Category: Key things to help you everyday

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Key things to help you everyday Things to watch

Village customers stronger than ever, despite or because of COVID

A number of Village Professionals have reached out to us to ask ‘how is the market going’ for retirement village sales.

We asked our colleague Carmella Rowsthorne at villages.com.au what is happening and she delivered the above graph for the 13 months from September last year to September 2020.

It shows that last year in September just under 3,800 people searched for a retirement village each day on villages.com.au.

This September, the same number of people are searching.

Numbers are actually up

But here is the thing. Victoria accounts for 35% of the Australian population and they have been in severe lockdown since July. They have not been able to even think of looking at villages let alone sell their homes. It was basically illegal.

So when you add this into the mix, you have to say the average number of people looking seriously at a village option has gone up in 2020.

The only changes have been multiple crises. Fires, drought and now COVID.

The family home is no longer as safe as it was last year.

Have you been receiving a higher level of enquiry? If not, perhaps you are not listing your village on villages.com.au. With 1.2M visits a year it is the No.1 village search destination.

You can find out more from Carmella by emailing her at Carmella.Rowsthorne@thedcmgroup.com.au.

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Key things to help you everyday

Volunteering – staying busy and finding purpose in challenging time​s

Mental health has been one of the big themes in our conversations with village professionals this year. When you consider the year we’ve had, it’s hardly surprising.

Time and time again village professionals have expressed concerns about the mental health of members of their communities, and this has made us think about our own experiences in villages.

For us, the happiest people in villages were always those with a sense of purpose.

This can come in many forms, be it caring for a pet, managing a communal veggie patch, participating in a club or even helping out a neighbour.

But another route that is often overlooked is volunteering.

Volunteering linked to mental health

In the July 2020 issue of Greater Good Magazine, Elizabeth Hooper identified a link between volunteering and mental health.

“New research suggests that volunteers aren’t just helping the communities they serve. People who volunteer actually experience a boost in their mental health,” she said.

While there are some initiatives that can’t be undertaken during a pandemic, many organisations are offering opportunities to volunteer remotely from home.

And these are perfect for staff or residents who could use a pick-me-up!

Friends For Good offers friendly ear to listen

A great example we’ve recently become aware of is the Friends for Good program.

Friends for Good is a Not For Profit driven by volunteer to help fight loneliness with a FriendLine, which is basically a phone line anyway can call for a chat.

This is a great option for villages – not just for potentially lonely residents, but for staff members who’d like to volunteer their time to help someone in need.

You can learn more about Friends for Good here.

Staying busy, finding purpose

A busy village is a happy village.

In our experience that has proven so very true.

If you have a resident or staff member looking a little lost and lonely our advice would be reach out, discover their interests and suggest they get involved in something they enjoy.

Volunteering isn’t the solution to every problem – but it can be a great way to find joy and a sense of purpose in these challenging times.

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Key things to help you everyday

Death and Dying – an important topic to get right

This month at the DCM Institute, we’re focusing on the topic of Death and Dying.

It’s an issue many of us may deal with in our roles, and a difficult one to broach.

For us, there are two key elements:

  • Awareness of end of life law
     
  • Acknowledgement that everyone deals with death in a different, personal way

The importance of knowing the rules

Kylie Harding from business management firm Critical Success Solutions shared some insights in the presentation ‘End of Life Innovation’ from our September webinar series.

For Kylie, a knowledge of end life law is essential.

While you don’t have to be an expert, knowing the basics, or at least where this information can be found, is key to managing difficult conversations.

“It reduces your risk of providing the wrong advice or sharing misinformation, and improves your communication with families and their substitute decision makers,” she says.

“When disputes arise, it’s often because people misunderstand the law. Knowing the law gives you a foundation so you can say I know about that, or I know where to get the information.”

Kylie also shared some valuable organisations and resources you can find on our Industry Links page.

An innovative look at end of life

Another tool that’s crossed our paths recently is the YourLifeTalks App, and it can be a great way to gently broach difficult end of life topics.

