Dietary Calling

Overview:

Find out from your team leader:

• What day on the app you are calling clients

• What Packing Slot that day you need all clients from

• What postcodes you are calling

Navigate to the correct date on the Parcels Page using the date boxes.

Find clients that have No Status.

Open client details to get their phone number.

• tip: add the Phone Number column to the parcels page:

  • Press "More" in the search box field

  • Press Select Columns

  • Tick: Phone Number

Ring the client.

If they answer the phone:

• If you don't already have the Client Details open, click the client's name to open the info box.

• Press Edit Client details.

• Confirm/update the client's details (home address, family size etc).

• Update dietary info.

• Submit Client Form and continue to Parcel Form

• Update Parcel Form details

• Submit Parcel Form

• Change status to Called & Confirmed.

If they don't answer the phone:

• Change Parcel status to Called & No Response.

Guidance for Making Dietary Calls to Foodbank Clients

Before you call

You will be addd to a WhatsApp group chat before your first session that gives you access to the team of dietary callers, plus your Dietary Caller Manager.

Message on the WhatsApp group to confirm which Dietary Caller will call which clients, in case more than one caller is volunteering at once (e.g. different volunteers could be working according to postcodes, working from the top of the list down, bottom of the list up with the intention of meeting in the middle). This is to avoid callers calling the same clients at the same time, or shortly afterwards. For example: ‘I’m logging on now, where shall I start?’ Whoever is monitoring the chat from the team will give you instructions.

Open the foodbankapp (lambeth.foodbankapp.org). Log in, and you will see the Parcels page.

Check you have selected the correct date range at the top left of the page.

Check list of clients and their “last status” which will tell you which clients need contacting – those with ‘no status’.

Check whether the client is on for a delivery or collection (look for the ‘feet’ or ‘van’ icon next to their postcode).

Click on the client’s name – (if collecting, take note of the Foodbank Collection Hub - see method at the end of these notes- and date they are collecting).

Open client details to get their phone number - tip: you can also add the Phone Number column to the parcels page by doing the following:

Press "More" in the search box field

Press Select Columns

Tick: Phone Number

Click on “Edit Client Details” at the bottom of the parcel details box, which will allow you to edit the client details.

To edit Client Name, Address, Ages, Dietary Info etc – this is done in Edit Client Details.

Ring the client

If they answer the phone

If you don't already have the Client Details open, click the client's name to open the info box.

Press Edit Client details.

Confirm/update the client's details (home address, family size etc).

Update dietary info.

Submit Client Form and continue to Parcel Form

If you need to edit the Parcel Date or Collection/Delivery Method, this is done in Edit Parcel.

Update Parcel Form details

Submit Parcel Form

Change status to Called & Confirmed.

If they don’t answer the phone

If possible, please leave a message, and please give clients the “Dietary Caller” number (07391 469 391) and the “Foodbank office” number (020 7921 4205) they should ask them to select option 1. Please note, the office line is open Monday to Friday between 12-2pm.

If you are leaving voice messages or text messages, you need to be clear in your message that we need confirmation from them before we pack their food parcel.

Please leave a dated note in: “Edit Client Details” > “Notes”, to say that you have left the contact numbers to call back and your initials. For example: ‘4/9 Left voicemail LMF

If there is no voicemail, please note this in the “Edit Client Details” > “Notes”, NR, NO VM.

Once all your notes are input, press submit at the bottom of the page and then return to the foodbankapp Parcels Page.

Select the tick box to the left of the client's name and change the status to “called and no response”.

If there was a problem with the number and you are flagging this with the referrals team, in which case mark it “pending more info” and move them to the nearest ‘Saturday’ date. This will ensure that a member of the team will see it and review it, as queries are filed under a Saturday. Then please make a note of this in “Edit Client Details” > “Notes”. Add a note for example: ‘4/9 number not connecting LMF’. Do not add this note in the parcel details.

If you are calling back a client who previously didn’t respond and they don’t respond again, please mark as “called and no response” again, as it’s helpful for us to know how many times a client has been called, without a response. If you leave second or third messages etc., please also record those in the client details notes.

If they answer the call

General information 

Tell them you are calling from “Lambeth & Croydon Foodbank”. You will be calling a mixture of clients in Lambeth, Croydon and some peripheral areas. I tend to say ‘This is the Foodbank and we have a referral to pack a parcel for you this week’.

Personal details

Confirm their address - If the address is missing either a street number (i.e. it just says Flat 4, Ridge House, but no road) or missing a flat number (i.e. just says 111 London Road), edit necessary details. If there is no flat number please update details, otherwise the driver will not be able to make the delivery. It’s very important to verify every household’s address details. The best way to do this is to ask them to confirm their address.  Some clients live on very confusing housing estates with addresses which are very hard to find. You cannot put too much information on the sheet about this for our drivers. 

We only gather the clients email address if we can't contact them via phone, so if you’ve successfully contacted them via phone, you don't need to collect their email address.

Confirm household size and ages (birth year and month for children, just birth year for adults and gender). This is important, as we tailor the parcel according to the information provided. We also use the data for our grant applications.

