Creating lead generation transparency is unique in senior living yet critical to each community’s efficiency and productivity. We will pull back the curtain with statistics on lead management, lead validation and conversion rates.
What to schedule a demo or learn more? Click here for more information on SeniorVu services →
We are a data driven world. It can be good or it can be overwhelming. This webinar will highlight three scenarios where data is used to make intelligent business decisions, improve current assets and increase referrals to your communities. Learn how to use incidence data and medication data to improve your business results.
What to schedule a demo or learn more? Click here for more information on VisionLTC services →
As an industry, we are constantly struggling with associate recruitment and retention. Turnover is high particularly with direct care associates. We are inundated with the statistics of the workforce shortage and the significant care demands of an elderly population that only continues to grow. All which eventually impact resident satisfaction and ultimately net operating income (NOI).
Here are practices that can get you out of the revolving door of staffing management:
Hire Right
As my grandfather used to say, measure twice, cut once. If you are a woodworker or a tailor, you only have to make the mistake once to know the benefits of careful measurement. So often at the Community level we are scrambling to fill shifts and cut overtime that we don’t measure twice. Then we are scratching our heads wondering why staff members are leaving.
Hiring is an art and a science. Make sure to use all the tools to measure right!
Make Sure Your Job Tasks Match the Skill Level
Are your nurses overwhelmed with administrative tasks? Are your CNAs washing dishes? Look at each job and identify tasks that do not have to be done by a certified or licensed professional. Hire homemakers to complete those tasks.
Always Be Recruiting
Even if all your current jobs are filled, don’t stop hiring.
Find Out What You’re Doing Right and Wrong
Develop a Culture of Loyalty and Engagement
Did you know that 71% of American workers are currently disengaged from their job? That means they’re just going through the motions. And if your workplace is like most, 6 out of 10 are currently looking to move on.
How do you engage your associates?
Provide Opportunities for Growth and Development
There’s no shortcut to a viable recruitment and retention program – but the rewards can be priceless.
By Lynn & Mark Ackerman
As a senior living community, it is critical to get input from your residents and staff! This webinar breaks down how to perform a successful survey and the benefits your community can take away.
Written By: Doug Pruden Principal Customer Experience Partners, LLC – and Senior Living SMART Partner
Confirmed Costco shoppers appear to enjoy their shopping experiences at the big-box retailer. Despite the less than luxurious facilities, larger than desirable multi-packs, membership fee, and frustratingly long checkout lines, Costco rises to the top in just about every national customer satisfaction ranking. At first glance, it may seem strange that Costco ranks right up there with the likes of Nordstrom and Trader Joes, but when all of the components of the total customer experience are considered, it makes sense.
But the apparent contradictions don’t stop with Customer Satisfaction. Costco also enjoys strong, positive word of mouth! Actual, in-market dialogue about a company often doesn’t track well with these more traditional measures. So, it’s worth taking a look at how Costco manages to turn purchases of 6-month supplies of olive oil or ‘convenient’ twenty-four packs of D-batteries into a shopping experience that customers actually talk about.
Of course numerous possible explanations come to mind. It could be that shoppers like to brag about how much money they save, such as the convenience of ‘one-stop shopping’, etc. However, according to Robin Ross, Senior Director of Corporate Marketing, Costco’s ability to generate word of mouth also has to do with offering unexpected surprises and instilling the sense of a ‘treasure hunt’ into every shopping visit. Costco understands that providing good bargains and a satisfactory shopping experience may keep customers coming back, but these more mundane issues are not likely to stimulate conversations with friends, neighbors, relatives, and co-workers. And, it’s this positive word of mouth that communicates and perpetuates the memorable customer experience which, in turn, helps keep customers returning and attracts new customers as well.
Stimulating and maintaining dialogues about itself with little or no advertising demanded what Ross describes as a “better idea”. Costco elected a unique strategy. They added “conversation products” into their product mix; a $3,000 toilet, a $2+ million dollar ring, and computer-measured, custom-tailored men’s suits. These items are both unconventional and unexpected offerings in a discounter-setting and in truth Costco doesn’t expect to sell many of these items. But along with other, more affordable ‘treasures’, they provide customers stories to tell. This unusual merchandise provides customers a reason to talk about their trips to Costco. Embedded in the resulting word of mouth may be mentions of other, more traditional purchases; the wild salmon they bought or the rewarding savings they received at the in-store pharmacy. The next time a friend mentions Costco pay attention; you may be a recipient of just such a report.
Strategies for increasing the volume and positive tonality of word of mouth aren’t unique to Costco. Senior living facilities that understand how to provide: 1) Motivation, 2) Content: stories to tell, and 3) Opportunity: chances to relate their content, will enjoy increased word of mouth as well. To hear more about managing and monitoring word of mouth for your brand join us for a Senior Living Smart webinar on October 14!
Watch our webinar, and don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you need solutions.
