UC2B Canvassing to Support Customer

Acquisition and Construction

Dr. Jon GantResearch Associate Professor

University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignGraduate School of Library and Information Science

Rethinking the Vision for Community and Digital Inclusion“All people, businesses and institutions will have access to digital content and technologies that enable them to create and support healthy, prosperous and cohesive 21st-Century communities” (IMLS 2011, “Building Digitally Inclusive Communities”)

Broadband in Urbana-Champaign

Goals of UC2B 7 fiber rings connect

200 Community Anchors

Connect premise in 11 Census Block Groups

First 2,500 premises receive free installation of fiber network and option to subscribe to service for$19.95

• Collaboration

• $29.4 M project• $22.5 Federal. $3.5 State, $3.4

Local

• Project end date is January 31, 2013

Factors Influencing Broadband Adoption

PerformanceExpectations

Ease of Use Expectations

SocialInfluences

Availability of Resources to Support Use

Broadband Adoption

Source: Venkatesh et al. (2003, p. 447)

VoluntarinessOf Use

ExperienceAgeGender

Place Matters

PerformanceExpectations

Ease of Use Expectations

SocialInfluences

Availability of Resources to Support Use

Desire to Use Broadband

Internet

Source: Venkatesh et al. (2003, p. 447)

VoluntarinessOf Use

ExperienceAgeGender• Information is socially

constructed• Agglomeration and

learning effects• Information Spillovers• Availability of resources

and capabilities geographically bound

Canvassing

Key Goals

Customer acquisition survey

Managing the canvassing

Using computer technology

Customer Acquisition

Activities

Canvass door-to-door

Provide service to at least 2,500 premises

Data driven approach

Inform and educate

Outcomes

Maximize the total number of subscriptions to premises

Provide high quality service

Build relationships

Serve with professionalism

Help Us Manage Customer Acquisition Process

Activities

Follow procedures to report canvass visits

Protect equipment

Protect personal information

Enter high quality data

Outcomes

Maximize the number of premises canvassed per day

Minimize return visits and backtracking

Support coordination with construction schedule

Work safely

Be supportive team member

Use Technology for Canvassing

Canvassing

Learn how to enter data correctly using iPad

Access maps and walking routes

Report feedback from canvass visit

Collect data for construction for fiber from curb to home

Managing Canvassing

Plan canvassing routes

Update visits

Record disposition

Support reporting

Next Steps for the GSLIS Community

Center for Digital Inclusion“Building an inclusive society through information and communication technologies”

Goals Build capacity to satisfy local human development

needs with ICTs Engage research, teaching and service Implement strategies to sustain innovations Evaluate and share broadly Address management practices and public policy Work locally, nationally and globally