ITI Articles

Contact centre students at NZMA’s School of Business and Hospitality Management in Hamilton have helped to raise over $20,000 for the Cancer Society.

The students recently took part in a five-day outbound calling campaign, intended as a support for Daffodil Day, one of the Cancer Society’s major fundraising drives.  Nine students studying for their NZMA Certificate in Contact Centre Operations and Employment Skills volunteered their services, contacting nearly 2000 local businesses.  In total the businesses signed up for 682 bunches of daffodils at $30 a bunch, raising an estimated $20,460 for the charity.

Contact Centre tutor Gethin Morgan said the result was outstanding. “Our students helped to raise an enormous amount of money for the Cancer Society and the campaign was also an incredibly worthwhile learning experience for them,” said Gethin.

“The campaign was made up of two parts.  Students spent the first three days contacting businesses who had donated to last year’s Daffodil Day campaign and the final couple of days contacting new businesses.  This gave them authentic experience in a wide range of contact centre skills.” 

As part of NZMA’s 20-week contact centre courses, all students must complete a live campaign in order to graduate.  The campaigns are conducted free of charge for charity.  In the past, campaigns have been run for organisations such as Heart Child NZ and the Kindergarten Association.

“Participating in these campaigns has a two-fold benefit,” explained Gethin.  “Firstly it is a way we at NZMA can support a community initiative that receives no government funding yet benefits the entire local community.  Secondly it provides an invaluable opportunity for students to gain practical experience in areas such as customer service, verbal communication and teamwork.

“In comparison with previous campaigns the Daffodil Day campaign has been by far the most successful.”