Introduction
The One-time (or Flash) Meeting to Ongoing Connection feature gives mentees the option to pursue a connection with the mentor they met with for their Flash meeting. This feature can facilitate workflows for programs that prefer to have their mentees meet with a mentor at least once before beginning a longer-term connection with them.
The One-time Meeting to Ongoing Connection feature allows a more seamless transition from a flash meeting into an ongoing connection between a mentor and a mentee. Once enabled, there are two different ways for mentees to connect with a mentor they had a flash meeting with (Forced Connection or a Connection Request), which is explained in more detail in the sections below.
Please Note: This feature is only available to programs that have both the Ongoing and One-time Mentoring modes enabled. This feature is also not available when Preferred Mentoring is already enabled. You can check your program's mentoring modes under the Matching Settings tool, located under the Matching card on the Manage page.
This feature is only available to programs that have both the Ongoing and One-time Mentoring modes enabled. This feature is also not available when Preferred Mentoring is already enabled.
You can check your program's mentoring modes under the Matching Settings tool, located under the Matching card on the Manage page.
The One-time Meeting to Ongoing Connection feature allows a more seamless transition from a flash meeting into an ongoing connection between a mentor and a mentee. Once enabled, there are two different ways for mentees to connect with a mentor they had a flash meeting with (Forced Connection or a Connection Request), which is explained in more detail in the sections below.
Enabling the Feature
To enable the feature, navigate to the Matching Settings tool, which can be found under the Matching card on the Manage page. Scroll down to the One-time Mentoring Settings section, then look for the section circled in the image above.
If you do not see this section, then either one of the two required meeting modes is not currently enabled, or Preferred Mentoring is enabled for your program.
After enabling the feature, you will need to choose between allowing the mentee the ability to create the ongoing connection without the mentor's input (Forced Connections) or requiring the mentor to accept the request before an ongoing connection is established (Connection Requests). The next section describes these two options in more detail.
Note that even with this feature enabled, there are a couple of scenarios where a mentee will not be prompted to start an ongoing connection with a mentor:
When a program is configured to allow mentors to choose their mentoring modes and the mentor chosen by the mentee opted to participate only in Flash meetings
If a mentor is already at their maximum number of connections
Please Note: We highly recommend discussing this feature with your Customer Success team member before enabling it. They can provide guidance on the impacts it could have to your program's design and workflows.
Forced Connections vs. Connection Requests
The first option in the list, Connect them if mentee wants to connect again with mentor for ongoing mentoring connection, is known as a forced connection. With this option enabled, the mentee gets to decide who their mentor will be. This option typically works best for programs that are more coaching-oriented.
The second option in the list, Send a mentoring request to mentor if mentee looks to connect again for an ongoing mentoring connection, is known as a connection request. With this option enabled, the mentor must first accept the mentee's ongoing connection request before an ongoing connection is established. This option results in the same experience participants would have if a mentee clicked the Connect button from a mentor's profile, but the method of requesting the mentor is more seamless with fewer clicks.
User Experience
Forced Connections
After the flash meeting has occurred, if the mentor has ongoing connection slots available, the mentee will be prompted with the screen above.
Clicking the first option will automatically create an ongoing connection between the mentor and mentee. The mentor will receive a system email informing them that they are now in a connection. The mentee will then be prompted with the Flash Meeting Feedback survey for your program.
Clicking the second option will prompt the mentee with the Flash Meeting Feedback survey for your program.
Clicking the third option will prompt the mentee with the canceled meeting version of the Flash Meeting Feedback survey for your program.
Connection Requests
After the flash meeting has occurred, if the mentor has ongoing connection slots available, the mentee will be prompted with the screen above.
Clicking the first option will send an ongoing connection request to the mentor. The mentee will then be prompted with the Flash Meeting Feedback survey for your program. The experience from this point is the same as if the mentee had sent a connection request to a mentor by clicking the Connect button on the mentor's profile.
Clicking the second option will prompt the mentee with the Flash Meeting Feedback survey for your program.
Clicking the third option will prompt the mentee with the canceled meeting version of the Flash Meeting Feedback survey for your program.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
I enabled the feature, but a mentee wrote in saying that they cannot connect with a mentor that they had a flash meeting with. What's going on?
If you allow mentors to select their mentoring modes and the mentor has only selected Flash as their mentoring mode option, then this option will not appear for the mentee. Otherwise, it's because the mentor is full on connections (they are at their connection slot limit), and cannot take any on any more mentees at this time.