Your programs are effective. Your organization is well-known and untainted by scandal. Your administration and fundraising ratios are admirable. Your brand is strong and your marketing good.
But your name is mud among your donors. And you don't even know it.
How can that be? Sloppy service.
Donors' names are spelled wrong. There are errors in addresses. You have duplicate records for the same households.
Or your records about donor giving is inaccurate.
Maybe donors have asked not to receive telemarketing, but they're still getting calls. Or they've asked to receive less mail, but they're still getting just as much as ever. You seemingly don't intend to comply with their wishes.
These kinds of things are hard for you to see. But for donors, these things are huge.
They see sloppiness.
They see an ineffective bureaucracy.
They see an arrogant and uncaring organization.
They see money being wasted.
And they think that's the whole truth about you. Is it fair? No. But what other information do your donors have to go on? The way you serve them is how they experience you.
You could spend all your time and money honing your message to perfection. But if your donors are experiencing sloppy service, your messaging might as well amount to giving them the finger. Actions speak louder than words.
Make sure your service is flawless. If it isn't, make fixing it your number-one priority until it is.
Technorati Tags: customer service, donor psychology, philanthropy
Contact Us? Customer Service? We're Not Really Interested in You!
That's the actual message that's delivered by many non-profits, despite their protestations to the contrary.
A pet peeve of mine are the organizations (both businesses and non-profits) that loudly proclaim that communication is one of their key values, they want to be responsive to their customers, clients and potential donors but then they make it impossible for you to contact them directly.
I’m talking about small organizations that proudly list their key staff, their mission statement, their dedication to service and then the only e-mail address provided is “Info@OrganizationName.com.”
I don’t know about you, but I don’t really like sending in a detailed question, suggestion or invitation just to “info@.” I’m not talking about gigantic organizations like AARP or GE, I don’t expect to get their CEO’s direct e-mail address, but come on, for a 10-20 person organization, make it easy to contact the right person.
Some times my issues would properly go to the CEO, and sometimes it’s the Director of Training, but don’t make it impossible to reach your key staff, and in many cases I may have met the person at a conference, so I know their name, but do not have their exact e-mail.
On the website it's fine to use the techniques to reduce spam, such as putting the contact information as JaneDoe AT name DOT com to foil the bots, but don’t make it impossible for potential donors, customers, volunteers or partners to reach you.
Tip: Have someone you know, but doesn’t know your organization or sector well, look at your website and ask them if they were trying to contact you or your key staff, could they easily find it on the website?
Posted by: Bill Huddleston, CFC Expert | 17 June 2008 at 21:21
I'm right there with you on this one Jeff! I preach regularly to anyone who will listen that nonprofits MUST give donors a good experience. It's critical to keeping them long-term.
Posted by: Sandy Rees | 17 June 2008 at 10:10
I think on of the greatest keys to good service is follow-up and thanking. I think these are the items that donors are the very most concerned about.
Posted by: Jason Dick | 17 June 2008 at 00:57
I don't like typos. But I'm learning not to sweat 'em. They seldom hurt anyone.
Posted by: Jeff Brooks | 13 June 2008 at 17:20
Was that sarcasm? Or irony.
Posted by: mikemuses | 14 June 2008 at 15:42
I don't like typos. But I'm learning not to sweat 'em. They seldom hurt anyone.
Posted by: Jeff Brooks | 13 June 2008 at 20:20
And poor spelling. Make that "consternation."
Well, I guess that shows me, eh?
Posted by: Sam Davis | 13 June 2008 at 14:12
Your post stated, "Or your records about donor giving is inaccurate."
Poor grammar is also a cause for consernation.
That sentence should read, "Or your records about donor giving are inaccurate."
Posted by: Sam Davis | 13 June 2008 at 14:11