FAQs

If you have a question not addressed below, please submit via the form link here.

Click the dropdown for Q&A by Journey:

• General Program Questions

  • Q. What is the One SCORE Pilot?

    A. The One SCORE Pilot is a program wherein several operational processes will be standardized across two Regions to create a more consistent client and volunteer experience with SCORE.

  • Q. Why are we doing this?

    A. SCORE has operated successfully for the past 60 years. As volunteerism, client expectations, and the small business environment are continually evolving, we realize that SCORE must do the same. This means growing, innovating, and reaching more clients, all while expanding our capacity to do so.

    Currently driving the need for this pilot is a focus on consistency that addresses the needs of our clients, better management of client and volunteer expectations, and striving to consolidate work and relieve administrative burden.

  • Q. Who is participating in the pilot?

    A. The Central and Mid-Atlantic Regions

    

  • Q. How long is the pilot?

    A. The pilot period is slated for FY24.

  • Q. What is being tested?

    A. The focus of the One SCORE Pilot will be three main buckets of activities: Volunteer Intake, Client Intake, Event/Workshop Programming

  • Q. Will everyone have to do this? If so, when?

    A. If the results of the pilot clearly demonstrate that standardizing these processes increases effectiveness and efficiency and allows us to better demonstrate our impact, then we plan to roll these changes out to the remainder of the field beginning in FY25.

  • Q. What if we want to start now?

    A. While we love your enthusiasm, please wait to begin implementing these practices in your Chapter/District/Region.

    First, we want to ensure that these are the RIGHT processes and that you have the proper level of support in place to successfully make any changes.

    If, for some reason, you feel that you cannot wait, communicate. We are currently developing a form for you to complete and submit letting us know more about what changes you wish to make and why. There may already be a solution, tool, or resource available to help.

    Please also keep in mind that should these processes be approved and implemented you WILL BE REQUIRED to use them. If you have already administered changes outside of these, this means you will likely have to go through change again.

  • Q. How were volunteers involved in this process?

    A. Several Districts recognized a need for standardization early on and were already working on their own tests. Our team collaborated closely with them to understand what they were doing, whether it was working, and the impact of their tests.

    From there, these volunteers along with a group of others from across the country broke out into working groups for each of the buckets of activities we are evaluating (Volunteer Intake, Client Intake, District-wide Workshop/Event programming) and develop the processes to be implemented during the pilot.

  • Q. Will someone speak to my chapter about this?

    A. More information about the pilot will be shared via Leadership Calls, News You Can Use newsletter, and our informational page on the Support Center

