May 08, 2024
Using Automations to Increase Move-insSuccessful tours for senior living communities are more than showcasing amenities. Instead, they’re about creating personalized experiences that resonate with potential residents. If you tap into the power of automation, it can help improve tour experiences, increase show-up rates, and ultimately drive more move-ins!
In today's digitally driven landscape, automation has emerged as a game-changer in various industries, including senior living. By using tools and automation that can help schedule and personalize content (like emails or texts), communities can streamline processes, increase engagement, and nurture relationships effectively. Automation can play a pivotal role at every stage of the tour journey, from initial scheduling to post-tour follow-ups.
Before delving into the specifics of automation, it's important to have a few key components in place first. These include:
Scheduling Tool: Implement a scheduling tool equipped with built-in automation capabilities (such as Calendly or HubSpot's Meetings link).
Customized Content: Create tailored content, such as pre-tour information packets or welcome videos, to answer potential questions and provide valuable insights into the community.
Automation empowers communities to create customizable workflows that cater to potential resident's needs and preferences. By automating tasks such as reminders, personalized messages, and follow-up communications, communities can improve a care seeker’s experience and decrease tour no-shows. Key tasks that can be automated include:
Pre-Tour Reminders: Trigger automated reminders via email or text messages to ensure care seekers are well-prepared and motivated to attend scheduled tours.
Personalized Communications: Craft personalized messages addressing the potential resident's interests and concerns, fostering a sense of connection and rapport.
Post-Tour Follow-ups: Implement automated follow-up messaging, including a post-tour thank you, survey about their experience, and link to schedule appointments for asking questions, to maintain momentum and facilitate further interactions.
Beyond automation, personalized experiences are pivotal in captivating prospects and fostering meaningful connections. Communities can enhance the prospect’s experience through:
Tailored Interactions: Engage in meaningful conversations, whether in person or over the phone, to understand their unique preferences, interests, and requirements.
Customized Tours: Curate personalized tour experiences based on previously gathered insights, incorporating tailored activities and showcasing relevant amenities.
Resident Engagement: Introduce care seekers to current residents and community activities to provide authentic insights into the community's vibrant lifestyle.
While automation offers immense potential, communities may encounter challenges in implementation and adoption. Continuous monitoring, analysis, and optimization of processes that have been automated are essential to maximize results and drive continuous improvement in tour outcomes.
Ultimately, the true measure of automation's success lies in its impact on tour conversions and move-ins. By leveraging analytics and CRM integration with Caring, communities can track key metrics such as show-up rates, lead conversions, and resident acquisition costs.
Automation is an up-and-coming useful tool in the arsenal of senior living communities, offering unparalleled opportunities to optimize tour experiences and drive move-ins.
By embracing automation strategies, communities can streamline processes, personalize interactions, and ultimately create memorable experiences that resonate with prospects.
Apr 29, 2024
Caring Joins AARP AgeTech Collaborative™Caring has recently focused on a significant technology replatforming initiative to increase the value provided to seniors and their families in their search for senior living and care, while also supporting partners across the senior wellness industry.
With a new logo and refreshed website design, Caring modernized its brand in early 2024 to better convey its empathetic, expert guidance for care seekers and work alongside our partners as true collaborators and a platform for growth.
Through these investments in both technology and brand, Caring is focused on optimizing the digital experience for care seekers while better presenting community and agency partners online. This includes more tools for seniors and their families as they research and connect to the most appropriate services and support for their specific situations, such as an enhanced reviews display with filters, sort and search.
Since its inception more than 15 years ago, Caring has emerged as a leader in the digital landscape, helping millions of seniors and their families find essential care and living solutions. Recognizing a need to simplify and support senior care, Caring has steadfastly dedicated itself to improving the lives of seniors through comprehensive, accessible online resources.
As a longstanding digital resource for senior living and care, with a trailblazing focus on using technology to empower seniors and their families: Caring is also a participant in the AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP®, an unparalleled innovation ecosystem bringing together cutting-edge thinkers in the longevity tech space to champion meaningful advances so that everyone can choose how they live as they age. Caring is among those who’ve signed the AARP Employer Pledge, joining with a nationwide group of employers that stand with AARP in affirming the value of experienced workers and are committed to developing diverse organizations.
For more information about Caring’s leadership and commitment to aging technologies, please contact pr@caring.com.
Apr 16, 2024
The Power of Responding to Senior Living Reviews — 5 Tips for Engaging WellIs your community's online reviews profile helping or hurting your ability to attract and convert new customers? How well are you responding to online reviews?
Consider this scenario (while illustrative, still common in real-life too):
"Best Assisted Living has been such a blessing. Dad hasn't been this active and happy in years", said Mary. This glowing word-of-mouth recommendation came at a crucial time for Susan, who was in the process of looking for the perfect community for her mother.
