The home care care sector is an ever-changing landscape, and providers face a multitude of challenges as they strive to provide the best possible care for their customers. While there are many challenges to navigate, teams across the country are laying foundations for the upcoming Support At Home program that they are keen to get in front of. Whilst there remains uncertainty around some of the program details, the broad strokes are there and teams are pushing to focus on three key areas that stand out as particularly significant: retaining and engaging customers, driving efficiency, and being proactive.

The first challenge facing providers is retaining and engaging customers in an increasingly competitive market. With more options available to customers, providers need to find ways to keep them engaged and draw more services from them. This means providing exceptional service and creating a positive customer experience that sets them apart from their competitors.  The presence of customer service tools, processes and methods, is something that 8/10 providers report they have not formally established.  With customer service being the lifeblood of any organisation, its become a critical success measure that a focus on this area provides wins to customers and teams easily.

Care service software in home care is a crucial tool for keeping customers engaged and retained. By providing a seamless communication experience, customer service software allows customers to easily access information and support when they need it. This helps to build trust and foster long-term relationships with customers, reducing the likelihood of churn and increasing revenue over time. Moreover, customer service software can help providers to proactively engage with customers, addressing potential issues before they turn into complaints. By leveraging technology to provide exceptional customer service, home care providers can differentiate themselves from other options in the market and build a loyal customer base.

To achieve this, providers must be proactive in understanding their customers’ needs and preferences. This includes utilizing technology to provide personalized care that meets their unique requirements. Providers should also be transparent and communicate effectively with their customers to build trust and foster long-term relationships.

The second key challenge is driving efficiency across home care admin teams. This involves reducing manual communication tasks and utilising app-based communication methods. With the latest benchmarks showing that over 40% of elderly customers (2023 Hayylo report) are opting for app-based communication, and over 80% are reachable via SMS and other digital means, making this an essential area for providers to focus on.  This then supports the ability to streamline teams in ways that have not previously been possible by reducing manual tasks, such as phone calls, providers can save significant amounts of time and effort.

In addition to improving customer satisfaction, driving efficiency is also helping providers manage costs and increase revenue. By automating tasks and reducing manual errors, providers can free up resources to focus on more value-adding activities, such as care coordination and proactive customer engagement.  With reports of 30 – 40% reduction in manual efforts related to only one aspect (phone calls), teams that have focused on the care service teams, are beginning to excel.

Looking at the above, we also noted that being proactive in catching issues before they turn into complaints is an untapped opportunity for most teams. By identifying potential issues early on, home care teams can take steps to address them before they escalate, saving time and effort in the long run. This can also help to build trust and foster long-term relationships with customers, reducing the likelihood of churn and increasing revenue over time. Additionally, being proactive can help teams to identify patterns and trends in customer feedback, allowing them to make changes that address common issues and improve the overall customer experience. By taking a proactive approach to customer service, home care providers can reduce complaints, improve customer satisfaction, and create a sustainable business model for the future.

As the home care sector continues to evolve, providers that are embracing technology, proactively engaging with customers, and driving efficiency, are beginning to stay ahead of the curve and provide exceptional care to their customers. This not only benefits customers but also the teams themselves by reducing costs, increasing revenue, and creating a sustainable business model for the future.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Hayylo can help you deliver exceptional care services to your clients and stay ahead of the workload across care service delivery, get your link to the Hayylo overview or visit our website.