Volunteering for Phone Bank Captain at PBS Wisconsin Online Auction

November 01 - June 18, 2022 | Extension Building at UW-Madison

Volunteers make our Online Auction happen! Each spring, PBS Wisconsin hosts its annual auction fundraiser. More than 800 businesses donate thousands of items that are sold online to raise funding that supports PBS Wisconsin’s programming and activities.

About Phone Bank Captain

Work with volunteers to make sure bids are recorded quickly, accurately and legibly. Relay high bids to the boards and turn completed slips over to the bid runners.

Phone Bank Captain Job Duties

Familiarize yourself with the placement of the item boards.
Locate and test your headset to make sure it is working properly.
Assist volunteers with getting set up at their work station.
Monitor data entry. Assist volunteers with correcting common mistakes.
Collect completed bid slips. Review each slip to verify accuracy and completeness.
Check the bid slip against the current bid on the board. Call in high bids to the board captain via a radio system.
Hand the bid slip to a bid runner.
Answer questions in a timely manner.
Keep an engaged and watchful eye on the phone bank.
Be receptive to volunteers’ needs.
Direct questions to your manager as needed.

Phone Bank Captain Job Skills and Requirements

Exhibit interpersonal warmth in working with volunteers.
Comfortable speaking with callers over the phone.
Strong communication and pronunciation skills.
Flexibility to deal with volunteers across a range of skill levels.
Ability to make good decisions in the moment and maintain calm under pressure.
Alert to the needs of others.
Maintains productive/helpful demeanor.
Ability to see and read printed information at close distances and up to 35 feet away.
Aural acuity to hear and speak with callers and/or volunteers on either a headset or hand-held telephone in an environment that has noise/distractions.
Can work efficiently in a sometimes noisy and hectic environment.
Physically able to stand, negotiate stairs and walk for the duration of your shift.
Ability to discern when to ask your manager for assistance.
Successful completion of 20 hours on the phone bank and new captain training program.
Volunteers 18 and older may participate.