Phone Team 2013
At the end of the fall 2012 semester I was asked to organize and implement a ‘phone team’. Enrolment Management wanted to put the phone team together to call new students who have enrolled and been accepted in the university starting September 2013. Throughout a couple meeting we decided to refine it, to the bachelor of arts (the biggest program area). Paart of the process included updating the phone team binder and information (from 2008), recruiting other student ambassadors, and organizing times to call the future students.
I realized that trying to get people to volunteer to sit in an office on the phone, was not going to be the easiest thing to do, but I tried to emphasize the value it would have for the new students. How we may even be the first contact people had with the university and the power we have to answer their questions and reassure them of what we already know, VIU is a great university. It took us 5 sessions to call all 400 students. The number of students that helped varied each session but overall there were ten different people that tried calling, and usually once they did one night they wanted to come back for another one. The sessions were usually 5-8 but I would have force myself as well as kick other people off the phones at 8:30-9 sometimes because it was getting too late to call people, even though we didn't want to stop
What I learned
I learned that although you may not think something will be enjoyable at the beginning, it is what you make of it and can have great outcomes.
I learned that sometimes you shouldn’t focus on what you are getting out of it but rather what the value is to other people.
I also truly realized how valuable the phone call team was and that it is something that should be implemented every year, for all program areas.
I realized that trying to get people to volunteer to sit in an office on the phone, was not going to be the easiest thing to do, but I tried to emphasize the value it would have for the new students. How we may even be the first contact people had with the university and the power we have to answer their questions and reassure them of what we already know, VIU is a great university. It took us 5 sessions to call all 400 students. The number of students that helped varied each session but overall there were ten different people that tried calling, and usually once they did one night they wanted to come back for another one. The sessions were usually 5-8 but I would have force myself as well as kick other people off the phones at 8:30-9 sometimes because it was getting too late to call people, even though we didn't want to stop
What I learned
I learned that although you may not think something will be enjoyable at the beginning, it is what you make of it and can have great outcomes.
I learned that sometimes you shouldn’t focus on what you are getting out of it but rather what the value is to other people.
I also truly realized how valuable the phone call team was and that it is something that should be implemented every year, for all program areas.