This post originally appeared on our product blog. As more associations and centers begin to implement and use Daxko Engage, we like to highlight and ask a few questions about the impact it has had thus far and share these experiences with other associations and centers. We recently caught up with Nancy Byrum over at the Peninsula Metro YMCA. She had some great videos that she created and shares with her staff. Nancy was nice enough to share her videos and engagement strategies with us below.Tell us about yourself and your role at the Peninsula Metro YMCA.I am the Membership and Technology Specialist with the Peninsula Metropolitan YMCA. I work with our branches in the areas of membership standards/practices and all things Daxko Operations and Daxko Engage - I manage the software, train staff, and create reporting solutions for my Y.How do you define "Engagement" at your association?Engagement for us is about people; how members are connected with us and our programs, how staff connect members, and how we are involved with our communities.Tell us about the videos you’ve created for your association.
We have 11 membership branches and 4 program sites/branches that are spread over 120 miles. To train staff in our different locations I have found that training videos help us to get consistent messaging for new functionality, on-going training, and reminders. Our staff has found it to be convenient when updating front line staff on system changes – they can watch a short video before their shift to get them up-to-speed (for example, I created a training video in 2014 for Daxko Operations’ change in navigation).
Recently, when we launched Daxko Engage, I needed a consistent message to be given to front-line membership and wellness staff before they began using the on-the-floor functionality. While training from their supervisors is ok, they needed the ‘how to’ along with the association expectations and recommendations – in a consistent manner. It has helped our branch leaders by providing them a tool to get their staff trained. Now, in order to receive a Daxko Engage login, our front-line staff must first watch the training and submit the quiz.
For our videos, we use Camtasia (a TechSmith product). It allows us to capture screen activity, add videos, and insert quiz questions at specific times during the training. It also allows us to host our trainings on their Screencast site.
Anything else you’d like to share about your Y’s efforts or Daxko Engage?
For 2015, our Association has selected Engage to be our vision word for the year (from the book “One Word” by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton, and Jimmy Page). That word, Engage, has infiltrated each branch’s weekly ‘huddle,’ staff meetings, and association trainings. We are watchful that our work engages our members and our communities that we serve. We launched Daxko Engage in December 2014 not knowing that our 2015 “one word” would line up with the tool, but it has been a great coincidence. Our staff of all levels have engagement on their minds as well as a tool in their hands.
Since our launch in December, we have used Daxko Engage in the areas of New Member Welcome, Member Engagement, Program Promotion, and Fundraising. While we are still in the preliminary phases, we have been working hard to make sure we’re starting off using it effectively to measure the biggest impact. This has helped by making many different team members aware of it and it’s abilities: Development, front line membership/wellness, and even program directors are seeing how it can be used in each of their areas of work.
Do you have any stories of how Daxko Engage has helped create impact on a specific member? Or helped a staff member approach a member?
The biggest change that I’ve heard is there are several front line staff members that have had a shift in how they serve. In the past, we’ve had our share of ‘relationship building’ or ‘great service’ trainings – and while that is good – Daxko Engage has been a tool that helps them track member information and connect them to programs/services/staff that can help them. And that has really increased the level of service they give. They have felt enabled to serve and help, and prepared to do so with the information they have in Daxko Engage.
Other examples:
We’ve connected many new members (under our MIA call initiative) that haven’t been using the facility and been able to get them reengaged.
We have had staff use it to cultivate relationships when building their annual campaign teams – They will follow members they want to ask to be campaigners, so they are notified when they are in the facility.
Additionally, we have had many examples that have resulted in connections made to different programs at the Y. Staff members have used Daxko Engage to task each other on following up on member needs and connect them with a specific program.