We had trouble in other areas with the aspects of folks respecting us as well as we respect them/ common courtesy, etc.
We maintain logs for lost and founds reports, non-urgent surrender requests awaiting space, and a request book for clients looking for a specific cat or dog to adopt.
We try to make contact with the clients by phone every 4-6 weeks. We got tired of no return calls, emails, etc. for updates. The staff is trained now when they have to leave a message for one of these services: to state the reason for the call,to request a call back by stated date or we will assume situation concluded and pull the report. We document efforts to call/no reply etc. on each report.
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Rochelle Hamp
Executive Director
Headwaters Animal Shelter
MN
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-17-2024 05:52 AM
From: Cindy Huth
Subject: For Pet Retention/Intake Diversion Organizations: Wen scheduling clients for a service, what methods do you use to increase "show" rates for clients (e.g. at appointments for spay/neuter)...outside of phone calls, text messages, and Facebook messenger)
Wow, what a wonderful program you offer! I hate to say this, but in today's society "free" services seem to hold no value to people. If they don't have any skin in the game, they could care less about compliance. Case in point: we offer a series of free dog training classes with a volunteer professional trainer. We limit seating to ten dogs, and we give the first opportunity to sign up to our adopters, then the public. Signups are online. For the first several series the classes filled immediately online and we had people expressing disappointment at missing their chance to sign up. BUT when it came to the actual class dates, some people were no-shows. We instituted a refundable deposit, i.e., they sign up, we send them a link to pay the deposit within 24 hours in order to hold their seats and if they do not pay, we delete them and give the space to another person. If they attend all four classes, we refund their deposits. We make exceptions for extenuating circumstances if someone has to miss a class but otherwise, if they miss, they've made a donation to our group. It's been working very well for us. Several folks who've attended all the classes have told us to keep their deposit as a donation instead of refunding them.
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Cindy Huth
Volunteer
Denison Animal Welfare Group (DAWG)
TX
Original Message:
Sent: 03-13-2024 02:50 PM
From: Charlene Farthing
Subject: For Pet Retention/Intake Diversion Organizations: Wen scheduling clients for a service, what methods do you use to increase "show" rates for clients (e.g. at appointments for spay/neuter)...outside of phone calls, text messages, and Facebook messenger)
Our organization offeres free spay/neuter to low-income families for their pets. We schedule a mobile clinic to come to a central location within 10 minutes from clients homes. We offer volunteer pickup of animals if needed as an option if their is a transportation barrier. They are contacted an average of 2-3 times (one month ahead, few days ahead, and frequently the day before) to remind them of the upcoming appointment.
Our no call/no show rate is 25-35%. Again, the service is completely free and covered by grants and fundraising by our organization.
Anyone have ideas or methods (software that can send mass text messages?) that increases use of services?
We live in a rural community in Central Appalachia just for reference.
#AccesstoCare
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Charlene Farthing
President
Friends of Russell County Animals
Lebanon, VA
www.frcva.org
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