Ask me for help, pero solamente en Español!

You can always ask me anything, and I promise I won't be bothered (too much) while I'm abroad. Here is my contact info if you need to get in touch:

Evan Lambert
E-mail: elambert@umd.edu (best way to reach me)
Skype: ig0tnews4u (zero)
IM: ig0tnews4u

Buena suerte a todos los directores de visitas de los grupos.

Fall 08 Wrap-Up

So this is a general overview of how things went this semester in the SP department. Use it as a guide, because most of these issues will come up again.

New Initiatives:

• Web site revamping (still a work in progress), but we switched editing software which makes the site much easier to update.
• Electronic address labels
• Online Footsteps Archive
• Better managing of e-mails with special SP folder

This semester I spent most of my time toying with the Web site (when I wasn't deep in scheduling). I made the layout a bit more user-friendly and created a new online Footsteps Archive page which includes downloadable PDFs of old versions of the newsletter. One of the easiest improvements to make was the switch to computerized address labels. This was long overdue and is very easy and we now will have the labels in our office. Creating a special folder in the inbox called SP biz allowed for all the e-mails pertaining to group tours to be centralized and helped with organizing my responses.

What worked:

• This semester was great from our side of things. Scheduling went very smoothly and I didn't have any problems with it. The new things I added this semester only made things better.

What didn't:

• The Web site is still tricky business because of the poor design when it was first created. Sometimes things are hard to edit and it definitely takes some knowledge of basic HTML and familaiarity with Dreamweaver. Read up on those if you can!

Suggestions:

• Check messages as often as possible. (Don't let them pile up)
• Encourage OUA to somehow add to their Web site a section that says we are booked when the semester fills up (will make your job so much easier
• Stay in constant touch with other Coords and show them where SP related things are so they can respond or know what to do if you are unavailable.
• Always ask questions!!!
  

Weekly SP List

Finally, each week you'll need to send out a weekly list of all the SPs scheduled for the week. Here is an example and you should also be able to find it on the computer's desktop. Enter the info needed and attach it to an e-mail to the following people:

• Peggy Tiffany (ptiffany@umd.edu)
• Kate Gannon (kinnes@umd.edu)
• Betty Spengler (spengler@umd.edu)
• Yourself (yourself@umd.edu)

Also, physically print out a copy and keep one for the office, put a copy in Peggy and Kate's mailboxes and walk a copy to the desk in OUA.

Cnfrm??

So the next step in completing the SP process is to send out confirmations once you have scheduled a tour for a group. We typically send out a snail mail confirmation package about a week before the scheduled visit (I always send it exactly a week before).

You'll be able to use this letter as the template for every confirmation. If someone needs one in advance then you can just fill the letter out and attach it in an e-mail, but let them know the package will come later.

You should include in each confirmation packet:

• confirmation letter
• map
• business card
• # of SP cards appropriate for group size

There should be address labels somewhere and then all you have to do is highlight the address in the confirmation letter and click on Tools>Letters and Mailings>Envelopes and Labels Wizard. Next select the row and column you want the label to appear on and press print after you load the paper.

Finally, take the confirmation packet to the Transfer suite (or other new place in Rossborough) and put it in the unstamped outgoing mail bin.

The WWWeb site

Much of your job will be to maintain the Images Web site and it sometimes even goes beyond just posting tours. It's really hard to explain the step-by-step process to all the things you'll need to know how to do on the site, so make sure you meet with the previous group tour coordinator to have a in-depth training. Here are the basics:

We edit the site with a program called Adobe Dreamweaver and all of our Web files are stored on the computer's W drive, which you should have access to through STARS if you ever need to change something when you're not at the office. Directions to access the drive from a remote location can be found here.

From the computer in our office, you'll be responsible for posting tours to allow Imagers to sign up and updating the Imager main page with upcoming events like VMDs, Fundraisers and things like that. You'll also be in charge of the online Footsteps archive as well as making information about the orgnization and how to join available to the public and prospective Imagers.

That's all I can really explain without showing you in person, so make sure you learn everything you can about the Web site from the person who held this position previously.

You've Got Voicemail

Much of the job as student coordinator for campus visits revolves around being in constant contact with clients scheduling tours. The voicemail can be your best friend or worst enemy. Here are the basics on how the voicemail works, followed by some helpful hints.

