Since last month, the big bad wolf has been trying to break apart the financial pillars that support most nonprofits. In an attempt to stave off this danger, organizations are redlining their budgets with an eye toward eliminating unnecessary expenses. While I applaud this forward-thinking, the trick is to make sure that cost-cutting doesn’t result in decisions that are penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Even before this onslaught of uncertainty, I noticed an odd trending practice: Social service nonprofits eliminating human telephone receptionists in favor of push-button menus designed to direct callers to the information they need.
Folks, this isn’t working. Not one bit.
Automated systems are not welcoming! They're intimidating!
People who are (often desperately) seeking help, can become easily derailed by automated systems. They need a human to help them navigate the type of resource that fits their needs. They need to hear a compassionate voice. They need to feel that someone cares.
Potential donors might not know where to turn, prospective volunteers and board members could hang up in frustration. And, what about the government staff person who may be trying to reach you?
And, even when you know the name of the person you’re trying to reach, the dial-by-name directories often lead you astray. Several times recently I’ve entered the correct name only to hear a voice message belonging to someone else. That doesn’t give me confidence that my message to the intended person was received, let alone confidential.
These are uncertain and scary times for many nonprofit professionals.
Times are even scarier for people trying to navigate social services.
Please develop a plan to have humans answer the phone. If you’re worried about the cost, here’s a tip: There are these wonderful resources called “volunteers” who are eager to help! If you don’t already have a deep bench of eager beavers, universities offer platforms for advertising community service opportunities for their students (like this one at SDSU) or, you can utilize a site like Volunteer Match to find free help.
At the same time, recruit someone outside of your organization who isn’t a nonprofit insider to look at your website from a client perspective. Ask your mother, ask a neighbor, ask a friend who works in a different field. Better still, choose someone who isn’t tech savvy. Can they navigate your site? What do your current clients think of it? Do they use it? Is it helpful?
I see TONS of websites that use all kinds of jargon that isn’t user-friendly to people who aren’t professionals. Make sure your website is speaking to the people who count – the people who need help.
In these frantic days when nonprofits are under constant attack, one of the best things we can do is to make sure we focus on what matters. The value of what we do, the services that we provide, and the people we serve are all being attacked. Part of countering that means leading with compassion and picking up the phone.
P.S. I’ve included this video if you need to blow off a little steam from the stress:
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Pat Libby is a change management consultant working principally with nonprofit corporations. She is author of The Empowered Citizens Guide: 10 Steps to Passing a Law that Matters to You, Oxford University Press, The Lobbying Strategy Handbook, second edition, Oxford University Press, and Cases in Nonprofit Management, SAGE. She has served as an academic, senior executive, board member, and consultant to innumerable nonprofit organizations and foundations for more than three decades.
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