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Communicate with Volunteers

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Introduction

There are several ways in which you can communicate with event volunteers. For this, you must go to Events > Select Event > Volunteers. Your volunteers must already be assigned in order to send them any communications. Learn more about assignments.

Let’s explore the available communication tools below.
 

Email 

Once you have assigned volunteers to your event, you can email them. This can be done by clicking the envelope icon at the top right of the Volunteers window. 


 

From here, there are two options: 

  1. Email the Schedule allows you to send volunteers their event schedule via email.
  2. Email Volunteers allows you to send a regular email to all or specific volunteers.

Let’s look at these two options in detail below. 

 

Email the Schedule

Once you select the Email the Schedule option, you are presented with the corresponding window, where you can select the event occurrence and/or roles for which to email volunteers their schedule. To do so, just follow the steps below:

  • If your event is recurring, first choose whether to send the schedule for all occurrences, or to specific ones. You can choose the occurrences you want by switching the toggle to the ON position.  If you are working with a one-time event, this selection is not needed, so the option is not visible.
  • Next, you can choose to email the schedule to the volunteers fulfilling specific roles, by activating the toggle corresponding to each role.
  • You can then edit the email’s subject and body, then send it out when you are ready.
  • You can save your email as a template to use later, and if you already have templates saved, you can use them to send your emails faster. 
    Learn more about working with the email editor.

 

Email Volunteers (general email)

The Email Volunteers option lets you send any email communication to event volunteers. You can choose to send it to All or Specific Volunteers, where you can also include people who are not listed as volunteers for the event (these records are listed with black text, while already assigned people are listed in blue).  

All you need to do next is edit the subject and body, attach any required files (up to 20 MB, add CC or BCC, save a template, choose the email sender as needed. then send out your email when ready. Learn more about working with the email editor.


 

Mobile Push Notifications

The Push Notification option lets you send mobile push notifications to event volunteers, who will receive them if they are assigned to the event (including via the signup sheet), and if they are logged into their account via the mobile app.

These notifications can only be sent to everyone participating in the event, so they may not be individual. The acceptance status does not matter. 

All you need to do is add a subject, use merge fields to personalize the message to each recipient, type your message, and attach a file, if needed (max. 2MB in size).

To find previously sent and scheduled push notifications go to Reports > Notification History.

 

Text Volunteers (SMS)

You can text volunteers directly from the event volunteer schedule. The texting process is the same as in any other area of ChMeetings. See how to send text messages.

 

Set Volunteer Reminders

Reminders can be configured per role. You can decide how many days in advance to send the reminder, and whether you do so via email and/or push notification. The reminder is sent at 9am within the day when it should be sent, rather than based on the number of hours before the event. So if you organize an event at 8pm and want to send a reminder 1 day before, then it will be sent 1 day before at 9am rather than at 8pm. If you need to configure your timezone, please go to Settings > Account Settings.

The message text and formatting are customizable and merge fields are available. You can also decide whether to apply the reminder to the selected role or to all roles.  

Note: Please keep in mind that your roles need to be configured prior to accessing reminders. 

 

Reminder Setup

Here is how to set volunteer reminders: 

  • Open the event you are managing, then access the Volunteers section.
  • Find the role for which you want to set a reminder. If you want to set it for everyone, then you can pick any role. 
  • Click Reminder.
  • Now configure your reminder: 
    • Choose which roles the reminder applies to. This choice is mandatory. 
      • To the selected role only, 
        or
      • To all roles in the event.
    • Set a subject.
    • Edit the reminder message. There is a full editor available, just like for your emails. 
    • Choose how many days in advance to send the reminder, before the event takes place. The default value is 3 days. 
    • Select whether to send only to volunteers who haven't responded to a previous reminder.
    • Choose the delivery method: an email, a push notification, or a text message. Note that to receive notifications, your volunteers need to have installed and logged into the ChMeetings mobile app. Additionally, text reminders can only be sent using ChMeetings Credits. Note that text reminders contain shortened links, to save you credits.
    • Click Save to enable this reminder.

 

Send Multiple Reminders Per Role

You can send up to 3 reminders for each role within an event. This is useful, for instance, when you want to send a first reminder to everyone assigned, a week before the event; then follow up 3 days before with those who have not responded. 

Your Reminder Window will open with Reminder 1 switched on. You can set it up, then scroll down to Reminder 2 and Reminder 3 and toggle them on as well. You will be able to configure the same settings for each reminder - subject, body, delivery method, etc.  

Click a reminder’s header to collapse or expand it. When collapsed, the header shows a one-line summary, such as “7 days before the event · Email, Push Notification · To Pending volunteers only”, or “Off, nothing will be sent · 10 days before the event” for a reminder that is switched off. 

Be sure to click Save once setting up all your reminders. This will save your entire setup.

 

Edit Reminders

When clicking the Reminder option next to a role, ChMeetings will open the currently active reminders for that specific role, or for all roles if that is the case. Simply expand the reminder you want to edit, make your changes and Save to enable them. 

If you have set reminders for all roles, but now want to adjust the reminder for a specific role, then you can select the role in question, edit its reminder, ensuring that you choose These reminders apply to > This role only. This way, the change will only be applied to the role you selected.

 

Default Reminder Settings

  • Reminder 1 is switched on and set to 3 days before the event, by email and push notification, to Accepted and Pending volunteers. 
  • Reminder 2 and Reminder 3 start switched off, and are set to 7 and 10 days before the event. Switch one on to use it and adjust as needed.  

Good to know

  • Reminders are sent from 9:00 AM on the scheduled day.
  • The reminder number is not the send order. The reminder with the most days before the event goes out first, so a Reminder 3 set to 10 days is sent before a Reminder 1 set to 3 days.
  • The choice made under These reminders apply to covers all three reminders. Choosing All roles in this event shows a warning: every role in the event gets these 3 reminders, including the ones that are switched off, and their current reminders are replaced when you save.
  • After an event has passed, or when a recurring event has no upcoming dates, the reminders are shown read-only with a note explaining that they can no longer be sent.

 

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