Again, the best way to do this is to ask them to confirm how many people there are in their household on their referral. Check that this correlates with the details on their referral. If the information is different, tell them you will need to check this and contact them back. Please then message the WhatsApp group with the client’s initials and postcode details, and a member of the team will investigate this for you.

Ask the client what cooking facilities they have and tick the relevant options (if you don’t do this it will appear on the packing list as having no cooking facilities). This will help the packing team choose what type of food to put into a food parcel (food that can be cooked in a microwave or by kettle). You can change the parcel type from a Regular List to a Hotel List, if a client has no or very limited cooking facilities. On the client form, the List Type sets the default for every new parcel the client receives. On the Edit Parcel form, you can change it on a per parcel basis.

Requirements 

Confirm the dietary requirements using the tick boxes. A tick means yes they want it, no tick means that they do not want it.

We want to manage expectations about what we can and cannot provide by not giving the impression that we can personalise the food parcel excessively. Our offering is dependent on donations, please be mindful of this when talking to the client.

Check if they would like tea or coffee (we only give out one, not both), pasta or rice or both. If available, we can offer brown rice and brown pasta - put a note of this in the extra information.  Hot chocolate is usually available only during the winter months.

If female, ask them if they want pads or tampons or both. Please note how many family members require hygiene products.

Bladder Control pads – clients will generally tell you if they want these. These are different from pads and tampons and are supplied to men and women if required and if in stock. The most sensitive way to deal with this is to ask if they want pads of any type (pads, tampons or bladder control).

Check if they have any other dietary requirements, allergies or food they don’t like/want. A tick in the box means that they are gluten free, dairy free or have a nut allergy, left blank means that they are not. Please verify whether all of the household have this dietary requirement / allergy / preference or just one person as it makes a huge difference when packing the parcel. Clarify that even if it is only one person, whether they need the whole parcel to be the same i.e. one child has a nut allergy but they have a nut-free household.

Although every effort is made to avoid foods that clients are allergic to, the responsibility is on them to check the food parcel carefully when it arrives.

We may also have cleaning materials available, but these are often in very short supply. 

Clients may also ask for decaffeinated tea or herbal tea, which we can provide if we have it. 

We may also have some household items such as plates, kettles, tin openers, microwaves etc. Some clients have just been rehoused into accommodation and have nothing. If a client expresses a need, please tell them we will see if there’s anything we can do and note this in the extra information section. If this is the case, please send a message on the Whatsapp group and one of the team will arrange.

Note, when recording these preferences please do make sure it is clear what the client would or wouldn’t like. Ideally put a note in the extra information “no pasta” or “no bread” or “no tea or coffee” even though the box has not been ticked – that way it will be really clear on the packing information sheet that it is not wanted (and so not packed wastefully).

If there are any children under two years old, check if they need any nappies, wipes, baby food, baby formula etc., and write details in “extra information”.  Please note we cannot guarantee to supply any certain brands of baby milk, but we will try to. We have a limited range of bed wetting pull-up pants for older children. 

If they indicate that they do have pets and want pet food, please ask if it is a cat or dog, how many, and what size dog (puppy, small, medium or large) so we can adjust the amount and type of food supplied accordingly. 

Once you have finished editing the client details, submit the form to continue to the edit Parcel details form:

This is where you can change the List Type on a per parcel basis.

The Voucher Information is for foodbank staff only and should have been entered already.

Delivery Time Slots

If delivery:

Explain we will be delivering food to them.

AM lists are delivered the same day – this will be any time between 11am to 6pm. 

PM lists are delivered the day after the packing date any time from 11am to 6pm.

We are unable to offer time sensitive deliveries, please request the client is home all day and always ask about a safe space or neighbour to leave the parcel if they will not be in. The safe space could be in a garden, behind the bins etc but ideally not on open doorsteps or in porches unless the client is comfortable with that. This information goes in the delivery instructions. If they cannot provide a delivery option, we will need to provide them with an alternative date for delivery, on a suitable packing day (you can check this with the Whatsapp group or find further information in the ‘packing postcodes’ section under ‘info’.

Please make a note if they absolutely cannot stay home and the drivers will leave in the safe space. This information goes in the delivery instructions and ‘flagged’. 

Explain that when the driver arrives, or when they are on their way, they may receive a call from a withheld number. Ask if they can meet the driver and help carry the boxes or not.

Delivery instructions

Confirm they have a working bell/buzzer and that someone can come down to collect the food when the driver arrives. 

You also need to ask about parking restrictions and whether there are any LTNs or traffic restrictions. This is very important as many drivers have recently had parking tickets and fines.

Once you have put all the information into the client page, press “submit” then return to the foodbankapp Parcel Page, select the parcel (using the tick box on the left) and change the status to “Called and Confirmed”. 

If collecting from a Hub/ Centre

Explain that we’re asking them to come and collect, let them know which date, time and Collection Hub, they’re collecting from.

Explain to the client that there will be bags to carry, ensure that they are physically capable of doing this, or can bring someone to help. 

It is important to encourage those able-bodied to collect their parcel from a local hub and for the client to be made aware - failure to collect may result in referrals being cancelled.

