Partners are welcome to issue returned Jump modems without the packaging.
Our goal is keep as many modems in circulation as possible and we certainly want to keep encouraging customers to return unwanted modems. However, we know that many people dispose of packaging materials as soon as modems are activated and we don’t want them to feel they can’t return it because they have sent the box for recycling.
When it comes to re-issuing the modem, the packaging is a ‘nice to have’ rather than a mandatory requirement.
Since July 2022, over 1500 Jump modems have been returned, either because they are faulty or no longer required. Just under 40% of these have been remotely reset by the Skinny team and made available for re-issue within 24 hours. So we don’t want the lack of packaging to result in these modems gathering dust.
To reissue a modem the following items are essential:
(1) the modem itself (provided it is not defaced or physically damaged);
(2) a power supply;
(3) a short ethernet cable (usually yellow or blue);
(4) a User Guide booklet.
We can generally supply spares for items 2, 3 and 4. So just drop us a line at jump@diaa.nz and we’ll get spares on their way to you. If you require a replacement power supply, please specify the IMEI number of the modem as the power units do differ by modem type.
It appears that from time to time a Skinny Care agent refers a customer with a faulty modem to a Jump Delivery partner for a replacement modem.
This is not the currently agreed procedure.
During the last six months the Skinny Care Team have correctly processed over 400 requests for replacement modems, but every now and again it appears one or two agents inadvertently advise customers to contact their local Jump partner for a replacement modem.
When this does happen and a customer turns up for a replacement modem after having reported the fault to Skinny, partners are welcome to supply a new one, provided of course that you have stock available. Just complete a Modem Returns form to record both the faulty modem details and those of the replacement.
If you don’t have stock available, please make sure the customer really has reported the fault to Skinny. If so, a replacement will be sent by DIAA directly to the customer along with a pre-paid courier bag to return the faulty unit.
Our standing instruction to the Skinny Care Team is that they never refer a customer to a Jump partner if they require a replacement modem. This will continue until such time that all partners have sufficient modem stocks to start supplying replacement modems again.
Earlier this week, Jo Cocker, Auckland Libraries’ Digital Literacy Specialist, convened a webinar for Auckland Library Jump partners engaging in the new Ciena Jump delivery processes. This generated a number of excellent questions that could be on the minds of other partners who have signed up to support this expanded initiative.
Q: How do we find out which schools are already participating in the CIENA programme?
A: Most of the schools already participating in the Ciena programme are in Auckland and Christchurch. You can find a schedule of both existing and potential Ciena schools here, together with their nearest Jump partner. In Christchurch this has been managed to date by the Greater Christchurch Schools Network (GCSN). From 31 January 2023, the sign-up process changed with modems now being issued by 37 selected (for the trial) Jump partners. Students seeking to participate must have a referral from their school or Jump partner as well as parent/guardian permission.
Q: Who initiates the process to sign students up for the Ciena plan?
A: From 31 January 2023, existing Ciena schools have been asked to send all student referrals to a nearby Ciena Jump Delivery Partner to get a Jump modem and complete the online signup processes (Skinny Jump and the Jump Profile Form (2023 version). Late in 2022, all Jump partners were invited to consider becoming a Ciena Jump Delivery Partner, and just under 40 partners were selected for the trial. These partners identified schools where they believed there would be students who could benefit from the Ciena assistance. It is now up to the partners to approach schools and explain the opportunity. We encourage partners to start with one or two schools in their community, as we are uncertain about how much demand there will be, but the programme is open to all schools (primary and intermediate as well as secondary). Briefing materials (including referral forms for distributing to schools) have now been sent to partners and the first signups are underway.
Q: If a student moves from a CIENA-school to a non-CIENA school, can they still be part of the programme?
A:Yes. The CIENA plan is associated with an individual household (not a school) where the student lives. If the family moves to a new address, they must follow standard Jump protocol, i.e. check that their new address has Jump coverage and then notify the Skinny Care Team (0800 475 4669).
Q: How many schools can we support with this CIENA offer?
As many as you like, but giving priority to secondary school students. While the internet can be important for learning at all levels, secondary school students face special challenges with assessments such as NCEA and the more successful they are during their school years, the more choices they will have in moving to tertiary studies or into the workforce.
Q: Will existing CIENA schools already have helped all their students get access to the internet, so should we focus on other schools?
A: All schools have new students arriving every year; many of these might be from households that can’t afford commercial internet plans, so it is better to not make any assumptions and just help raise awareness of the CIENA opportunity in schools and families in your community.
Q: What happens when the scheme ends in December 2023?
CIENA families will have the option of retaining the Jump modems and migrating to a standard Skinny Jump service (currently capped at 225GB with 6 $5 x 35GB top ups) or returning their modems to a Jump partner.
Q: What happens if CIENA families use all their 210GB allowance before the end of each calendar month?
A: The internet will stop working until the next monthly 210GB allowance is added to their accounts on the first day of the next month. We know that some households do use more than 210GB each month, especially households with a large number of family members. If this becomes a problem, we need to make it clear to participants that there is no penalty in terminating their Ciena Jump connection; we only ask that the modem be returned to a Jump partner so that it can be reprovisioned for another family.
