We wanted to take a moment to share how some community support organisations are leveraging innovation within the tight fiscal conditions across Aged / Disability Care. It goes without saying from our experience, that groups who have the ability (resource and funding) to implement innovate programs, technologies and research are making waves for their customers and the communities around them. Late last year the IRT Group began piloting a driverless car program designed to support customers who are no longer able to transport themselves easily around their villages/facilities. This is a great example of how complex technology and innovation can be simplified through an interface that allows people who are less familiar with technology, to use hi-tech to support them.  With a simple click, customers can summon a vehicle which will take them to their destination. Whilst this is a great example, it doesn’t help the majority of organisations who may not have access to millions in research and development funding. So what options are there? We find that sometimes, simple is better, and knowing what your customers desire is a great place to start. From talking to our customers, (Community Care Providers), we have seen 3 common challenges (and opportunities) faced by providers and the three ways new innovations are overcoming them. The challenges:
  • Lowering operational costs
  • Driving new revenue
  • Increasing customer satisfaction
Meaningful innovations: Lowering operational cost – Economics dictate starting with your highest cost point… workforce optimisation projects. Change management in this space can be difficult but the rewards after investment can be significant. An opportunity for automation in the customer service and customer communication parts of the organisation is often overlooked. Open digital customer service channels and implement smart routing of inquiries to the right teams in your organisation directly and the operational spend reduces. Driving new revenue – By connecting your customers via digital channels, you can open the door for new revenue opportunities through eCommerce tools that not only boost your bottom line but offer new services to customers and their families when they need them. On average over 40% of all app users within community services are over the age of 77 which goes to show they are ready. Increasing customer satisfaction – Giving your customer a voice through a live and ongoing feedback tool not only helps drive a better customer experience, it allows your organisation to keep your finger on the pulse in an ever-changing market. Not only is this increasing the conversion rate of CHSP to HCP customers, but allows groups to stay connected to their customer’s ever-changing needs. Catching a potential issue early saves countless hours in “repair” type activities later. It’s all cost. What to know more about innovation quick wins? head to hayylo