Later that evening, Susan went to her laptop to explore The community further. She imagined her mom participating in community activities, making new friends, and enjoying her days in a caring environment. However, as Susan began to sift through the online reviews, her optimism waned. Amid a healthy amount of positive feedback, she couldn't help but notice several less-than-stellar reviews. Critiques on meal quality, staff responsiveness, and community maintenance peeked through.
But what truly gave Susan pause was not the existence of these criticisms; it was the silence that followed them. No replies, no reassurances, no signs of proactive engagement from The community's team. This lack of response stood in stark contrast to the vibrant, caring community Mary had described. Could it be that the issues raised were not taken seriously?
Susan's heart sank. The decision to move her mother into a senior living community was not just about finding a place with a good reputation; it was about finding a place that felt like home—a place that cared enough to listen and respond to its residents' needs and concerns. The unanswered reviews cast a shadow of doubt over the community, making Susan question if her mother would truly be heard and valued there.
As she continued her search, Susan came across another community. Despite a few mixed reviews, each one had been met with thoughtful replies from the community team, acknowledging the feedback and outlining steps for improvement. This open dialogue, this commitment to transparency and care, resonated with Susan. It wasn't about being perfect; it was about being present, being attentive, and striving to be better.
The contrast was stark. While Mary's personal recommendation of the community held weight, the silence in the face of criticism online spoke volumes. In the end, Susan realized the importance of a community that not only celebrated its successes but also openly addressed its challenges. A community's willingness to engage, to listen, and to evolve became the guiding light in her decision, leading her toward a place where she felt confident her mother would be not just cared for but truly heard.
This story, while a blend of imagination and reality, underscores a vital truth for families navigating the complex world of senior living: the power of responsiveness.
In today’s digital-first world where online reputations can significantly influence decisions, the value of acknowledging and responding to your reviews cannot be overstated. It's a reminder that, beyond amenities and accolades, the heart of your community is reflected in how you respond to your residents' voices, ensuring that every concern is a step toward creating a more personalized and attentive experience.
Let’s take a quick look at 5 tips to help you engage more deeply with current and prospective families, learn from their feedback, and showcase your community's commitment to excellence and care.
Being informed about new reviews is crucial for managing your community's reputation effectively. This proactive approach enables you to address feedback—whether it's praise or criticism—promptly, ensuring your community's image remains positive. In the digital age, reviews can appear anywhere, from Google and Facebook to industry specific sites like Caring.com. Manually tracking all these platforms is not only challenging but time-consuming.
Enter reputation management platforms like SAVANT. We streamline the process by aggregating reviews from numerous sites into a single dashboard, equipped with timely notifications. This not only simplifies monitoring but also empowers you to respond quickly and thoughtfully, turning potential issues into opportunities for improvement and positive engagement.
What if a prospective family visits a review site like Caring.com today and sees a few negative reviews about your community that don’t have responses? This isn’t a good look and could potentially push them to a competing community. Showing potential residents and families that you're actively engaged by acknowledging and responding to your reviews shows you cae about your residents and respond to issues in a timely manner.
With Caring.com, responding to your reviews is equally as important - especially any negative reviews. The Caring Stars program disqualifies communities from receiving the prestigious award if the community’s Caring.com profile has any negative 1-star and two-star reviews lacking published responses - encouraging the importance of timely, thoughtful replies.
Pro Tip: Designate a team member who is trained on how to respond to reviews. If nobody is assigned to this important task, then nobody is accountable for it.
Acknowledging a review publicly is just the first step. For non-anonymous feedback where specific issues are raised, moving the conversation offline shows a genuine commitment to resolution. Remember, the moment a review is posted, the clock starts ticking - a whopping 93% of consumers expect a business to respond to their reviews!
Prompt outreach not only demonstrates your community's dedication to service but also conveys a deep respect for the resident's experience.
Thank them for their review, empathize with any issues expressed, and provide resolutions. Not only does this make them feel heard and valued, it also creates loyalty, can increase length of stay, and drive referrals - hello wait list!.
Pro Tip: Caring.com doesn’t publicly date your response (nor alert the reviewer), so it’s never too late to respond to the older reviews on your Caring.com listing to be considered for their Caring Stars award.
Every review, whether glowing with praise or pinpointing areas for improvement, can be a treasure trove of insights. Embrace these perspectives as invaluable opportunities for growth. Whether the feedback applies broadly across your community, pertains to a few residents, or addresses the experiences of just a single resident, each review can hold a key to elevating the resident experience.
Actively involving your team in the review process is crucial. Share both accolades and criticisms, fostering an environment where feedback fuels progress. This open approach not only cultivates a sense of pride and accomplishment in what you're doing right but also instills a collective responsibility to address and learn from any shortcomings.
Sharing your community's reviews is a powerful strategy to build trust and attract prospective residents. Highlighting positive feedback on your website and social media reassures families that they are making the right choice. This can significantly increase the likelihood of in-person tours, directly contributing to higher occupancy rates.
With SAVANT’s website widget - built exclusively for senior living communities, sharing your Caring.com and other online reviews can be as easy as installing a simple line of code on your website. This widget not only streamlines the process of showcasing reviews but also ensures that your community’s achievements and the quality of care are front and center for all site visitors.