Q: There is no provision on the Referral Form for a teacher or staff member to ‘authorise’ a student’s eligibility, yet the Profile Form requires the student to name the person who invited them to join the Ciena plan.
A: This is a question we expect partners to ask applicants before issuing a modem – who provided them with the Referral Form? This should be a named person from the student’s school or can be a Jump partner staff member. This is an extra step to validate the application, especially if there are any concerns about the student’s eligibility. We may contact this person if we have any concerns before provisioning the modem for Ciena. The important thing is to provide an actual name, not a generic position.
Q: I am doing a regular Jump sign-up and am aware that the applicant family could benefit from the CIENA plan. Can I sign them up or do I need to get approval from their school?
A: Any CIENA Jump Partner with access to the CIENA Referral forms can give approval and simply enter the name of the staff member completing the application on the Profile Form.
Q: How do families know their modem has been provisioned for CIENA?
A: This will generally happen within 1 working day of the modem being issued and the Profile Form and Referral Form being submitted. An email will be sent to the customer by DIAA confirming that their modem has been provisioned for Ciena and customers will notice the data bar on their dashboards change from the startup 35GB to 210GB.
Q: How do schools and the general public know where to find a CIENA Jump Delivery Partner?
The Skinny Jump website has been updated identifying trial partners as Ciena Jump Delivery partners, as per the example below:
The recent weather events in Auckland and Northland have forced many people out of their homes and into temporary accommodation. If customers seek your advice, suggest they check for Jump coverage at their temporary address and if there is coverage they can take their Jump modem with them. Remind them to also contact the Skinny Care team on 0800 475 4669 to advise their change of address and avoid being disconnected.
Any existing Jump customer who has been displaced from their home or is facing additional financial hardship should be encouraged to contact the Skinny Care team and discuss the forms of support that are available.
We are also aware that some fixed line internet services (copper and fibre) to individual homes have been disrupted by flooding and landslides. Households in Jump coverage areas can apply for a wireless Jump modem, as it could be some time before fixed line services are reinstated. Applicants should be advised to check with their internet provider first to understand how long it might take to reinstate their existing service.
Some partners have asked for advice about managing their waitlists. We understand many are having difficulty contacting customers who have been added to the waitlist and the question then is how much effort do you put into following up with people who are difficult to contact.
The Auckland Library team discussed this at a recent Jump Community of Practice and agreed to set aside modems for up to 7 days; some felt it didn’t even need to be as long as this, as we are continuing to face up to six week delays in the supply chain.
We support the idea of a definite timeframe being communicated to customers and agree it should be no longer than 7 days. We find many people are reluctant to answer calls from unknown numbers but can be responsive to text messages when they know it is about Jump.
I know some partners try time and time again to contact these customers, but my advice is that one call is all that is necessary – leave a message if possible (voice or text). The ‘reserved’ modem should then be released for distribution after 7 days. This practice should be explained to customers at the time they are added to the waitlist. They should also be encouraged to take responsibility for checking in with you from time to time as well.
Partners are welcome to leave unresponsive names in the Waitlist section of their Jump registers but they eventually ‘expire’ (currently after 6 weeks) when it comes to influencing modem re-order quantities.
You are also welcome to add your own notes in column H of the register and contact details in columns I to N.
Skinny Jump is not a mobile service. This means it can not be used in a vehicle or transferred between houses without the explicit approval of Skinny.
We have heard reports about people trying to connect their modems to the cigarette lighter outlet in their cars, but that seems like a lot of trouble to go to when mobile phones have much easier hotspot functions. We have also heard reports of people temporarily relocating their modem to an alternative address.
Some customers are uncertain about whether they can take their modem with them when they move to a new house. The short answer is “yes, they can” provided:
(a) they have checked there is coverage at their new address; and
(b) they have contacted the Skinny Care Team (0800 475 4669) and confirmed their new address.
If service is not available at the new location, the modem must be returned to a Jump partner; the modem can then be reset (using the Modem Returns form) and reissued to another family that is in coverage.
Many partners are now actively using the waiting list process to signal unmet demand for Jump modems, and we are continuously monitoring these lists to adjust delivery quantities for partners as well as priorities. We currently have 102 modem orders for partners in the pipeline, with total requests for over 1200 modems. This might seem like a lot, but the good news is that waiting times are trending down, and with Christmas coming, we expect this trend to continue at least until February. We have adjusted the re-supply trigger quantity down from 8 weeks to 5. This means that whenever you receive a new supply of modems, you should have enough to last 5 weeks (based on the number issued during the previous five weeks). We do factor in customers on waiting lists, so a couple of reminders about this process.
(1) When you add someone to the waitlist towards the bottom of your Jump Register please include their first and last name and the date they have applied for Jump. The most important field is the date – it must be in the following format: “22-Nov-2022”. Other date formats may not be recognised and this directly affects re-supply quantities.
