This guide will cover three key segments of finer details needed for understanding your outcomes and the data your VAN is receiving - as well as the processes for how those interactions are generated. These key segments are:
- System Results versus Live Results and their outcomes
- Functions for the Starting Question Template and how to use it
- Critical caller behaviors for matching script interactions with term code selections from the left side
System Results versus Live Results and their outcomes
During the course of your list, your calls will produce two types of "canvass" code results to sync to VAN:
- System results - system results are collected from calls where the call is not answered, or if the call is answered the sound detected by the dialing system is not a human voice.
- Live results - live results are collected from calls that are delivered to your callers. These outcomes are selected manually through the starting question template. To sync properly, the starting question must be used and the existing selections can not be edited.
System results will sync to VAN with these "canvass" codes applied to the call results for calls not answered by a human:
Answering Machine = Not home
Busy Signal = Not home
Disconnected = Disconnected
Fax = Wrong Number
No Answer = Not Home
Live results will sync to VAN with these "canvass" codes, which are unchangeable for the Starting Question Template:
Deceased = Deceased
Disconnected = Disconnected
Moved = Moved
Not home = Not home
Refused = Refused
Wrong Number = Refused (Read more on this outcome below)
Functions for the Starting Question Template and how to use it
We suggest all clients in all instances should use the Starting Question Template. There are two approaches:
- Without any edits - use the question as it is designed
- Customize with additional selections or by removing existing selections
If you choose to use the Starting Question Template as is - without edits - the syncing system will provide you with outcomes appropriate to all scenarios your callers will encounter. These sync outcomes are outlined above.
Some programs may want more granular results or may find the existing sync behaviors for "canvass" codes built into the Starting Question Template to operate counter to their preferences. You may customize the Starting Question Template in these manners:
- Delete a selection. For example, the "disconnected" option is meant to signify a three-tone bad number, i.e. a number that is no longer valid and should not be attempted again. New callers should be trained that "disconnected" means a bad number and is NOT a selection they should use for a call that ends with the recipient hanging up quickly or if the connection to the recipient is lost.
- Add a selection. For example, we have not included other language options. You are able to add new options such as "Spanish Speaker" or "Other language" but these new options you add will not sync as "canvass" codes. You will need to map these new selections you add to either an activist code you create to track this data or a survey + response pair you designate for accounting these other language type responses and direct callers to pick "Talked to Correct Person" call result to sync these options.
- Replace a syncing selection. For example, our system syncs back to the preferred number. Many clients use lists that are built on the phone ID for "cell phone" instead of using the preferred number. If we sync back wrong number, there may be a mismatch and a good number could be deleted. If the wrong number syncing method we use by default is not ideal for your program, you can delete the provide "Wrong Number" selection, and then add a new "Wrong Number" selection as a result, or just delete the (2). This new/edited option for "Wrong Number" you add will not sync as a "canvass" code and will require mapping to either an activist code or a survey + response pairing to account for this option in your results. In order to sync the survey question, your callers will need to choose the "Talked to Correct Person" call result.
Critical caller behaviors for matching script interactions with term code selections from the left side
To ensure accuracy in your sync activity, your callers will need to always match their choice of Starting Question Template selection to the appropriate call result selection from the "Term Codes" options at the bottom left side of the caller's screen.
Additionally, correct matching of their Starting Question Template selection to the correct "Term codes" options at the bottom left of the caller's screen will ensure proper list functioning so that you do not call someone again who should not be called again on your current list.
The correct matches that ensure both sync activity and list behaviors should never be deviated and are as follows:
Starting Question Selection (#) = Present Canvass Result Code | Correct Call Result Selection | Syncing Result |
Talking to Correct Person | NEXT CALL - Talked to Correct Person | Survey Questions or Activist Codes Only |
Deceased (4) | NEXT CALL - Remove Number - Do Not Call | Deceased |
Disconnected (25) | NEXT CALL - Remove Number - Do Not Call | Disconnected |
Moved (5) | NEXT CALL - Remove Number - Do Not Call | Moved |
Not home (1) | NEXT CALL - No Contact | Not Home |
Refused (2) | NEXT CALL - Remove Number - Do Not Call | Refused |
Wrong Number (2) | NEXT CALL - Remove Number - Do Not Call | Refused |
NOTE: In order for your script question data to sync for any questions after the Starting Question Template, the Talking to Correct Person script selection MUST be matched with the NEXT CALL - Talked to Correct Person call result. Any conversation that starts with Talking to Correct Person but is not matched with NEXT CALL - Talked to Correct Person will NOT have the script data synced for any question after the Starting Question Template. This combination ensures that your callers do not write sync data into individuals in your VAN who were not actually the person you intended to reach.
If you choose to add additional options to the Starting Question Template, you will need to guide your callers to the correct "Term Codes" based on these guidelines:
- Next Call - Talked to Correct Person should ONLY be used when the correct person was reached, and that correct person was identified for your script purposes and you'd like to sync a survey question or activist code. Should be used for added starting question options of "Other Language" if an activist code or survey question is mapped.
- Any instance where your caller is not sure what the outcome of the call was, any conversation that did not include a completed identification, or any conversation where the connection was lost should be marked with the Next Call - No Contact call result to allow that attempt to be done again during the current list or in your future lists generated after the results from your current list. Number be requeued for multi-pass lists. This option will sync "not home" by default unless an overriding starting question canvass option is picked.
- Any instance such as "Moved out of District" or "Hostile" or other option that you add to the "Starting Question Template" that indicates the person should not be attempted again should be marked with the call result Next Call - Remove Number - Do Not Call. This option will sync "refused" by default unless an overriding starting question canvass option is picked.
Call Result | Syncing Behavior |
Talked to Correct Person | Survey Questions or Activist Codes Only |
No Contact | Canvass Results Only: Not home by default or what is picked in the default starting question, such as Moved, Deceased, Wrong Number, etc. |
Remove Number | Canvass Results Only: Refused by default or what is picked in the default starting question, such as Moved, Deceased, Disconnected, etc. |
Note: Set up ending panels that direct your callers to pick the correct ending call result based on the results you are looking to sync.