March 4, 2020 - by Mark Higgitt
Back to newsThe donorflex team has decided to scale back on our face-to-face support of clients for the foreseeable future and switch to delivering insights and guidance via remote means, wherever possible, instead.
The decision hasnt been taken lightly but, by the same token, its been one of our easiest because its in everyones best interests, and we know so many of you are doing exactly the same.
Were acutely aware both of the need for clarity and certainty, and of our responsibility for ensuring that the risk of spreading Coronavirus is kept as small as humanly possible at a time when our charity partners are already working wonders to maintain their own business as usual approach with their causes and beneficiaries.
Heres whats affected .
All client visits off-site and here at Patrick House will be rearranged as online meetings, where possible.
We will be making calls to clients to discuss whether an online alternative is appropriate to the topic or topics in question. Where thats possible and becomes the positive solution to keeping the support wheels turning, sessions will be charged at our hourly rate.
Our experience is that individual online sessions are best limited to a maximum of two hours. We find the effectiveness of a remote conversation can wane after that.
So, if a meeting scheduled with you does go ahead online, please bear in mind that it might have to happen across more than one session.
Weve also taken the wise precaution of giving ourselves the space to continue working as normally and effectively as possible in the current climate.
A small skeleton staff is co-ordinating matters from separate rooms at our Patrick House hub, in order to minimise contact, while the rest of the team is working remotely to protect our ability to continue supporting you on a day-to-day basis.
In short, please continue as normal if you need support and a virtual arm wrapped around your shoulder.
Many clients are already doing something similar. So, depending on your own arrangements for remote-working, you might want to email your queries, rather than call. Were happy for you to do so, using support@donorflex.com.
The forthcoming season of donorflex Regional User Group 2020 roadshows has also been postponed. Delegates whove booked will be contacted individually via email to explain the decision.
As the coming weeks unfold, and a semblance of certainty begins to emerge, we will explore alternative ways of delivering the RUG agenda, and take inspiration and ideas from how other conference organisers are meeting that challenge.
On a practical note, none of the places booked so far have been invoiced, which helps enormously from the administrative point of view.
Were in this together.
That truth means we will, of course, continue to follow guidance from official sources and take soundings from clients as Coronavirus is confronted and defeated.
Weve worked with income generation teams long enough to know that you are among the most resilient and resourceful of professionals. In fact, weve no doubt youre already hatching imaginative plans to turn this challenge into an opportunity.
Stay safe!
We work with the key drivers of the UK charity sector.