(2) Do not add people living at locations that fail the Jump coverage test to your waitlists. You should complete an online application for them, so that we get ongoing data about demand that can not currently be met. We do double check coverage for every online application and send an email to applicants at locations where there is no Jump service.
(3) We have noticed some situations where applicants get the green light for Jump coverage when they initially apply, but by the time new modem supplies arrive the situation has changed. This is regrettable, but it is not something we can control. In these situations, please transfer the applicant from your waiting list to an online application.
(4) Some partners are confused about the address verification process and have reported that by the time they discover their customer’s address is not in coverage, they have already set up a Skinny account. The address coverage check MUST come first, and certainly before you start to set up a Skinny Jump account.
(5) And before you add anyone to your waitlist, we do strongly encourage you to use the 6 C’s checklist with your customer to make sure Jump is the right product for them. Failing to do this is likely to lead to further frustration when modem supplies become available and the customer only then discovering that the data cap is not going to work for their household, for example.
Congratulations to Skye Colonna from Tauranga City Library, who is our first winner in the monthly Skinny Jump draws for partners submitting stories about how they are implementing the 6 C’s with their customers in an effort to reduce churn. Skye was selected in a random draw from the entries received between 1 and 31 October. The Jump team will be arranging for your team shout.
Some of the suggestions submitted were:
Provide partners with a handout with brief prompts (otherwise discussion could be quite lengthy)
Could an incentive be provided for returned modems?
We provide a weekly ‘digital drop-in’ at each of our four branches; this provides opportunities to sign up new Jump customers, but also ongoing opportunities for customers to come back to use if they have any issues with their modems.
We offer adult digital classes once a week where customers can upskill themselves to make the most of their internet connection.
We are checking with every customer as they sign up, and ask questions when enquiries are made.
Some larger households have decided to go with fibre connections after we explained the data limitations of Skinny Jump.
We have spent time upskilling our library and admin staff on how to respond to customers who call or walk-in with Skinny Jump issues.
We follow up with customers over the phone the same day that they sign up to check if they need any further help.
We provide in-person help for people needing help with topping up or troubleshooting.
We contact customers from time to time to ensure the modem is working and doing what our customers need.
Thank you everyone for participating and sharing your success stories and ideas for tackling Jump churn. Another draw will be held for entries received between 1 November and 30 November.
This questions was raised by partners in all five webinars last week. The Jump team has now extracted a shapshot of this data for each delivery partner for the total number of modems they have issued.
The percentage churn is calculated as at August 2022 for the number of customers who were inactive for at least 30 days compared to the total number of modems issued. Being ‘inactive’ means the customer didn’t use any data for 30 days; it has nothing to do with whether they topped up or not.
The number of modems issued is the total number issued by a partner since they first became a Jump partner. For some partners this goes back five years. For other partners, it might only be a couple of months.
The percentage figures range from 0% (typical for relatively new partners) to 100% (typically quite small partners). In recent months, the aggregate churn percentage for all partners has been increasing and is now around 75% in a single month (1000 inactives compared to 1300 new sign ups). But the total for the last five years has a mean churn of around 44%. Our goal is to bring this down to under 40%.
The percentage churn for each Jump partner is now displayed in cell P1 (August 2022) of your Jump GSheet register. We would like to get monthly data, so that you can monitor any changes when you implement the 6 C’s or other strategies, but this is quite a marathon in terms of matching data sets; the data analysis also takes account of modems returned.
So please treat the figures in your GSheets as indicative, rather than precise. We are also thinking that it might be more helpful to simply report the number of inactive customers compared to new sign ups each month.
83 partners joined one of our five ‘Jump Churn’ webinars last week. We would have liked to see more, as this is an extremely important issue – where many Jump customers simply stop using their Jump internet connections and do not return their modems. Not only do these modems cost a lot of money and are provided to Jump customers at no charge, we are currently facing a global shortage of modems. Over 1000 people are signing up to Jump every month, but because of these supply chain issues, customers are having to wait up to 2 months to get connected. If we can recover the thousands of modems that are no longer being used, we would make a lot of new customers very happy.
During the webinars the Jump team explained the 6 C’s, a new approach for reducing churn and we are keen to get your feedback on how this is working. The purpose of the 6 C’s is to ensure customers fully understand who Jump is intended for and its limitations. For example, we know that the data cap is not going to work for every household.
If you missed the webinars, you can find a recording of one of these sessions here.
We would like our partners to share their experiences using the 6 C’s conversation guide and provide any customer feedback. We know this could take a bit more time in making sure that Jump suits your customers’ needs, but we hope this will avoid disappointment if they discover the 225GB monthly data cap is simply not enough and also help to reduce the number of modems sitting idle.
The Spark Foundation has offered a monthly partner team prize up the value of $100 each month for the next three months for partners who share their feedback. All responses received each month will be entered into a random draw for the monthly team prize. The winner will be notified by email and published on this blog.
You can find the entry form on our Stepping UP website, on the Jump Partner Resources page here. Click on ‘Churn Feedback Form’.
Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa 