There is a lot of concern and frustration about sales, understandably.
Limits on onsite inspections, the hit to residential home sales, the ongoing confusion (especially in the media) about aged care homes and retirement villages – and of course families asking when ‘mum’s home will be sold’. Plus operator’s are keen to receive their DMF income.
Here is a basic step we can all make, right now and at no cost. Check your processes for handling the first contact by a potential customer with your village.
In 2017 when sales were last hit (by the ABC Four Corners report), the leading advisory firm KPMG did a village Customer Experience Survey. It found that ”80% of Retirement Village operators did not answer a mystery shopper call and only 50% returned that call (from a message left on an answering machine)”.
We all know that first impression is vitally important.
To back this up, interesting results were provided by American Seniors Housing last year. Their research found:
“84% of the time the first village that has a meaningful (sales/marketing) conversation will be the prospect’s village of choice.” And further to that:
“By having a meaningful conversation within 5-minutes of a prospect’s enquiry increases the prospects likelihood to buy from you by over 400%.”
What happens at your village? What really happens to a prospect’s call when your village admin transfers them to sales – do they get a voicemail, is it picked up, are they left waiting, do they hang up without the opportunity to provide information?
Do they move on to the next village?
What about after hours if a prospective calls? What do your prospects experience then?
Do they get a message and set the expectation when their call will be answered? Are they directed to your website for further information, or do they get a voicemail beep?
And what happens if they land on your website after hours and they are seeking some basic information about your community?
Can they easily find your operating hours, inspection details, testimonials from other residents, virtual tour, guides/e-books about the many benefits of retirement living, and an opportunity to leave an enquiry?
Is there a chatbot that may be able to answer their basic questions and encourage them to fill out an enquiry form?
These are the basics, but powerful basics that we can all make sure work.