How switchboard works

On Switchboard, the expectation is for you to volunteer one hour of your time to share expertise and talk with a ministry worker in one of our Great Commission organizations. We are not a freelance site and do not support paid service providers operating through our platform. Once you've wrapped up that initial call, you are free to move on from the connection. We'll send you a short feedback form to ask how it went.

That being said, we've had several connections where both parties really connected and felt a shared sense of mission.

In those cases, those two have kept talking to one another for a few follow-up calls or even worked on a project together beyond that initial one-hour conversation. However, even in those cases, those users have maintained a volunteering relationship rather than a contractor/freelancer relationship.

We're here for organizations of all sizes. We have missionaries who serve like soloprenuers and global organizations with thousands of workers.

It can be either. When an organization is large, we find the greatest impact often comes from supporting those in the field. But the experience and skills available at Switchboard are also very applicable to those leading in organizational roles.

We are constantly growing our catalog of specialties. If there's a specialty you or someone else has that you think should be added. Just reach out and let us know.

You can make as many requests as you want per month. Bring the needs and we will bring the Kingdom Consultants!

Yes! You may connect with more than one GCO at a time.

But take into consideration that initial conversations may lead to more ways you may help that GCO if you so choose.

Let’s start with one connection and grow from there.

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The volume of service opportunities you receive is entirely dependent on the number of Great Commission Organizations who are joining Switchboard and requesting conversation. On top of that, we don't see the same level of demand for every specialty we list in our catalog. As such, we cannot guarantee you any particular frequency of service opportunities.

The key here is to make yourself available for the Great Commission, invite missionaries, church planters, and ministry workers you know to join the platform. Please continue to pray that God multiplies the number of Great Commission Organizations on our platform.

All of our organizations and Kingdom Consultants affirm our statement of faith and our respective community agreement forms (one for KCs and one for GCOs) which require Christ-like character and humble collaboration through the Switchboard platform. You can also learn more about our eligibility requirements for KCs here

Switchboard depends heavily on user feedback. If you want to provide feedback simply message our Product Manager at melequin@globalswitchboard.io to share your feedback on existing features or things you'd like to see added to Switchboard in the future.

The Switchboard time works hard to improve our app each and every day. You can expect small bug features and fixes every 2-3 weeks with at least one major feature dropping every month.

It's just a one-hour conversation around a specific topic. It could be done through a video conferencing tool, WhatsApp, or any number of other ways to connect.

This initial connection between the GCO and the KC is not necessarily to solve all the issues. Just make a connection first and discuss the topic or task at hand. If that task can be solved or a resolution plan layout within the hour, great.

At the end of the conversation, the GCO and the KC may mutually decide to continue the connection with a follow-up or a project if more help is needed.

Currently, we do not have any features for team collaboration. However, we are still discovering great ways to help Great Commission teams work together in and through Switchboard. Message melequin@globalswitchboard.io if you have specific requests or ideas about team collaboration through Switchboard.

The conversation is just the beginning. Many requests can be solved within the hour. Others, not so much.

If there is more work to be done, finish the conversation by identifying the next steps.

At the end of the conversation, the GCO and the KC may mutually decide to continue the connection with a follow-up or a project if more help is needed, but this should not be an expectation.

You will initially direct messages through the Switchboard, where the communication will evolve into possible emails or texts.

Once connected, you can coordinate schedules and communication methods.

Unfortunately, our platform is not available in languages besides English. We plan to add additional languages to our platform over time. However, our Kingdom Consultants come from all over the world, and many speak additional languages besides English. If you have a specific language need, message concierge@globalswitchboard.io to find a KC who can assist.

All user information is stored in encrypted databases & transferred using encrypted internet protocols.

Yes! You can check out the catalog on our website to learn more about the kinds of connections you can create on the platform.

Switchboard is currently only a web app. However, you can open our app and use it effectively from your mobile phone's web browser, such as Chrome or Safari.

We can guarantee that you will only receive opportunities to serve that match the specialties you add to your profile. However, we are always learning and trying to find ways to help translate needs into specialties. Sometimes our specialties miss the mark and we need to reword them or add new specialties to our catalog. Keep us posted by messaging our support team or making suggestions in our catalog so we can provide better matches over time.

