Volunteers

Volunteers are an excellent way to lower valet costs. Volunteer staffing can also provide an opportunity for local advocacy groups to engage and involve their members in outreach to a local population, building support for local cycling infrastructure and other campaigns. Over-reliance on volunteers can put operators at risk of understaffing. At minimum, valet services staffed by volunteers should have one paid staff member present for oversight, at all times. Volunteer shifts should be kept short (around 2 hours) with some overlap to manage risk of no-shows and keep workload low. It’s better to over-staff than to be under-prepared, so some operators intentionally double up on staff to obviate being under-prepared for a no-show or exceptionally busy day.

Volunteer management is a widely discussed topic, and there are many software applications designed to support it. These include: SignUp, SignUp Genius, Bloomerang Volunteer, and Volgistics. The biggest thing to note is that whatever your organization chooses should integrate well with the method you use to schedule staff. Make sure to thank your volunteers in some meaningful way—treats and cold beverages are always appreciated!