Contributed by Jeanine Hurley
CAI’s Member Service Center is at the front line, communicating with our more than 50,000 members as well as others seeking information on community associations. We take pride in answering calls live and responding promptly to emails to ensure everyone gets the information they need. But we need your help. Clear, concise, and courteous communication is essential on both sides.
When calling or emailing, be sure to be polite, patient, and considerate. The team fields more than 300 calls and answers hundreds of emails per week. Call and email traffic may be higher if there is an upcoming event, webinar, or course. You may not be the first caller of the day and possibly not the last.
The calls that come into the Member Service Center range from asking for a password reset to registering for a course or event. The team relies on other departments throughout the organization to provide them with materials and respond to questions. One example is when the bookstore has a sale during the holidays. Information is provided to us so we are aware of prices and other pertinent details.
As the front line, we need to know just about everything going on within CAI to answer and direct incoming calls. There are times when callers may need to leave a voicemail or email. We strive to return calls and emails within 24 to 48 hours.
Here are some tips to make the most of your interaction with the Member Service Center:
- Have your member ID number, invoice number, or company name ready so we can easily look up information.
- Have a credit card readily available when making a payment or completing a purchase. This will assist the team in getting everything processed more efficiently.
- Send in all address changes in writing for tracking and quality assurance purposes.
If there’s an issue the team cannot handle, we will notify a manager to assist us and determine next steps. Please bear with us if your request takes a bit more time.
The Member Service Center team is proud to speak with callers and help them directly or guide them toward the staff person who can best answer their questions. Our goal is to keep callers happy and never have a call that is unresolved.
We look forward to hearing from you. Contact us!
Jeanine Hurley is senior manager of CAI’s Member Service Center.
>> Read more about effective communication in Common Ground May/June 2025.
