What happens to 0800 4 ROTARY or Rotary
website membership enquiries?
In New Zealand, the 0800 4 ROTARY free phone
number is used to centrally receive enquiries about Rotary, and this phone
number is extensively used in all NZ Rotary promotion activity. PDG Rob Crabtree
refers enquiries to the relevant Rotary districts throughout NZ whether they concern projects, Rotary programmes, general information about Rotary, Rotary contacts or the possibility of membership.
Membership enquiries for Auckland clubs in
District 9920 are sent to a knowledgeable central Rotarian, PDG Beryl Robinson,
to ensure that these enquiries are handled in a manner most likely to convert
them into new members. This also includes emails received via the Rotary NZ and
Pacific Islands website www.rotarysouthpacific.org and the Rotary International website www.rotary.org.
Beryl promptly speaks to the
enquirers to let them know about Rotary, find out a bit about them including
their expectations and circumstance, so they can be referred to a club or clubs
best suited to them. She then provides the enquirer with the contact details for
the Rotary club, and the club with the enquirer’s contact information and
background (which is a two way contact capability), plus asks both to keep her
informed as to the outcome. The idea is that if the club does not respond
properly (which sometimes happens!) or it is not suitable for a variety of
reasons, then the enquirer can ask again, so that all is not lost.
Most of these referrals get turned
into new members, and this more centralised approach to handling enquiries is
resulting in a higher conversion to members that the earlier direct referral to
clubs on receipt of the initial call or email. Sometimes (about 10%) the
enquirer is not as motivated as they initially seem. There have been several
instances of multiple emails, phone calls with messages left and texts as follow
up before eventually reluctantly letting the enquiry process lapse if the
enquirer does not respond to any means of communication and it can only be hoped they later go onto serve the community in some way. It is important to note that Beryl's role is the
start of the process, and success is still dependent on Rotary Presidents and
clubs performing their role with excellence to turn these enquiries into
members.
- Submitted by: District 9920 PR Committee