To check the messages dial 55100. As soon as you hear "Welcome to voicemail" you can enter in our extension, so dial 41970, then press the # key. Next dial our password which will be posted by the phone and then press # again. When you hear a voice press 2 and you'll begin to hear info about when the message was received. Press 0 to skip right to the message. If you need to hear something again, press 0 and it will repeat. To delete a message press *D. Just hangup when you're done.

To change the greeting heard when callers reach the voicemail, follow the same steps as above until after you enter the password. Then press 3. To record a greeting press 1 and then # when you are finished.

Helpful hints:

*Don't let messages pile up (it gets overwhelming)
*Jot down the gist of the message in the message book and then delete it
*Appreciate hangup messages
*Change the voicemail greeting at the beginning or end of new semesters and before holiday breaks (eg. Thanksgiving, Spring Break)
*Remember that if you take a message for another coord, remind them to check the message book or tell them they have one there, because they usually don't check it

Evolution of a Group Tour

Here are some essential steps in the group tour process:

1. Schedule the tour via phone or e-mail (make sure the date is available first)
   
2. If scheduled way in advance call to make sure tour is still on before sending confirmation
3. Send confirmation packet at least 1 week prior to tour date
4. Post tour on Web site at least 1 week prior as well
   
5. Date returned SP cards, rubber band and give to Mona in transfer suite
   

SP List (Cont.)

Click on the SP List in the previous post to download a copy of the list from Fall 08. Basically, it's organized by each week in a semester according to the GREEN calendar that will be provided by the admissions office.

Group tours are available on Mon.-Fri. and go out only between 10AM and 3PM. We do not offer Sat. group tours unless the group is determined to be a VIP by Peggy or someone else in the admissions office. If the GREEN calendar indicates there is an event (eg. VMD, Open House, ATP), then we do not offer tours on that day and please discourage groups from coming to those events. In the SP list event days are marked in BLUE.

You'll want to include this information in the spreadsheet when a group calls in: date, time, length of tour, group name, size, contact person, phone, #of someone with the group (usually a cell), mailing address, e-mail address, date scheduled and the name of whomever is entering the info (YOU most of the time).

Optional are any notes that would be important to the guides giving the tour or yourself for later use. For example, if the group wants to eat lunch at the Union, put in the notes that the tour will end at the Union and then you can put it on the Web site so that the guides know later.

More spreadsheet details: We try to not see more than 100 people per week, but there is a bit of wiggle room. Also, think about 1 guide per 20 people.

Availability for each week is indicated by the color of the week on the list. GREEN= a lot of room, ORANGE= some room, RED= no more room. It is sometimes helpful to write in the bar for each week how many more people there are room for so you can easily reference it when you are on the phone with a group.

In the status column it is helpful to put a check when the tour is complete. When you are sure that a group has confirmed they want the tour for sure put a Y in the CNFRM column. When you post a tour on the Web site for Imagers to sign up then put a Y in the WEBSITE? column. It's good to post the tours at least a week before they go out, but sooner is better.

Last details: Place tours for the next semester at the bottom of the spreadsheet under where it says LOOKING AHEAD. And finally, once you mail confirmations to a group, make the text under date, time and length green. This helps a bunch later.

P.S. This is just the system that I have come up with. Feel free to change details to suit your needs but you get the idea.

The SPreadsheet

First things first, always remember that the SP spreadsheet is your friend. What is entered on the spreadsheet will be used to book and confirm tours, update the Web site and keep a running tab on how SPs are going throughout the semester. More info about the spreadsheet later...

Job Description

• Manage all incoming Special Program tour requests
• Create comprehensive and accurate working spreadsheet of confirmed tours for each semester
• Communicate with other coordinators to facilitate needs of each SP group
• Co-manage Images Web site and update frequently
• Communicate regularly with Public Inquiry, Visitor's Center and other admissions staff
• Send, track and record SP cards returned from groups
• Work in conjunction with other Coordinators to lead organization
  

And G-d Said let there be SPs...

So this is the first post on the blog I've created to act as a how-to guide for all future Images Group Tour Coordinators. This is obviously a work in progress, but I'm making it my project for the semester. So here goes...