Phone Calls/E-mails to Visitors – 2010: Fall 2010 Standards Newsletter

Phone Calls/e-mails to Visitors – 2010
We appreciate that visitors are conscientious and submit score forms in a timely manner. As we review these score forms and listen to the challenges of our visitors we have identified challenging areas from the score forms. This year, we received 828 score forms at the national office. Of these, 120 (14.5 percent) required contact with the visitors to correct errors or clarify scoring issues. Here are the most popular reasons for calls to visitors:
  • Standards left blank is always one of the leading causes for calls to visitors, and is true again this past summer. Here is a tip: As you finish the visit, take a deep breath and sit down one more time. Turn the paper horizontally and slowly review the score form from this perspective. All items need to be marked in some manner; any item that is not a “yes” must have a “no” or “DNA” score. Consider having the second visitor and camp director do this as well. Seems silly, but it is amazing what a new perspective can do to catch the dreaded blanks.
  • Missing or confusing comments will also trigger us to contact the lead visitor. Comments and scores need to agree with one another. Since every “no” score requires a comment; if a “no” score is missing a comment, expect a phone call. Additionally, if you change a score from “no” to “yes,” (usually because of the 72-Hour Rule) this must be indicated with a comment. Occasionally those reviewing the score forms are confused by a comment that indicates one thing and a score that indicates another.
  • Inappropriately marked DNAs always require follow-up contact.If you are uncertain during the visit process, re-read the entire text of the standard carefully. Things are often seem gray or have an odd applicability. Please remember that you are welcome to call your standards chair or the national office during the visit if there is confusion over the applicability of a standard or group of standards.
  • Profile/Modes and scoring patterns whichdo not agree are an issue. In order to accurately tabulate the visit scores these issues need to be resolved. This issue is most often caused by inconsistency between the camp profile, the mode or modes indicated on the score form, and the standards that are scored. Begin your visit by talking with the camp director and determining what modes the camp operates with and the activities they actually offer. Then make certain that the profile, the modes indicated, and the scoring reflect the correct modes of operation and activities offered.
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