June Outreach Report
This has been a busy month for Outreach. The total of incoming emails including phone calls was 337 – the total of outgoing emails was 303. We received 68 vonage voicemails which I called back using Skype for anonymity. I forwarded less requests this month to other members of the board, learning how to help members help themselves with links and re-directing them to find their own solutions.
After my detailed report last month, I knew this month I would do it differently so that I could compare which I liked better. I couldn’t have survived this month if I spent that time tabulating all the categories. So, I’ve decided that I like it best to do the service, not tabulate the service. There was one 18 hour period when my internet was down. I was surprised and overwhelmed once it came back up and I saw 12 emails in the Outreach box. That showed me how I keep it trimmed down checking for requests 5 to 7 times a day, answering them when they appear. Upon reflection, the busy feeling of this month might have been due to the combination of WSO Board work and Outreach duties.
We’ve made connections with members around the world who are starting new meetings, members who are getting connected with the European Committee, members seeking and finding solutions for expensive shipping costs for literature etc. Members seem to have difficulty updating meeting details, that’s a common email. Many requests are just to find meetings in a particular area. To me the website seems easy to navigate, but the daily stream of emails show that others need help.
Most requests take one response only, but some emails require 5 or 6 answers. I’m working on managing that myself to see if there’s something I can do to trim that down. I used the Templates a lot more this month as was my goal. I do it discreetly I hope. My job as Customer Service for 11 years has taught me how to use “copy and pasted wording” while inserting a personal touch.
Lastly, the verbiage for the position of “Outreach” might change very soon. I was asked to come up with a more accurate name for Outreach and a purpose statement for the service provided. It may be changed from “Outreach” to “Member and Public Services” with the purpose statement as the following: “The purpose of Public and Member Services in ACA is to support ACA Members and the Public in becoming responsible for their own well-being by providing ACA related resources and services.”
I look forward to another month of public and member services!
