Real Problems: Virtual Support

Last March, as the Covid-19 pandemic hit the United States, Chapman University’s Educational Technology Services team launched a virtual support option for faculty. We flipped our model from in-person to virtual in a matter of days, and when we needed help, members from other departments happily stepped in.

Our goal was to continue to deliver excellent support experiences to Chapman University’s faculty members. The team rose to the occasion and supported each other through ups and downs to achieve our goal.

Initially, we aimed to support the faculty for what we thought would be a short time, but we expanded our virtual support services as the shutdown continued. Our faculty enjoyed the instant access, and we even saw an increase in our net promoter score.

Here is how we did it:

• Process:
  • Provided daily virtual support on Zoom during specific times based on support ticket data
  • Trained student workers to welcome faculty and manage the Zoom meeting
  • Utilized Zoom’s breakout rooms for one-on-one meetings and consultation
  • Used Microsoft Teams for instant communication amongst team members
  • Applied a standardized Chapman University virtual background
  • Scheduled technology experts to assist the faculty members
  • Introduced the faculty to new applications and platforms
  • Offered workshops based on the faculty’s needs

• Results:
  • The team closed over 5,000 support tickets
  • Created a collaborative virtual space for the faculty
  • Received an overall satisfaction score of 97 percent as a team
  • Learned that preference for live, virtual support versus email support was almost split
  • Finally, we gathered a lot of data to continue to provide great experiences to the faculty members in the future

We are still here for you! If you need help with educational technology tools, instructional design, digital learning, and pedagogy, join us on Zoom Monday to Friday, 9:30-11:30 AM and 2:30-4:30 PM at the Virtual Tech Hub.