• Client Journey
  • Q: What happens to clients and mentoring requests for Mentors who leave SCORE? 
    A: The Regional CIC will be able to monitor mentor status as they are assigning new clients. For exisiting clients that are already working with a mentor when that mentor leaves SCORE, this is a separate process outside of the scope of the pilot. If very active mentors leave SCORE you may contact help@score.org to set up an out of office or to contact all their existing clients of that mentor to notify them. With a more consistent CIC process, we hope to have the capacity to address this gap for all exiting mentors in the future.
  • Q: How will mentor capacity be monitored?
    A: All volunteers should complete 2 fields on their profile: (1) The number of direct requests per week capacity and (2) The number of CIC requests capacity per week (to be entered into the Subject Matter Expertise field which is NOT visible on SCORE.org). The CIC will reference these fields against how many have already been assigned to the mentor that week.
  • Q: Are there any differences in client assignment for mentors who are in multiple chapters? And if one of those chapters is NOT a part of the pilot?
    A: If you are seasonally in different parts of the country, when traveling please unaffiliate yourselfes from the Chapter in the Pilot (if you don't want requests). Communicate with the CIC in the non-pilot chapters to let them know of any special assignment needs and handle it per their local direction.
  • Q: Will there be a system change to help mentors follow up with clients the required 3x over 2 weeks when clients do not respond?
    A: For the duration of the pilot test this will be a manual check by the CIC on time lapse overall. We will not be able to exactly track the number of times a mentor reaches out. Based on the results of the pilot, and feedback from all participating, we will be able to add notification emails to automate this process better.
  • Q: How will CIC ensure client has received follow up? Will they check client notes in Engage?
    A: Yes they will check client notes in Engage but really will mostly rely on the lapse of time from MRE request to assignment to session entry during the pilot test period.
  • Q: If a mentoring request becomes older than one month, it should be withdrawn for clients to submit a new request. Who is responsible for withdrawing it?
    A: Ideally the mentor would withdraw if they haven't been able to meet with the client after 2 week follow-ups (or maximum 1 month in extenuating circumstances). However if the CIC/ROC sees a client MRE that is older than one month the process will be to notify the mentor and, if appropriate, the CIC/ROC can withdraw the MRE.
  • Q: When we receive mentoring requests by clients at in person workshops, or other meetings - what do we do?
    A: Clients should be directed to www.score.org to complete the form themselves, or you can walk them through the form together.
  • Q: How should mentors manage their time when they have >50% follow-on clients and cannot handle much more?
    A: Mentors should set their capacity in their profile to 1, or use the pause feature as necessary.
  • Q: Direct requests will result in clients who reside in another state than the Mentor. There are numerous state specific issues and resources that Mentors from other states will not be aware of.
    A: Absolutely that's possible, so that is where the Mentor would transfer or co mentor the client after the Initial Session is conducted.
  • Q: How will in person mentoring, currently scheduled through coordination with a partner activity/location, be handled?
    A: This would be handled the way it currently is by the Mentor.
  • Q: How will mentors who choose only to accept client requests in their “business expertise” category be accommodated?
    A: If a Mentor is not willing to accept those Introductory sessions to determine the Client needs, suggest they move to SME's so they will receive only co-mentoring requests
  • Q: Can you clarify a "unique client"? Does someone who attends a local workshop, but is not otherwise engaged with SCORE, qualify as a unique client?
    A: Yes, a unique client is any individual who has received at least 1 SCORE provided service. If a client receives 2 mentoring sessions and attends 1 workshop then the client has received 3 services but is only counted as 1 unique client (verified by their unique email address).
  • Q: How can we add different status items - like "waiting on client"?
    A: Volunteers cannot add their own statuses although you can notate this as an internal note in the Mentoring Request. To review the available mentoring request statuses, please refer to this guide: https://help.score.org/hc/en-us/articles/360041149734-How-To-Manage-My-Mentoring-Requests#h_01FWP5H9D7ENZ1FH1SP9QPNX62
  • Q: Can you see anyone's session notes even if you are not the lead mentor?
    A: No, you cannot. You'll have to either add yourself as a team member to the mentoring request or be added as a team member by the case owner/lead mentor in order to access the mentoring request case and the session notes associated with it.
  • Q: Can the Maximum weekly limit be changed to a monthly number vs weekly?
    A: Thank you for your suggestion to change the maximum weekly limit to a monthly format; however, currently, modifications cannot be made without affecting all chapters, but your valuable input will be considered in our post-project review for future enhancements.
  • Q: Does the Direct client weekly request count reflect both direct and assigned client requests?
    A: It will only reflect the DR count total at this time. The "default" through the Pilot will be 1.
  • Q: How often does the Direct Request checkbox reset?
    A: The field resets every seven days including weekend. The box showing Request Limit Reached is automatically checked when the maximum direct client weekly requests limit has been reached. The weekly count starts on Sunday.
  • Q: Can I check to see if a client assigned to me has had any previous sessions with other mentors where I was not a team member on the case?
    A: If you adhere to our practice of accepting the client allocated to you in this One SCORE Pilot, you can run a session activity report found in the mentoring request details page to review all session associated with the client.
  • Q: What does it look like to the client when we reach our maximum request limit?
    A: The Request Limit Reached box will automatically check when the maximum direct client weekly requests limit has been reached. The weekly count starts on Sunday.
  • Q: Does checking Accept DR requests open us to mentoring requests throughout the US, or only from this region?
    A: Throughout the US. 
  • Q: Does the survey still go out after the first interview meeting once the client session note has been submitted?
    A: Yes. The NPS Survey goes out every first and fourth session saved for each mentor.
  • Q: Are clients able to request only mentors whom they can meet in person? Or at least express a preference?
    A: Clients can search for local mentors by entering their zip code to get matched with a business expert nearest to them. Clients can also browser mentor profiles and can filter results based on the client’s preference e.g. preferred language, expertise, meeting type, etc.
• Volunteer Journey

  • Q: New Volunteer Expectations

    A: View expectation setting on SCORE.org here: https://www.score.org/volunteer/become-mentor

    This is the framework for our conversation with volunteer applicants to ensure they are committed to being valuable members of the SCORE Team.

  • Q: How will applications be screened? How do we know what questions to ask?

    A: The Regional Volunteer Intake Coordinator and interviewers will all follow SCORE’s Interviewer guidelines to review applications. Interviewers should take notes on these questions and enter them into Engage.

  • Q: When does the Chapter Chair get involved?

    A: If the Chapter Chair would like to be an interviewer, they need to be added to the list as an interviewer or any other role they would like to be involved in. Otherwise the Chapter Chair will be introduced to the new and fully onboarded volunteer by the local coach.

  • Q: What is the number of interviewers and how do tiebreakers work?

