Assisted living communities face a lot of competition. Many undergo remodeling and are very pleasing to the eye and some amenities including pubs, movie theaters and ice cream parlors. While the physical environment and fun social places do make a difference, there’s nothing like great, over-the-top customer service to stand out in the crowd.
Customer-Centric Experiences
Every resident is different and will want certain services, types of care or home-like experiences to keep them satisfied. Despite this, the staff can make an intentional decision to put each resident at the center of their decision-making process. How does this work? Do what makes each resident feel good every day. Doing this on a daily basis makes them feel not only appreciated, but welcomed and loved. Remember this: customer services and hospitality fads will come and go, but the always-present human desire to be cared for will never go away.
What is the Ideal Resident Experience?
Begin with the mindset of a hospitality-first culture and focus on this – how you serve your residents is as important as what you provide in terms of care, services and memorable moments. Hospitality makes people feel good. Create the following resident experiences every day and watch what happens:
- Use the resident’s name as often as possible – we like to hear our name
- Make the resident feel like he or she is the only one there and you are at their service
- Answer their questions as quickly and honestly as possible without making empty promises
- Ask your resident what he or she needs before they even ask for something
Some Elements of Best-in-Class Customer Service
To be the best you must be fully present and in the moment with every resident. Strive to add value to resident experiences and create pleasant surprises for them. Best-in-class service involves the following:
- First-class dining with soft music, pleasant wait staff and great food
- Fresh flowers and plants scattered around the community
- Refreshments are offered at the front entrance for guests
- Educating staff on the unique residents they serve (i.e. Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s Diabetes)
- Doing things with intentionality and detail so that resident experiences are thoughtfully created
- Develop relationships with local business that may bring their products to your community (i.e. ice cream, coffee, nuts, chocolate, beer, wine, tea, baked goods)
The Role of Leadership
Someone’s got to take the lead on delivering a high level of customer service based on what residents really want. Leaders must develop a vision based on resident preferences, staffing and the physical building. They must assess what they are best at and work on what is lacking. Great leaders in assisted living know that it’s never too late for change, and possess enthusiasm, and energy that impacts their staff, residents and family members. Leaders should make it cool to care.
Final Thoughts on Enhancing the Customer Centric Experience in Assisted Living
The old saying “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care” rings true when it comes to resident-centric customer service and experiences. The building itself may be 5-star beautiful, but if the staff inside don’t care, all of the remodeling in the world won’t matter. The very thing that sets all assisted living communities apart is their desire to create a culture of service and hospitality, to deliver the best care and services and really amp up their resident’s quality of life.