The Adopt Line TeamVirtual Front Line of APA!

What I Hope to Accomplish

• Familiarize you with the adopt line (adopt@) team

• Go through some of the tools adopt@ uses in order to be effective

• Show you why you need a similar group

• Illustrate how to build your own adopt@ team

Adopt@ or Adopt Line

• Answers all emails coming into the adopt@austinpetsalive.org address

• Answers all vmails coming into APA’s main number (currently no live answering of phone line, all calls go to vmail)

• 100% volunteers, we take turns manning the adopt@ ‘inbox’

Adopt@’s Task:

For adoption inquiries:• Locate each rescued animal within our

system and facilitate the meeting between the adopter and that dog or cat

• Get back to the adopter promptly with detailed instructions on how to meet that dog or cat

• Offer up alternatives if the adopter’s first choice doesn’t work out

Adopt@’s Task:

For other inquiries we answer if able, or forward to the correct group for handling:– PR - Accounting– Volunteer Group - Management– Donations - Marketing– Medical - Fosters– Records - Adoptions Counselors

Amazing Growth in 2+ years

– Nov 2009 – average of 30 emails/vmails per day– Jan 2012 – average of 150 emails/vmails per day

Daily rate

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Dec-09 Feb-10 Apr-10 Jun-10 Aug-10 Oct-10 Dec-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jun-11 Aug-11 Oct-11 Dec-11

Daily rate

Where We Are Today

• Group of ~10 volunteers answers emails and phone messages 365 days a year, 14 hours a day

• Most responses go out within the hour• Responses are standardized• Volunteers can respond from work, home,

school, anywhere they have access to a computer w/ internet

• Average response takes under 1 minute

How Did We Get Here?

• Organic growth (started small – 2 volunteers)

• Constant recruiting/training• Team leader has to:

– Have good customer service skills– Have to be able to pitch in as needed– Be organized– Have good people management skills– Be familiar with APA’s structure & operations

How We Do What We Do

• Where do emails and vmails come from?

• What tools do we use to respond?

Where do emails come from?

• Saw animals or contact information on our website

• Petfinder ad

• Craig’s List ad

• Saw one of our

adoption sites

• Misc other

Where do vmails come from?

• Saw main phone number on our website

• Yellow Pages

• Misc other

Tools• Google Mail

• Google Calendar

• Google Voice

• Google Documents

Why Gmail?

• Widespread Use

• Ease of use with companion products (Google Docs, Voice & Calendar)

• Threading

• Canned responses

Gmail - Threading

Gmail - The Canned Response

Gmail - The Canned Response

Google Calendar

• Volunteers sign up as they have time.

• There are no preset days/hours per volunteer.

Adopt@ Google Calendar

Why Google Voice?

• Transcribes and forwards vmails to gmail inbox– Most calls can be handled without a callback

• Free call backs

• Protection of identity

Vmail Transcribing

Making a Call from GVoice

Calling Back From GVoice

Google Documents

• One set of documents to be updated/edited

• Great for sharing guidelines, new protocols, etc

• Owners of documents from other groups can invite adopt@ easily

• Examples of docs we share:

Google Docs Resource Guide – Getting Started

Google Docs Dog Foster Spreadsheet

How We Work

• Computer with multi-tab browser– Adopt@ Inbox– Calendar– Petpoint– Foster Dog Tracking Sheet– APA Website– The Adoptline Resource Guide

6 tabs workstation

The Nitty Gritty

• Manual contains detailed instruction on how to get all set up and then answer our top 4 inquiries:

• Site dog• Foster dog• Cattery cat• Foster cat

Benefits of a Strong Adopt Line Team

• Higher number of adoptions

• Extended hours of service

• Clear and uniform communication

• Reduce burden on other departments

• Help to avert problems & aid in quick resolution

Questions/Comments?

Returns

Dealing Successfully With a Reality of Rescue

APA’s Return Policy From our website:

APA! will take back any newly adopted pet if the adoption does not work out for any reason. Please e-mail us at adopt@austinpetsalive.org to start the return process. If you are having behavioral or medical issues with the pet, please specify the problem as APA! may be able to assist.

Pets that have been in your care for over 30 days will have to go through our PASS program that is set up to assist owners in rehoming their pets.

APA’s Contractual Requirement

“I agree not to sell, trade, or transfer

ownership of this animal. I agree not to dispose of this pet in any way, but to notify APA! if I must relinquish custody of this pet at any time. I understand that if the relationship does not work out regardless of the time frame, I am to give APA! the first opportunity to accept the pet.”

APA’s Return Rate

• In spite of our open door policy, APA’s return rate is 9% vs national average of 8-12%

• Barring extreme behavior or health problems, all returned cats and dogs find new homes

Return Reasons

• Health (of adopter or of pet)

• Behavioral

• Moving

• Lack of pet housing

• Lack of time

• Divorce/loss of job/death

• Changed mind

Return Procedure

• Adopter contacts APA with a return• Return personnel get more information to see if

behavioral, medical or resource help will prevent return• If the return is necessary, an email is sent out to the

adopter in order to get valuable behavioral and medical information prior to taking animal back

• Appropriate groups within APA notified• Arrangements are made with adopter to return cat or dog

to APA• Good adopters get the option of an exchange

Detailed Documentation In Manual

• Return Documentation Emailed Out– Dog return email– Cat return email– APA Owner Surrender Form

The Odd Ones

• Pet found, owner can’t be reached

• Pet turned in as stray to other shelter

• Owner surrender to other shelter

How To Handle Returns Gracefully and Why

• Regardless of the validity of reasons given, APA return personnel arrange for the return in a polite, supportive way

• Especially in the more trying cases, any other response endangers the animal

• In some cases, a totally supportive response actually leads to the adopter deciding to keep the animal

• Adopters are often traumatized by having to return their pet, and a supportive staff can help minimize the stress on people and animal alike

• For those adoptions where it was a bad match but a good adopter, many times we can successfully place another pet into that home

• Almost all returns are readopted and end up in a better fit/situation