I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and began the new year feeling revived and inspired. Seems the new year is a time for both reflection and setting goals - I'll call it LOOKING BOTH WAYS!
Statistically many goals of the new year will fall by the wayside.... but hopefully the important ones will stick!
Looking back to 2014:
Last year I created our new Bereavement Course and located it on a brand new Portal that includes on-line quizzes and a downloadable certificate. If you have not yet seen it, email me and ask for complimentary access. We'd love for you to view this new Course designed for volunteers wishing to get involved with your Bereavement Team.
Looking way back to Autumn 2007: I first began marketing our materials in the fall of 2007 - excitedly adding a handful of hospices to our client list that first autumn. Now, in 2015, our client list is well over 600, with hospices in all 50 States and one US Territory. Some are small programs, training only a few volunteers per year. Others are quite large, training hundreds of volunteers across multiple locations. Either way - large or small, we count you all as clients and friends.
It has been an exciting and risky journey these past 7 years. Creating something new and hoping it would serve a need was scary. And, still is.... but it is also wonderful to "meet" so many of you via phone and email and to work with such an amazing group of people.
Looking ahead:
My goal for this year is to place our core training - The Hospice Volunteer Training Series - on the new Portal (where the Bereavement Course is hosted). This will be a major undertaking, but I hope one that will benefit many of you. Some programs are beginning to ask for on-line quizzes and the ability to access their program's student records on-line. This will all be possible on the new Portal. It won't be for everyone, which is why we will continue to offer our Workbook/Portal Pair - a winning combination for learning & documentation.
Another goal for this year is to establish an on-line shopping cart. We will always accept orders by phone, fax and email, but a shopping cart would allow you to place your order quickly & securely right from your computer. We hope you will love the convenience of this new feature!
My over-riding goal is to provide all of you with excellent customer service. My part time Assistant Ann is also committed to this goal. She won't always know the answers to your questions, but she is a great listener and most importantly, cares. She will do her best to answer your questions and refer them on to me as needed. We strive to get your orders out within 24 - 48 hours (usually next day), working with a non-profit Work Training Center for order fulfillment.
-------------------------------------
I hope YOU will also take some time early in the year to LOOK BOTH WAYS - to ponder your program's history and to envision your future.
If we can help, please let me know.
Thanks for your support!
May 2015 be a year of peace and joy for you and your family.
Until next time,
Pat