We hope you find these tips to be helpful and you're inspired to elevate your online reputation!
To learn more about review alerts, response tools, and showcasing your Caring.com reviews on your website and social media pages, please visit SAVANT or email me.
Editor’s note: Caring.com also recently hosted a review response webinar with SAVANT tips and more.
Mar 14, 2024
FAQ Module on Caring.com Listings Supports Senior Care Search — Use Partner Portal to Answer Prospects’ Common Senior Living QuestionsWhen families search for senior living in your area and are narrowing their options, they have a variety of questions about your community that may or may not be currently answered on your Caring.com listing.
Determining which questions to include on your listing can seem overwhelming if you aren’t sure what the families are searching for. However, including an FAQ on your Caring listing can make a big difference to care seekers who are on the fence about which community they should tour.
There is no standard set of FAQs a community should include on their listing. When considering questions to add, think about questions families may have asked on tours during the last year. Expanding on topics like ways to pay for care, what is located around your facility, safety measures and staff-to-resident ratios are good places to start.
Based on our data and interactions with care seekers, we do have a few best practices when it comes to FAQs on your listing.
Include between 2 to 4 questions – you don’t want to overwhelm with too much information upfront.
Add some personalization to your answers to help set yourself apart from other listing FAQs
Highlight what makes your community stand out among the competition. What is unique about your community?
Our new Partner Portal makes it easy to add or update FAQs for your community. To adjust the FAQs within the Portal:
Click on the community in which you want to answer any questions about in Portal.
Go into Listing Types and select the listing type you wish to answer, such as assisted living.
Scroll down until you reach the FAQ section, where you’ll see the questions and answers.
Once you’ve made the changes you want, scroll down to click save.
Within Portal, you can add, remove and update FAQs for your listing. An important thing to note: As consumers are coming to your listing on Caring,com, you'llwant to paint as much of a picture or provide as much information as possible. This will help answer some of their big questions and help them determine if your community is a good fit.
Any time you complete an update, the Caring team will also review and approve your changes. Please allow 48 to 72 hours for any new FAQ requests to be shown online. We have a video walking you through how to update FAQs in the new Partner Portal, which you can find here.
Mar 01, 2024
Get to Know the New Partner PortalWe are excited to share with you our new Partner Portal. We have spent time researching the best ways we can support seniors and our partners and are making shifts to serve our partners better. This new Portal is designed to give you access to more capabilities and the ability to make more changes. You will see some new changes but don’t worry, you will have access to your favorite Portal features, like reviews.
We have compiled videos walking you through how to use some of the new features, and where you can find some of the features you already use. We have also included answers to some questions you may have.
What features need to be moderated?
Currently, promotions, photos, descriptions, unique features, and frequently asked questions are moderated. These changes will take some time to appear on your profile after submitting the request via the Portal.
How to update users?
Please email partnersuccess@caring.com to add, update, or remove user access.
If you have any additional questions or need help accessing the new Portal, email partnersuccess@caring.com. If you have any review-related questions, please email reviews@caring.com.
Jan 16, 2024
10 Best Practices for Nurturing Online LeadsMore and more care seekers are discovering care options in their area through online research. To optimize these online leads, here are some of the best practices you can follow:
Schedule an immediate auto-response email confirming lead receipt with a brief "Thank you" and assurance of future contact
Recognize the diverse reasons for choosing online forms over direct calls. Be considerate of preferred communication modes and honor requests for email-only responses. Reasons for such a request can range from a busy work schedule to the need for written communication for the hard of hearing, and your respect for their needs will go a long way.
Respond promptly to each lead within the same day, addressing queries comprehensively. Delayed responses can significantly reduce connection rates, so try to get in touch while their search is on their mind.
Craft detailed follow-up emails referencing information from care request notes or phone conversations. Customize responses to common topics such as rates, availability, and care options to highlight your attention to detail and care for them as an individual.
Communicate the next steps in the decision-making process, guiding the customer towards actions like scheduling a tour or attending an event.
Identify families closer to decision-making. Factors like memory problems, medication management, caregiving hours, or recent incidents can indicate urgency.
Send follow-up emails after one and three weeks, revisiting initial topics and directly asking for further discussion, tours, or addressing additional questions.
Initiate an email nurture campaign every 2 to 4 weeks for leads that haven't progressed. Deliver valuable content, maintain warmth, and showcase your organization's personality.
Depending on your business size, manage campaigns via email clients or consider specialized tools for streamlined communication and lead monitoring.
Boost your business online by partnering with Caring. From an expanded online presence with a gold-star listing to online reputation management, Caring is here to help you maximize your sales potential and convert more leads.
Set up auto-response for all Internet leads.
Allocate time for prompt follow-ups and prioritize leads.
Create templates for common inquiries.
Evaluate the need for an email campaign tool.
Develop content for nurture campaigns.
Ensure a steady stream of Internet leads by registering for automated care requests from Caring.com.