Let them know the opening times of the hub and the contact number (found at the bottom of this sheet).

If the client asks how to get there, you can look up the route between their postcode and the Foodbank address via google maps. Flag on the WhatsApp group chat and someone can text the client the information.

If the client is reluctant to collect or has a legitimate mitigating circumstance, please let them know someone will call them back to discuss and flag this on the Whatsapp.

Extra Information / Notes

On the “Parcel Page”, the “Extra Information” text box is printed on the Shopping List in the warehouse for packers, so this is where you would notes such as “would like brown rice”. Do not put information here that is client sensitive or not useful for the packing team, such as Voicemail notes.

The “Client Notes Page” text box is only visible on the app – do not put notes here that the packers might need to know.

Flag for Attention

When you tick Flag for Attention, a red flag icon appears next to the client’s parcel. This will alert the Warehouse team to double check the delivery instructions or sensitive information. 

Signposting Call

If this is the first time a client is receiving a parcel, please always tick 'Yes', 'Generic' and explain that we will provide them with a follow-up call to inform them of other services available in addition to the food. 

If they are not a new client but have not had a signposting call before (you can check this in client notes), please ask the client whether they would like a follow-up call from the team, to discuss any other support services that might be available to them. This can be anything from help with filling in forms for benefits, rent arrears, fuel voucher or obtaining baby clothes and supplies. Make sure the box is ticked either yes or no and tick the appropriate box for what they need help with.

Confidentiality

It is really important that we maintain client confidentiality so when noting down that someone wants a signposting call, please keep the information brief and private e.g. “4/9 SP re rent” (signposting call about rent arrears) or “4/9 SP re PIP” (signposting call about filling in the form for an application for health-related benefits). If they say domestic violence is an issue you can note “DV”.

Should a client become abusive or angry, please do not note this down on the extra information as this will mean that it goes onto the packing sheet and this is not confidential. Put these notes in the “Clients Notes” box which is only visible on the app and send a message about it to the Dietary Caller Manager directly via WhatsApp (not in the group).

Safeguarding

We refer you to our Safeguarding policy which is on the documents hub of our Assemble database and which you have access through your profile.

Fortunately, a safeguarding concern very rarely comes up. However, if you are concerned about a client’s physical wellbeing (e.g. they tell you they have taken an overdose, they are in immediate physical danger from themselves or someone else) attempt to get their consent to inform the police and then hang up and dial 999. If you are not comfortable doing this, immediately call the Dietary Caller manager Mona Boateng or whoever is on duty via Whatsapp. It may be that due to the circumstances, you are unable to obtain their consent and that the threat is such that you do so without their consent. Please then immediately inform the Dietary Caller Manager Mona Boateng or whoever is on duty via WhatsApp. 

If the concern does not require immediate intervention (for example, you are concerned about someone’s mental health but they are not in immediate danger) please notify the Dietary Caller Manager Mona Boateng or whoever is on duty by WhatsApp and they will escalate through the safeguarding process. 

Dealing with aggressive clients

No volunteer should have to experience an abusive phone call. If you are dealing with an aggressive client over the phone, please firmly let them know that this is not acceptable behaviour. If they continue, please end the call and message Mona Boateng or whoever is on duty privately via WhatsApp.

Other important information

If someone’s information has changed drastically, for example someone has moved to an address outside our delivery area (any postcodes beginning E, N or W are a definite no!) please note this on the App and send the details via the WhatsApp group.

If someone says they don’t want their food, already had food recently or similar, please leave a note in “Notes”, change the status to “delivery cancelled” on the Parcels Page and flag to the Whatsapp group.

If someone does not speak English, or you cannot make yourself understood, please terminate the call and message via the WhatsApp group.

Please note that the app is sometimes slow to update with status or information you have loaded up onto it. Please be patient and it will refresh and update in due course. Press the refresh button on your browser to make sure you are looking at the most up to date information.

You can go back into the client’s details and edit it if needs be.

Each call should take between 3 to 5 minutes, with some calls taking a bit longer for a variety of reasons. If a call is taking too long regarding signposting issues, please tell them that someone will call them back and make a note about a signposting call.

Guide to the statuses on the app

Relevant to callers

• No status (blank) = The client needs to be called.

• Called and no response = We couldn’t get through, but the client can be called again.

• Called and confirmed = We have got all the information we need and we’re ready to pack the parcel.

• Pending more info = This client has been flagged with a referrals team, as there is some kind of problem with their contact details, and we need more information to proceed, or we have not been able to confirm their referral. Pendings should be moved to a Saturday date.

• Delivery cancelled = the person doesn’t want their parcel anymore, has moved out of area, or for another reason we will not be packing a parcel.

Not relevant to callers

• Request denied - for management staff use only.

• Ready to dispatch, delivery failed, delivered, print driver overview - for management/driver staff only.

• Fulfilled with Trussell - data entry team only.

• Shopping list printed and shipping label printed - warehouse team only.

FoodbankApp Help

For more information on using the foodbank app, please visit wiki.foodbankapp.org. 

Thank you so much, we are really grateful for your help in making these vital calls!