    A: There are 2 interviews. The Regional Volunteer Intake Coordinator will make every effort to ensure one of these interviews is local to the applicant’s chapter. If there is disagreement on the acceptance of the applicant (1 reject & 1 accept) then there will be a tiebreaker interview. The tiebreaker will come from the regional pool

  • Q: How will need for non-mentors like summer interns / volunteer admin support be handled?
    A: In these special circumstances please contact the VIC for an abbreviated onboarding.
  • Q: Volunteer applicants sometimes go directly to chapter. How will this be handled?
    A: The chapter should require that applicants submit to www.score.org. The Applicant will go through the standard process. If the chapter is concerned about losing track of an applicant they can notify the Regional VIC to be on the lookout.
  • Q: The Volunteer Application Rejection notification is strongly worded. Will this be improved?
    A: Yes - SCORE's National Advisory Council will be reviewing all communication notifications that go out from Engage to implement improvements in FY24.
  • Q: What is the process to reactivate a volunteer if needed?
    A: The reinstatement process will not change. Volunteers who need to be reinstated do not need to reapply. They do need to ensure their onboarding is up to date though. They can still follow the process as laid out in the Support Center: https://help.score.org/hc/en-us/articles/4944201696787-How-to-Reinstate-a-SCORE-Volunteer
  • Q: If provisional mentors request more co-mentoring (or lead mentor thinks they should have more co-mentoring) how will this be handled?
    A: They are welcome to do more co-mentoring as needed. It would be recommended to notify the VIC of this so that the VIC could halt the process if the volunteer is not ready to be active. This may be cause for review of the volunteer's readiness to be a SCORE member however.
  • Q: If a central committee is interviewing potential volunteers, when do they meet the chapter?
    A: Volunteers will be introduced to the chapter coach after they have been approved by 2 volunteer interviewers.
  • Q: What happens if the chapter doesn't think the volunteer is a good fit?
    A: The Chapter Chair will have the final say on an applicant.
  • Q: How do local Chapter Orientations fit in the process?
    A: This is where the updated Coach role comes in. They will provide that Local Liaison and information to the Provisional.
  • Q: What sources will be used for applicants: Volunteer Match? Website applications? Mentor referrals?
    A: These do not change in the Pilot
  • Q: Will Chapter leadership be involved in final interviewing steps and can we request a resume, bio, or CV document, documents that are essential to welcome the Provisional into the Chapter, introduce them at chapter meetings, etc.?
    A: The 2nd interview can be the Chapter Chair or Leader designate to "approve" the Provisional, after they pass the 1st interview. This process doesn't change from what the applicant currently brings to the process, only who starts the Selection process and "next steps as a Provisional"
  • Q: How will the Regional VIC interact with Coaches and Provisionals?
    A: The RVIC will take the Provisional completely through the Onboarding process, with the Coach joining after co-mentoring as the Local Liaison.
  • Q: What is the expected number of hours mentors are supposed to dedicate to SCORE activities per month?
    A: We do not have a specific requirement, but the information they see on score.org refers to an average of 10-15 hours a month
  • Q: What about volunteers who offer administrative support that will continue? Will their hours be credited and how?
    A: As long as the administrative support is not a process covered in the Pilot, they can continue supporting. We do not track volunteer hours. 
• Event Journey
  • Q: How will attendance credit be attributed to Chapters?
    A: All of the attendees will roll up to the District Level
  • Q: Who is going to select the topic, presenter, dates, and times for events?
    A: This is still done at the Local Level
  • Q: Pinned events show only the creating chapter name. How will locally focused events be identified as such?
    A: Local events should be clarified in the title with a standard naming convention of WORKSHOP NAME - LOCATION
  • More information coming soon!
• Other
  • Q: What is the chapter Public Relations role in One SCORE? (Role, criteria, duties & responsibilities, job description, someone at HQ to collaborate with)
    A: We do have a media team that you can talk to directly at media@score.org. A more robust role description for volunteer PR officers needs to be created. It is out of scope of the pilot specifically, but will definitely have an increased need as a result of the pilot. Thank you for the suggestion. We will work on this!
  • Q: What is the escalation process if there are issues with any phases?
    A: We will publish a formal escalation policy once we kick off, but in short it will be Regional Admin roles (VIC/CIC/RWC) > Chapter Leaders > District Directors Regional Operations Coordinators > Regional Field Pilot Leads > Regional Vice Presidents
  • Q: What/who will serve as a "backup" position/person for each of the paid District positions?
    A: The Regional Operations Coordinator provides "back up" to Administrative positions.
  • Q: How will the new KPI’s or other metrics to measure success be benchmarked?
    A: We will utilize the "Jan. 1" data to be the benchmark and then update throughout the Pilot performance against it