Why Hotlines Don’t Work: Poor Follow-Up

Tips are not adequately investigated.

This is the third of five common pitfalls to avoid when implementing a hotline, whether that’s a corporate hotline to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse or a emergency services hotline or even a school or campus hotline.  To read about the other pitfalls and why we think we know something, go back to the summary post.

Hotlines are not used when users do not feel their tip was ever investigated. If users can see the track their tip follows, where it was sent, and what action was taken as a result, users will submit more tips more often. With an Adeona hotline, the user can track their tip through each forwarded step, each action, and through conclusion. Users have real-time access and instant gratification that their tip is being investigated.

Encouraging hotline use requires training, which Adeona includes in each implementation, as well as active investigators. Adeona works with each client to determine the best investigative track for each type of tip. Tips are forwarded automatically to the appropriate investigative lead.

For instance,

  • #metoo tips can be forwarded to an assigned HR specialist.

  • Suggestions for improvements can go to a different assigned manager.

  • workplace violence concerns can be forwarded with urgency to a Response Specialist.

An Adeona hotline includes backend data intelligence to identify backlogs and increase response.