Marketing a senior living community can be challenging. After all, most communities are essentially selling the same thing. As a result, it can be difficult for consumers to identify the community best suited for their lifestyle and needs.
1. Differentiate through technology. Here’s what to keep in mind when evaluating your options.
2. Differentiate through value and price. You could use a “high-end” approach. This caters to the belief that the more costly a product or service is, the more valuable it is. Another option: Position your brand as the provider of high quality at a value price. (Hint: Southwest Airlines does a great job at the latter.)
3. Differentiate through product and services. Convey value by highlighting unique product or service features. For example, how does your dining program compare to local restaurants? How does your resident wellness program compare?
4. Differentiate through customer service. Thanks to the prevalence of online reviews, good customer service will always be important. But exceptional service will elevate your status in the senior living marketplace even more. What are your residents and families saying about you? Do you have a customer service program that creates raving fans?
5. Differentiate through user experience. Senior living communities must build emotional connections through memorable experiences. Remember, there are many transition “points” for residents and families during their stay in your senior living community. How well do you do at these important points in time? Are you eliciting feedback from your residents and following through on what you’ve heard?
We’ve spent decades working in the industry. Let us help!
Blog Provided By Joan Bachman, RN, HNA, RHIT, BSBA, FCN
Maximize Your Senior Living Resources
The Only Place You Find “Success” before “Work” is in the Dictionary. Survival and growth of an organization rely on the effective use of available assets.
A successful organization maintains accurate business records and promotes healthy communication.
Is there information that your community needs to improve on recording? Let’s Chat
Blog provided by Senior Living SMART Partner: Sensight Surveys
One of the most common recommended improvements we hear from family members on our customer experience surveys is more frequent updates from community management about their loved one’s status.
Managing a senior living community is a busy, demanding job. Sometimes finding time to update responsible parties (RPs) can be difficult, but doing so goes a long way in building a sense of caring. Our research shows that something as simple as a personalized note from the Executive Director can make the difference between a disgruntled family member and one who is happy with their senior assisted living community. Read more
Ever since we entered this world we have been labeled. Newborn. Cute. Colicy. Chubby. Then as we grew our labels grew along with us. Fast, small, smart, tall. Rich, poor, weird or a bore. And we labeled others because there is a natural tendency to put people that we meet in categories. The further we travelled in life the more the labels – mother, sister, wife, doctor, nurse, shy, lazy, etc. These labels become stereotypes – and these become judgements and biases.
The word label refers to the paper or identifying marks on a jar that tells you something about what’s inside the jar. Based on that label you make assumptions and judgements for what is inside that jar.
lI’s ok to put a description on a jar so you know what’s inside , but it’s not okay to judge people by attaching a label, or description to them, such as “nerd,” “jock,” or “burnout.” Sometime labeling is very useful. It would be impossible to catalogue the information we process during our lives without the aid of labels like “friendly,” “deceitful,” “tasty,” and “dangerous.” But many labels can be harmful, even to the point of limiting people’s abilities just based on assumptions we make from that label.
We need to be very careful in how we label our residents. In a Focus Group that I was a part of we asked seniors who were in “independent living cottages” on a IL/AL campus what was the biggest struggle for them day to day. The top answer was meals. They often found it difficult to make 3 nutritious and tasty meals a day. They were asked why they didn’t go over to the “assisted living” dining room which they could access for free as part of their monthly fees. The overwhelming answer was “I don’t want to be with those people. They are in assisted living! They can’t carry on a conversation and are boring.” I looked around the room at the walkers, wheelchairs, oxygen tanks and other than where they lived on the campus would not have thought of this group as independent. But they would rather eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for dinner than be labeled as “assisted”. We talked with the participants of the focus group about being labeled – and they did not like it at all. But if they had to be labeled – it was going to be independent!
There is definitely a stereotype and bias for residents in “assisted living” from other residents, staff and healthcare professionals. There are many stereotypes that come with just getting old – can’t drive, slow, doesn’t like change, can’t understand technology. Everyday we meet seniors who are breaking those stereotypes.
No one likes a negative label. I challenge the industry to be person-centered when meeting a new resident and look forward to a time when we don’t put labels on our residents that may negatively impact their independence and fulfillment.
It’s budget season, the time when all operators sharpen their pencils trying to find opportunities to reduce expenses. Independent owner-operators have to be particularly focused at this time of year to finish the fourth quarter strong and make good decisions to set up the first quarter for success. Unlike national and regional chains that are able to absorb unexpected negative trends, independent operators do not have the margins to operate profitably while carrying aging and bad debt; increased fixed costs such as insurance and benefits; or dips in occupancy. The good news is that there are some great solutions available!
Senior Living Smart hand selects Partners with solutions representing every area of operations, management and marketing to help independent operators improve profitability and performance and we have discovered some wonderful solutions. Here are just a few:
At Senior Living Smart, we are committed to helping independent owner-operators improve profitability and performance and leveling the playing field by providing the same resources typically accessible to regional and national chains. Check us out and check out our valued partners!
