Elevate Your Home Care Game: Secrets to Success

As a national consultant, I have the privilege of engaging with companies all over the country. One of the biggest challenges I see with agencies is their inability to differentiate themselves from the competition. Many have no clue what other agencies offer and how it makes them different and more marketable in the community.

There are several steps to help determine what your community agencies look like and what you might do to set your agency apart from the competition:

• First: Shop your competition to see what they offer and what they charge. Having done this many times, I find that after the 20th call (or more), all of the agencies sound the same. I cannot tell one from the other. No one stands out! if this is you, why would a potential customer go with you? You must be memorable and different than your competition.

• Second: Who answers the phones? This person is your number one salesperson and the one who leads to closing the sale for your agency. That person must be a good listener, personable and engaging. This is your only opportunity to make a good first impression for your agency!

• Third: What are potential customers asking for? Every phone should have a phone log by the phones. Frequently, the person taking the intake calls is on the line when another potential customer calls. Make it the rule all calls are picked up within the first 3 rings. Train all your staff on how to answer the phone and to log all calls whether it is something you can offer or not. An unwritten rule of business is, “If they ask for it, they are willing to pay for it”. Weekly gather the phone logs. See if there are trends in requests that you do not offer. Some requests are not in your “wheel well” but offer an opportunity to partner with others in your community to provide services to your customers. Others are a service that you could create to meet requests such as concierge day surgery support program

• Fourth: Are you educating and training your staff to the prevailing diagnosis of your caseload. If you are doing this, you stand out with not only potential clients/patients, but with referral sources as well.

If you are struggling to get clients/patients and are not sure how to improve your referrals and increase your revenues, call Ginny Kenyon at 206-721-5091 or email gkenyon@kenyonhcc.com . We are here to help at Kenyon Homecare Consulting!