Client FAQ
Questions about the Vesper Service Network and how it works? See our list of Frequently Asked Questions to quickly find answers.
What is Vesper Service Network?The Vesper Service Network is an online community of people of faith and faith-based, not-for-profit organizations. Here, individuals can connect to mission-driven organizations that need their business skills. Organizations can find the help they need, at an attractive cost.
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Is Vesper Service Network a not-for-profit organization?No. Vesper Service Network is a social venture enterprise, jointly owned by a for-profit consulting firm and a foundation. Some of the proceeds of our work are reinvested in the company and some of the proceeds support not-for-profit organizations that strengthen our communities.^ top ^
How does Vesper Service Network connect advisors and organizations?Vesper Advisors submit information about their business and volunteer experiences when they join Vesper Service Network. This information becomes part of a searchable database. Client organizations search this database when they are looking for help with projects. Vesper Service Network helps organizations and advisors communicate and come to an agreement on what they want to accomplish and how to do the work. We believe if we give smart people the tools they need to find each other they will accomplish great things together.^ top ^
How does Vesper Service Network support organizations and advisors once connections are made?Organizations and advisors can use the website to keep track of their projects throughout the process. Advisors can log in and see a list of the projects they have been invited to, projects they are currently working on and projects they have completed. Organizations can also see their projects in the creation stage, those that are active and completed projects. Both organizations and advisors can use discussion forums to post general questions or get project advice from other Vesper Service Network members. Once a project is complete the advisor and the organization can rate their experience, which becomes part of their online record.^ top ^
What resources does Vesper Service Network provide?We look for resources that help individuals discover their strengths and how to use them to create significance in their lives and the mission of the organizations with which they work. We also look for resources to help not-for-profit organizations effectively achieve their missions. We post links to these resources on the Vesper Service Network website. We are always looking for suggestions and recommendations so please let us know if you have a favorite resource.^ top ^
What kinds of organizations does Vesper Service Network have as Clients?Vesper Service Network serves faith-based, not-for-profit organizations. These organizations include parishes, church congregations, social ministry organizations, food pantries, outreach ministries, and any kind of organization that counts spiritual belief as one of its values. We are an ecumenical network serving a variety of faiths.^ top ^
What are the benefits of being a Client?Clients access the network because it provides resources to help organizations fulfill their mission, for example helpful tools and information on how to manage and grow the organization. Clients also have access to Vesper Advisors, who can help them on specific projects, and bring specialized expertise at far less than they would pay traditional consulting firms. ^ top ^
What is my commitment as a Client?Your commitment is very simple. Take advantage of the resources provided by the Vesper Service Network to help your organization. Of course, the more active you are in the Vesper Service Network online community, the more awareness and support you will build for your organization. But your level of participation is up to you. You may simply want to access the online tools and resources, or you may want to engage one or more Vesper Advisors in multiple projects. The choice is yours.^ top ^
What types of projects can I find help with?The type of project is only limited by the network of Vesper Advisors who are members of the community. This network may include CEO's, sales executives, marketing specialists, writers, facilitators, strategic planners, engineers, researchers, top people with a host of other business skills. Most clients are looking for help with facilitation, planning, or growing their organization.^ top ^
How do I present my project so that Advisors will be interested?Most Advisors want to work with organizations that are enthusiastic about their mission and their plans, and are clear about what they want to accomplish and how they will measure success. The Project Creation Tool will help present your project by taking you step-by-step through the process of defining what you want to accomplish and what success looks like. And by actively participating in discussions on the site, more Advisors will know about your mission and want to become part of your project.^ top ^
What types of Advisors can I find on the Network?Vesper Advisors come from a broad array of backgrounds, with many types of skills and experience. Most Advisors have at least 10 years of experience in their primary professional field. And they have a heart for service, bringing the shared value of faith to their work. They are men and women who care about their faith community and want to give back. ^ top ^
Are there Advisors from my faith community?We have members from many different faith traditions, and membership in Vesper Service Network is expanding every day. Chances are you will find one or more Vesper Advisors who come from a faith community with which you are comfortable. And if not, let us know, and also let your denomination know that you would like to expand the network in your own faith community.^ top ^
What is the cost to me?Membership in Vesper Service Network is $100 per year for client organizations. In addition, when you engage a Vesper Advisor for a project, the cost for his/her service is $500 per day. This is about a third of what most traditional consultants charge when working for not-for-profit organizations.^ top ^
How do I know if there are Advisors with the right skills for my project?You can search our database of Vesper Advisors at any time to get an idea of the kinds of skills they bring to the Network. Or, you can let the site recommend the kind of skills you might need for your project based on your project design. ^ top ^
How do I find an Advisor to help me?Once you have created your project in the Vesper Service Network site, you can search for an Advisor to help out. You can search by professional skills, faith affiliation, and geography to find a list of Advisors that match your project needs.^ top ^
How do I select an Advisor?Once you have found a list of Advisors that match your project needs, review their professional background, volunteer experience, Vesper project history, and resume. Based on your assessment of their skills, invite one or more Advisors to consider your project. Vesper Service Network automatically sends an e-mail invitation, along with project description, to the Advisors you select. When you hear back from the Advisors , we encourage you to get to know them through phone or in-person interviews before making a final selection. This gives you and the Advisor an opportunity to review the project and learn about each other before you begin work. Both you and the Advisor must agree on the project time and scope before proceeding.^ top ^
May I use more than one Advisor on larger projects?Yes, you may use more than one Advisor for a larger project, or one that requires multiple skills. Just follow the same process, and select and invite Advisors for each of the project roles.^ top ^
How will I communicate with my Advisor ?Initially, you will send selected Advisors an invitation to your project via the Vesper Service Network site. The Advisors who are interested will respond directly to you via e-mail. From there, we encourage you to communicate through e-mail, phone, and in person. Frequent communication throughout the project is recommended.^ top ^
How can I track the progress on my project?The Vesper Service Network website lets you see the status of all of your projects, whether you are creating a new project, a project is active, or if it is complete. The Project Creation Tool also asks you to outline in detail the steps required to complete your project. The more specific you can be on this document, the better it will serve as a project management guide. We also encourage you and your Advisor to stay in frequent communication while the project is active. Once the project is complete, be sure to update its status on the Vesper Service Network website.^ top ^
What if the Advisor is unable to complete the assignment?If an Advisor is unable to complete the project, you may invite another Advisor to complete the work via the Vesper Service Network site. Simply revise the project description to reflect the time spent by the first Advisor and create a new project for the portion of the work to be completed by the new Advisor.^ top ^
Will I be able to leave feedback after a project is completed?Yes. After the project is completed, you can submit feedback on the Advisor and your overall experience with the Vesper Service Network. Your Advisor will also be asked to submit feedback on his/her experience working with you. We believe the best way to meet the needs of Network members is to constantly ask for honest feedback so we continuously improve the site and its resources.^ top ^
Will I be able to network with other organizations?Yes. We have designed Vesper Service Network to be a community of people who share faith values. We encourage you to actively participate in the community by networking with other organizations. You can do this by posting to the discussion forums. In the near future, we will be adding blogging and video posting to the site. And please let us know what other communication tools you would like to see as part of Vesper Service Network. We are always looking for good ideas from our members.
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