week service instead of the traditional six.  Come to find out that people aren’t sending letters as much anymore… they’re attaching them to e-mails.  

 

Everything eventually runs its course.  History tells us that empires have come and empires have gone.  Business has cycles and products have shelf lives.  So do we really expect phonathon to be around forever?  The answer is both simple and complicated. 

The Phonathon Blogger passes 10,000 views!

This week marked the 10,000th viewing and website hit for the Phonathon Blogger since its inception back in October of 2008.  We're going strong after just six months and looking forward to the second half of our first year.

Check back next week as I blog on the future of our industry in a segment entitled "The Death of Phonathon- Fact or Fiction?"  I try to break down those areas in the industry that pose a threat to the good work we do and what we need to shore up as fundraising professionals to ensure that phonathon is around for years to come.

Thanks again to all the loyal readers of the Phonathon Blogger!

--Jason

The Final Countdown for Veteran Callers- Hitting the Wall

Ever wonder what to do with those callers who seem to have hit a wall?  They are usually pretty apparent and easily found this time of year, with spring break having recently passed or right around the corner.  It seems like nothing management does can make them happy, and they do not have the ability to motivate themselves to greater heights.  They used to be a great caller, but now they just go through the motions.  They can see the end of the semester- the finish line- and all they want to do is enough to get by until that day of freedom arrives.

 

If you’re experiencing this right now with a few of your employees, you are not alone.  Almost every phonathon has at least one or two.  They make for frustrating nights as a manager, pondering what to do about the situation as you travel home from the calling shift.  Veteran callers, especially seniors, are the most likely candidates for this “syndrome”- mainly because they have eyes on what is happening after graduation.  They may be a little apprehensive about their future, especially if they don’t have a job lined up yet.  Their mind is not in the game.  Hey, in this job market, they have a reason to lose sleep.  I might be thinking ahead too if I were in their situation.  But it doesn’t do phonathon managers any good to have a used-to-be-great employee simply mopping up hours on their way out the door.  It sets a bad example for the rest of the employees who aren’t mailing it in early.

 

So what can you do to get the best from these employees before they leave?  Here are a few things to keep in mind when making your next moves.

For Better Spring Contacts in Phonathon, Watch the Weather

This week is a perfect example of the volatility of spring weather in North America.  This weekend was 82 degrees and sunny in Little Rock, where I currently reside.  I took full advantage of the beautiful day to catch up on outside work.  Today, it's 34 degrees with freezing rain.  My home state of Iowa had thunderstorms last week with torrential rains followed by a winter storm just three days later.  New York City had 8 inches of snow recently while Montana had their lowest March temperature since the mid 1960's.  The weather is certainly crazy this time of year.  I'll spare my blog readers any comments about global warming.  That's for another day and another blog posting.  Rather, I want to talk about how the weather influences phonathon- in particular, the number of people we talk to during any given calling shift.

When severe weather strikes, we are quick to put a block on calling in the affected areas.  After hurricanes, floods, or tornadoes happen, phonathon managers block those area codes or pull those prospect cards from the calling pools.  It makes sense to do so given the anxiety our prospects are feeling and the fact that we want to practice good stewardship.  Who wants to be solicited when you're cleaning up after a storm?  But there are times when we need to pay attention to the weather for more than just courtesy.

My First Prediction for Next Fiscal Year- Bad Data Will Increase in Phonathon

You heard it here first, folks.  I’m not big into making predictions I cannot statistically back up, especially when they end up in cyberspace forever.  But based on my experience in the phonathon game, and what I know from following the economy, I’d say the industry on the whole will experience slightly higher-than-normal rates of bad data next year.  Now before you think I’m sitting behind my desk scratching out predictions left and right, know that this is the first one I’m making for next year.  I choose my moments wisely and usually play it conservative, but the numbers and the reasoning on this one are sticking out like a sore thumb.  Let me explain…

 

The economy is wreaking havoc on family household budgets.  Whether there has been an actual job loss or pay cut in the family is only part of the story.  People are saving at much higher rates than we have been for many years because we’re fearful of the worst.  In scaling back our expenses, we look for ways to cut out unnecessary spending.  Going through the average household, we find that there are many things that are inelastic- items that we cannot skimp on.  These include mortgages or rent, electricity, water, food, and the mandatory bills.  They are the last items that get cut when we’re forced to tighten our belts. 

Why Callers Skip Ask Levels- And Why You Shouldn't Let Them

Asking for money from a relative stranger is an uncomfortable experience for just about anybody.  Most people don’t outright fear the process, but they do tend to be a little apprehensive in the face of potential rejection.  This is especially true for higher education phonathon callers.  Add to that the fact that these callers are asking over the phone, are 18-22 years old, do not have a full-time job, may be destitute, and likely lack a substantial employment history where confidence is gained, and you have a recipe for a significant problem with negotiation.  These are but a few of the challenges facing phonathon managers as they hire, train, and guide their student calling staffs.

 

The typical caller in any phonathon program will occasionally skip ask levels in their quest to convince somebody to give.  There are many reasons why this isn’t a good idea, conceptually or fundamentally.  But the central issue with skipping levels must be addressed with each and every caller to educate them as to why this is a bad habit to fall into.  Callers mistakenly believe that the primary reason somebody tells them no is that the amount was too high.  They project their own economic circumstances into the call and think that if they couldn’t afford $250, then others probably cannot either.  By dropping levels, they aim to “soften the blow” from the initial ask for money and develop interest in giving based on the size of the gift amount.  In my mind, this is completely understandable, but it’s backwards-thinking.  Let me explain further.

Student Supervisors Should Be Coaching

The number one responsibility any phonathon manager has is raising money.  If you fail to reach the goal, then any positive components to your program are often overlooked.  It doesn’t matter if you have the most professional staff, build good client relations, or verify and correct large amounts of demographic information.  If you miss your final objective, the year cannot realistically be called a great success.

 

Being the sole leader of the phonathon, the manager has the responsibility to help callers be the best they can be on the phones.  But managers often cannot properly help the many callers they are tasked with overseeing- especially if the phonathon has a large number of calling stations.  This is where having great student supervisors are crucial to running a quality phonathon.

 

In my programs, the number one job responsibility of any student supervisor is coaching callers for increased performance.  My supervisors are selected, in part, because they have the tools and skill set necessary to extract the best presentations from any caller they coach.  They should not be glorified cheerleaders, babysitters, or candy-passer-outers.  I want them working with callers from the start of the calling shift until time runs out for the night and we’re ready to go home.  If a supervisor cannot coach effectively, they’re not much help in my program.

 

There are a few factors I believe are crucial when working with my student supervisors.