Like many UK organisations, the care sector has experienced incredibly tough challenges over the last few years. Government funding cuts, staff shortages, the pandemic, and now to make matters even worse, the cost of living crisis has resulted in an industry that’s now buckling under extreme financial difficulties.
A recent independent report based on a representative survey of care providers in England recently found one respondent describing the current climate as “genuinely the most perilous period in the organisation’s 50-year history,” going on to say that their “ability to provide residential care and supported living is seriously compromised.” And as much as there is no ‘magic wand’ to make everything better immediately, there is one solution that can, at least, give care providers a more efficient workforce and, more importantly, big cost savings.
Help is at hand.
When you sign up for a telephone answering service, instead of having to spend the extra expense of hiring full-time reception staff – or rely on the existing workforce – you can start to relax in the knowledge that you’ll have a dedicated call handling team on hand whenever you need them; giving you first-class professional service when you need it the most.
Here’s a bit more detail…
Real cost savings
Hiring a dedicated receptionist or administrative staff to manage calls can be costly for a care provider, particularly small or independent practices and homes, so bringing a telephone answering service onto the team can be a cost-effective solution. By outsourcing call management, care providers can save on staffing expenses, office space, equipment, and training costs – see how those numbers add up.
Everyone benefits
Aside from increased financial savings, patients, families – and staff – will all be smiling more too, when the answering service on hand can handle appointment scheduling, cancellations, and rescheduling. This frees up valuable time for the provider to focus on patient care rather than administrative tasks, which all translates to a much more efficient operation, leading to a far happier working environment.
Improved communication
When you think about it, effective communication is essential for any business operation – and the care industry is no different. A telephone answering service can handle those high volumes of incoming calls from patients, their families and other stakeholders with the utmost of professionalism and efficiency.
They can also greet callers, gather essential information, and ensure that messages are accurately relayed to the care provider. This helps maintain a positive image and provide excellent customer service, leading to a higher rate of patient retention, improved reputation and, ultimately, financially better off. Talking of which, another point worth remembering about when you have a slick answering service, and that’s no more lost business opportunities. For every missed call, a care organisation could potentially lose a new client to a different nursing home in the area. There’s always competition, and this industry is no exception.
A flexible workforce equals greater financial benefits.
One of the best features of a telephone answering service is that they don’t have to be employed all the time, meaning care providers only pay when they need the extra help. Yes, that’s right, when demand is down, so is the cost outlay – how amazing is that?! Another saving that nursing homes can look forward to is from having to employ less reception or temp agency staff.
Hear from one of our current clients:
Conclusion
Okay, we know that the thought of spending money right now is probably the last thing you want to be thinking about; however, when you invest in a telephone answering service, you’ll see immediate substantial savings through reduced missed calls, flexible outsourcing of resources and optimised staff utilisation. And, not only that, you’ll have the latest technology working in the background to enhance the efficiency, professionalism, and accessibility of your organisation – allowing staff to focus on delivering high-quality care while ensuring that callers receive prompt attention and support.
If you want Phoneta to help you achieve a more streamlined, cost-effective and productive business, contact us on 01209 311 311.
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