If you've already created a Kingdom Consultant profile, click "KC Login" the main navigation.

Once you've successfully logged in, click you profile image in the top right to view your profile details. Make any necessary changes and click the "Save Profile" button at the bottom.

Many times a simple conversation or task reveals a broader issue that requires more time.

Sometimes the KC from the initial conversation is able to work on the resulting project. But other times, they may not have the time or expertise needed. 

But don't worry. All you need to do is make another more specific request now that you know more clearly what you need.

At present, it currently takes an average of 45min to get connected to a Kingdom Consultant after creating your initial request.

We guarantee that any support question you have will be reviewed by and responded to by a real human being. Our customer support team is small but mighty! Not only can you reach out to our customer support team from the help menu in our app or our concierge from any of your connection emails, you can also send us a message any time by emailing us at support@globalswitchboard.io.

No, we do not limit our services based on geographic location. While we don't restrict our services based on geography, we are dedicated missionally to focusing on organizations that serve in more resource-scarce regions or where the gospel is needed the most. Moreover, some potential GCOs on our platform live in high-risk regions of the world. In those situations, we strongly recommend those potential users review our article on security on our platform.

If your organization works in a high risk or sensitive context. Please consult your organization’s cybersecurity department about using online services and communicating with other users on Switchboard.

You can also review Switchboard's security recommendations for GCOs.

During the registration process, you will see questions to help  you assess what roles you may need.

If you're still not sure you can schedule a conversation with an operator who will walk you through a discovery session to explore where you can find the most help.

First, let us know at your earliest convenience. The easiest way to do so is to send a message to concierge@globalswitchboard.io. Our concierge is copied on all of the connections we make via email, so you should always be one click away from our concierge.

Switchboard is a platform for connecting believers globally, so those with needs and those who can help know each other. We match everyday believers to the mission field so that everyone can bring their best and make a Great Commission impact.

Absolutely. Here's how we suggest you make the most out of Switchboard.

Connect with Kingdom Consultants to help your mission, your organization, or you/your family.
Our KCs are gifted in all sorts of areas, meaning that they can directly support the activities of your organization, help you run a more effective organization, or even help you and your family directly. Check out this article to learn more about how our KCs can provide three-fold empowerment to those serving the Great Commission.

Create multiple requests at a timeWe don't limit the number of requests you can create. Go ahead and create a request for some marketing help, some business coaching help, and some website design help. We can start recruiting and help you assemble a team in no time!

Miscommunication happens. We get it.

If you're having difficulty with your conversation, just reach out. We're here to help.

You may request several conversations at the same time, but a better question may be, how many KCs can you juggle at a time?

We suggest starting with big things first, those priorities with the greatest impact on your day and/or organization, slowly increasing your bandwidth.

Remember, you can return to the Switchboard at any time to submit additional requests and make additional connections.

We're in it with you for the long haul.

Our Great Commission organizations that join the platform must affirm our statement of faith and Great Commission Organization Commitment form. Furthermore, these organizations often join our platform by referral, creating a relational check against bad agents. Finally, we invite all users, after every connection, to provide secure and private feedback to their conversation partner and to the Switchboard team to help us understand the connections our platform is creating. These feedback forms are great opportunities to inform us if a user is a bad agent

As of 08-28-2023, our app is completely free for all Great Commission organizations using our platform.

At present, you cannot customize the frequency of opportunities you receive, as these are subject to demand. If you need to take a break from receiving opportunities through Switchboard, contact support@globalswitchboard.io and we will pause all incoming requests to your profile for a desired period of time. 

Switchboard offers opportunities for one hour calls through our platform based on the specialties listed in our catalog. If you no longer want to receive certain types of one hour conversations, edit your profile and remove the no-longer-desired specialty from your profile.

The short answer is, yes! The long answer is that we aren't sure exactly what features we release will require that premium/subscription model. We are currently exploring multiple different concepts. Ultimately, we intend to create a self-sustaining platform that is funded by its own revenues rather than support by donations.