Rate My Professor Philippa Hoult

Philippa Hoult serves as the Senior Manager of AskOtago at the University of Otago, the institution's central multi-channel contact centre that functions as a one-stop shop for inquiries from students, staff, and the public. AskOtago launched on 30 July 2018 in the St David II Building, integrating 11 previous services such as the IT help desk and University Information Centre. Available through telephone (DDI +64 3 479 7000 or 0800 80 80 98), email (university@otago.ac.nz), live chat, text (866), an online self-help knowledgebase, and face-to-face support at the main hub and five smaller campus locations, the service employs over 50 flexible staff to resolve queries efficiently or provide seamless referrals.

Under Hoult's leadership, AskOtago achieved rapid success, recording over 162,000 transactions in its first 10 months by May 2019—including 69,000 emails and 39,000 calls—with an average customer wait time of 15 seconds and call length of five minutes. She oversaw the critical early phases, including knowledgebase development, recruitment, and staff training, receiving special mention from Shared Services Director David Tapp and Vice-Chancellor Professor Harlene Hayne. During the 2020 COVID-19 lockdown, her team, working remotely across Dunedin, Nelson, and the UK, initiated daily wellbeing checks, reaching 1,506 students by email, 373 by phone, and 24 staff members, with particular focus on self-isolating individuals and those living alone. Collaborating with volunteers for outreach to students in China, they escalated health concerns to services like Student Health, providing essential human connection amid isolation. Hoult has expressed pride in her team's adaptability and dedication. Prior to AskOtago, she managed Admissions, Enrolment, and the University Information Centre.