Following are responses to the most frequently asked questions regarding use of this website. If your question or issue is not covered in these responses, please click Contact Us at the top right hand corner of the page to send a question to our site administrator. Thank you!
Do I need an account to access the information on this site?
No special account or login is required to use this website. Anyone can access information on our Counselors, Workshops and Resources to help small businesses start up and grow. Anyone can register for workshops online and pay for the workshop using PayPal.
How do I register so I can login to the website?
All ECI SCORE counselors and volunteers can be registered as users on the website.
How do I find information on ECI SCORE Counselors?
From the home page, click on the "Meet our Counselors" link in the Counseling tab. This will take you to a complete listing of our Counselors. Along the left side of the page there are various topic links that can be used to sort our Counselors by their expertise. Use these links to learn more about the expertise and background of our counselors. To see the full biographical sketch for any Counselor, just click on the "Read More" link by his or her summary.
How do I get an appointment for free business counseling?
To schedule an appointment, you can call ECI SCORE at (217) 359-1791 or click on the "Make an Appointment" link in the top left corner of the page. If you are requesting an appointment online, fill out the form and click on "Submit." An ECI SCORE representative will contact you within 48 hours.
Can I choose my own Counselor?
ECI SCORE assigns its Counselors based on your specific business requirements and the expertise and experience of the Counselors. Usually, a Lead Counselor is assigned for the first counseling session. Based on your initial session, the Lead Counselor will recruit other Counselors with relevant expertise to become members of your Counseling Team. If you find an ECI SCORE Counselor that you believe would be useful to you in addressing our business needs, you should discuss adding that Counselor to your Team with your Lead Counselor.
How do I register for a workshop?
ECI SCORE conducts workshops on Starting a Business, Preparing a Business Plan, and Financing your Business. To register for one of these workshops click on the Workshops tab and find the workshop that interests you. Either click on the "Register" button from the summary page or click on the "Read More" button. This page provides more information on the workshop and includes a "Register" button. When you click on the "Register" button you are taken to a page that asks you to provide your contact information with a PayPal link to pay for the workshop by credit card. Registration for workshops closes 48 hours before they begin. Call ECI SCORE at (217) 359-1791 if you have any additional questions.
What if I have a different question that is not listed in this FAQ?
If your question is not covered here, please call ECI SCORE at (217) 359-1791, or send us your question directly by using the Contact Us button in the upper right corner of the page.