Automating Mentor Enrollment

The Problem

Big Brothers Big Sisters was receiving 60-70 mentor inquiries per staff member, a volume that was impossible to handle with manual follow-up. The enrollment process took 13 days on average from first inquiry to match completion.

Staff were spending most of their time on repetitive intake and scheduling tasks, leaving less time for the high-touch relationship building that actually makes mentorship programs work.

The Solution

Built an SMS-based automation platform that handled the repetitive front-end of the enrollment process: initial acknowledgment, document collection, scheduling, and status updates.

Key components:

• SMS automation using n8n workflows triggered by new inquiry submissions
• Document collection flow guiding volunteers through required paperwork via conversational SMS
• Scheduling integration connecting to staff calendars for background check and interview appointments
• Escalation logic routing complex cases to staff while automating standard ones

The Results

• SMS platform handled 70% of volunteer enrollment interactions automatically
• Average inquiry-to-match time dropped from 13 days to near-instant initial response
• Staff could focus on high-value relationship building instead of administrative follow-up
• Volunteer satisfaction improved due to faster and more consistent communication