[civsa] Group visits - Cancellations, how do you deal?

[Lamborn, Morgan M]

Amber -

I think we all deal with this in some way or another. Here are my thoughts (sorry if they're ramble-y):


-          Tour guide motivation: Our guides have to get 10 event credits each semester. If they sign up for a group tour who cancels with less than 48 hours notice they still get the event credit regardless. This way there is still something in it for them!

-          I keep a list of groups who come and visit and after 4 years, I know a lot of the coordinators on their end. If a group habitually has a problem keeping their appointment, I stay on them checking in periodically - making sure they're still coming. I also make it ABUNDANTLY clear that by booking their tour they are keeping the space from other groups so if they can't come they should cancel as early as possible.

-          I've thought about some sort of contract (if I had an online group reservation system I totally would have one!) but since I have to do everything by hand/via Outlook calendar, it's just not feasible. I have a page of expectations I send out with each scheduled group so they know what to expect. I've attached our group tour reservation form so you can see the second page which outlines cancellations, etc. (if I recall, we started using that page because someone on here sent out a similar one and I liked it!)

-          I don't book group tours more than like 6 months in advance. I start booking the Summer in February, and book the spring starting in September. This way people don't book a tour a year in advance and forget about it (which used to be a big problem).

I don't know if there is a perfect answer to this, but this seems to be working for me as of now. We hit a record number of 9,000 students through the WC on group tours last year, so this is a continual work in progress. :)

Best of luck! -M


-----------------------------------------------
Ms. Morgan Lamborn (10', 14')
University of Florida
Freshman Admissions Officer
Welcome Center Group Tours
352-294-0902
mlamborn at admissions.ufl.edu

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From: listserv [mailto:listserv-bounces at civsa.org] On Behalf Of Amber Rivers
Sent: Tuesday, March 17, 2015 11:01 AM
To: listserv at civsa.org
Subject: [civsa] Group visits - Cancellations, how do you deal?

Good Morning CIVSA members!

We are a destination school, so most high schools, when scheduling a group visit to our campus, will not be able to visit other schools that same day.  Our Group Visit Coordinator  begins scheduling tour guides, campus departments, admissions presentations, etc. at the time that the school contacts us about a visit. Lately, we've been getting quite a few cancellations.  There is a lot of effort that goes into planning and scheduling the group's visit and additionally, it's getting to the point that our volunteer student ambassadors are less likely to sign up for a group tour as they are likely to cancel a week before.  We get various cancellation reasons, funding wasn't' secured, not enough interest, etc.


1.        How do you deal with cancellations, while still keeping tour guides motivated to sign up?

2.        Do you have a contract with schools or other ways to help with accountability?

3.        Do you have any other ideas on group visits and cancellations?


Thank you for your consideration!
Amber

AMBER RIVERS
Coordinator of Campus Visit Programs
UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS
MAIL CODE 4710
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY
1263 LINCOLN DRIVE
CARBONDALE, ILLINOIS 62901
arivers at siu.edu<mailto:ashort at siu.edu>
P: 618/453-2988
M: 618/453-2988
F:  618/453-4609
SIU.EDU<http://siu.edu/>
[http://asset.siu.edu/_assets/images/email_sig/SIU_email_1line.gif]

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