Diane Wood started out as an SCI Member and now works for the Society providing support and customer care. Here she tells us about how she came to be involved with us and how important her role is to SCI.
Diane, tell us about yourself and
what you do for SCI
DW: I went to Robert Gordon’s
University in Aberdeen to study biology
and biological sciences and followed
this with a postgraduate diploma from
the Royal Microscopical Society in
Oxford. I worked on a variety of research
projects as an electron microscopist
at a human and animal nutritional
institute and have been involved with
the Scottish Microscopy Group.
How did you first come across
SCI?
DW: My husband went to university
in Bristol and studied chemistry; this
was where he became involved with
SCI’s Bristol Region. Later when we
moved to Scotland, he got involved
with the Scotland Regional Group.
It was his involvement that landed
me with the role of SCI Scotland
Section co-ordinator, representing
SCI at conferences in the region.
What did that role entail?
I used to take the SCI stand and any freebies and represent the Society at conferences and meetings. One of the highlights was being invited to the first Scotland Science and Parliament meeting nine years ago. Now it is an annual event and takes place in Dynamic Earth each year with eminent politicians getting together to discuss science. And we still get invited.
How has your involvement progressed?
From being the Scotland co-ordinator, I went on to work in the SCI’s Membership Department dealing with corporate membership, then onto membership development and now I work in member services and customer care.
Could you explain a little more
about the role you do for us now?
DW: I contact SCI’s new members with
a welcome call ensuring we have their
correct information and that they have
their membership number and all other
membership information. I follow-up in
six months to check that everything is
going well with their membership and
then usually check in with them again
prior to renewal. The work I do forms
part of the Membership Retention plan
for SCI’s Membership and aims to
ensure our members, particularly new
joiners, are making the best of what we
have to offer, from the very first year of
taking up Membership.
Generally what sort of feedback
do you get from those you call?
DW: The members seem to like chatting
to ‘the person with the Scottish accent’
and also like the fact that it’s normally
me they talk to, giving them continuity.
I like to build up a rapport with them
and remember them when I call back
six months later. The calls aren’t all just
about SCI business and sometimes I
can end up talking about their holidays,
children – anything!
What do you enjoy most about this role?
I enjoy chatting to all the different members all over the world. Being a chatty person helps to make friends, even if I’ve never met them! I was once asked by the head of an American pharmaceutical company to come and join a party playing golf at St Andrews - that’s what talking can get me into!
How do you feel your role assists
SCI today?
DW: From the feedback I have
received, the members love the fact
that SCI makes the effort to contact
them personally and then follows up
at intervals. Many of the other
societies they sign up with do not do
this. From SCI’s perspective, my role
ensures that if for any reason there is
a problem, it can be identified straightaway and resolved, and therefore
maintain our level of standards
through the service we provide.
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