Two questions: Did you realize that customer service within your schools is everyone's responsibility, not just those sitting in the front office? And did you know that DonorsChoose.org is not the only site you can use to raise money for your classrooms?
Two questions: Did you realize that customer service within your schools is everyone's responsibility, not just those sitting in the front office? And did you know that DonorsChoose.org is not the only site you can use to raise money for your classrooms? These are 2 topics we cover in "It's Not My Job and Other Customer Service Mistakes" and "Show Me the Money!" communication trainings.
"It's Not My Job...": I don't know about you, but this just might be one of the most common phrases I've heard in my 18-year career.
And make no mistake--I'm as guilty as anyone else in sometimes thinking I'm way too busy to greet someone and help guide them to where they need to be in the building. It's so easy for each of us to get bogged down and focused on our primary responsibilities, yet when someone calls, emails or visits your buildings, it is everyone's duty to make sure the person is greeted, feels welcomed and is having his or her needs met.
We all know how frustrating it can be to call up a business, only to be put on hold before we can ever even respond. So why would we treat our own customers like that? We may be in education, but we are still a business that provides a service to our customers: our students, our parents, the communities that support us. By not giving them your undivided attention and assisting with whatever their needs may be, we create for ourselves a reputation of being unhelpful and unwilling to address their concerns. And inevitably by word of mouth (or the dreaded social media rants), that reputation spreads and before you know it, you're having to do damage control--something none of us really has time for.
So if you have heard complaints from stakeholders--no matter which ones--that they are not getting the attention or service they require, maybe it's time to take an hour or so to re-examine basic customer service. We provide this training for ALL staff--principals, registrars, janitors, teachers...anyone in your building who comes in contact with parents or other visitors. Don't let a bad reputation overshadow all the positive things you are doing. Take control now.
"Show Me the Money!": We're all familiar with DonorsChoose.org, the crowdfunding site where teachers can submit project requests, and through which the public can provide financial support to fund the classroom projects.
It has been hugely successful, and major corporations have started participating, sometimes fully funding every active project listed on the site! But did you know there are other alternatives you can use to get public assistance in purchasing classroom equipment?
Jenna and I have just developed a new training that exposes you to alternative crowdfunding options, and we provide a whole slew of tips to write a solid grant request to entice people to fund your project. Believe it or not, there are certain techniques you can use that up your chances of being fully funded! So if you are new to the crowdfunding idea and aren't sure where to start or what to do, this class is right up your alley! All you need to do is contact us, and we will schedule a time to come to your site. And as always, these sessions are FREE to OPSRC members! What are you waiting for?
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Two questions: Did you realize that customer service within your schools is everyone's responsibility, not just those sitting in the front office? And did you know that DonorsChoose.org is not the only site you can use to raise money for your classrooms?
Recently, Facebook announced that they are--yet again--changing their algorithms, which affects the content you see every day in your feed. Users will begin to see more content from friends and family and less from businesses and groups. And yep, that includes school/district pages!
Good news, teachers! Google Quizzes in Google Forms is getting better! As part of the G Suite Apps, Google Forms are fantastic, and they allow you to create all sorts of amazing things like:
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