For Owners, CEOs and Directors
Private Duty Planning and Coaching with Stephen Tweed
Private Duty Executive Coaching with Stephen Tweed
The Academy for Private Duty Home Care
Caregiver Quality Assurance™ program and the Caregiver Pre-Employment Assessment System
Start a Non-Medical Home Care Company
Building Your Office Systems for Your Home Care Company
Private Duty Home Care Agencies are typically run in a standard office environment. You’ll need to provide work areas for your administrative staff, scheduling staff, clerical support staff and a home base for field supervisors and sales people.
While office space is the most typical environment, we’ve seen successful home care agencies run from homes, from storefronts, and even a few run using cell phones, laptops and automobiles as their offices. While there are no cut and dried rules for developing your office, there are some systems that all agencies need to consider.
Telephone systems – Your telephone is your store window! The first point of contact with the majority of your clients and referral sources will be by telephone. You’ll want to make sure that your important callers feel comfortable from the first moment. You will want quality telephone systems with ample line space, appropriate levels of technology and an environment that promotes call quality. Remember to think about voicemail systems and other automated systems, but realize that most people prefer a human voice as the first voice they hear.
On-call systems – Private Duty Home Care is a 24/7/365 business. Your customers and referral sources expect you to have a system to respond to their inquiries at any time. With today’s technology this can be inexpensive. The critical part is developing a system to get the individual’s needs met in a timely manner.
Computers, printers, fax machines and copiers – Second to telephones, your ability to store and communicate information is important. The key is to find a balance between high-tech and usability. It does you no good to own super computers that no one in the company knows how to run, or multi-function printers that no one can operate all the functions. Look at the information you need to process and acquire all the tools you need.
Office space - Three things to consider when looking for office space. First is location. Location is more important to your employees than to your clients. If you open an office in a wealthy neighborhood, close to your prospective client base, you may find it difficult to recruit caregivers from this neighborhood. Caregivers are typically lower to middle income individuals and clients are typically upper income individuals. Since you deliver service to your client’s homes, you will find more success offering locations where caregivers are comfortable coming for an interview. The second thing to consider is expense. Is it right for your agency to rent an office? Should you purchase a small building or home? What is your monthly budget for office and furnishings? The final consideration is scalability. When choosing office space, make sure you have room for growth. Many agencies make the mistake of saving a few hundred dollars by renting the least expensive space to meet their needs. You will quickly spend the money you save by needing to move as your company grows. Choose a space that allows for growth without breaking your budget. In the big picture, rent will be one of your smallest expenses based on your overall revenue.
Professionalism – Your office environment will often be a reflection of your overall professionalism. Spending the extra money on attractive furniture, office décor or even an interior decorator may result in additional referrals and improved employee retention. Having professional letterhead and signage in your office gives the appearance of professionalism. Make sure the first thing your potential caregivers see is a friendly face, rather than a recent office supply delivery.
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