YourLifeTalks basically works on the principle that everyone has a story to tell.

By encouraging users to share their life stories and values, it provides a natural segue to important discussions about future choices and wishes.

Questions are posed around two conversation topics:

  • ‘Your Life Story’

    Questions about the important events that shape our lives – childhood, first job, meeting a partner, having children and travel, through to the influences along the way that add texture and colour to who we are, and what we value.
     
  • ‘Your Life Wishes’

    Questions that address our future ageing plan. Topics covered include making a Will, Powers of Attorney, Advance Care Plan or Healthcare Directive, a life-limiting illness, moving into an aged care home, life support, organ donation, funeral arrangements and memorialisation.

The Kiwi Coffin Club

And here’s proof that everyone’s approach to end of life is different.

The Kiwi Coffin Club is a community group like no other – they build their own customised coffins!

Every coffin is decorated to reflect the life of its maker, and is a much cheaper option than commercial coffins which typically start at $2,000.

The Kiwi Coffin Club even created a mini-documentary, filmed in the style of a musical, to showcase their work. Take a look here, you’re going to love it.

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Key things to help you everyday

Location, location, location – why finding the right home for your village listing is so important

Filling village vacancies is one of the most important jobs for village, marketing and sales professionals.

Without direction this process can be inefficient and expensive.  

Our sister company villages.com.au offers a comprehensive hub to link vacant villages with potential residents.

We’ve discovered plenty of things along the way that help inform this process.

Here are four things to consider:

1. You need to be able to find the right people

There’s no use having an ad on the Gold Coast if your village is in the Hunter Valley.

Destination is a key driver for potential residents, so having a platform that lets you market to specific regions is crucial. This is why villages.com.au offers 87 regions across Australia.

2. You need to put your best foot forward

Potential residents like to have a good idea of what your village looks like, before they commit.

So villages.com.au offers strong image and description options for every paid listing.

villages.com.au provides listings with the chance to feature a 3D Virtual Tour, which delivers approximately 30% more leads. There’s a great example here.

3. Tracking and stats

Transparency is also important, and you want to be sure you’re advertising with a platform that gives you bang for your buck.

This is why villages.com.au regularly supplies everyone who’s been listed with updated statistics to see how their village ads are performing.

4. A trusted home

Moving into a retirement village is a big, sometimes expensive, exercise for potential residents.

So it makes sense that your village is listed on a platform people recognise and trust.

villages.com.au has established itself as a trusted knowledge resource for people looking for retirement villages with videos, articles and an Info Centre to support people in the journey.

Listing your village on a trusted platform builds authenticity and increases the chance of a sale.

For more information on listing villages, contact villages.com.au Head of Sales Solutions Carmella Rowsthorne here.  

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Key things to help you everyday Things to watch

December is 13 weeks away – the topic on everyone’s lips is sales

If there’s one thing we’ve been picking up in our weekly conversations with village professionals, it’s that sales across the industry are patchy, at best.

Yes, there are exceptions. Anecdotally some people say sales are holding (and in some cases even improving slightly).

But for many others sales have stalled significantly. For instance, if you were achieving one sale a month, you may be achieving only one every two months at the moment (we are talking outside of Victoria).

You would know that sales momentum is very important; it keeps everyone on their toes plus operators happy. With December 13 weeks away, do you have momentum? If not, now is the time to act rather than waiting.

What is momentum? It is a full sales pipeline and as many prospective residents nodding their heads positively. They can see they should be continuing the conversations with you.

Is the interest out there in these COVID times? What will make heads nod?

Here is a graph of 12 months traffic across Australia on our sister DCM web site, villages.com.au.

What you can see is that the number of people searching for a village is higher, in fact 7% higher, in August 2020 than in August 2019.

And remember, this includes Victoria where all the customers are in lockdown.

The customers are there. In fact, I am being told that the people who actually visit villages are far more committed than usual. They know that they need a ‘safe harbour in a storm’.

Again, our sister group DCM Research has just completed a survey of 2,200 non residents and found that COVID-19 has increased a feeling of vulnerability (43%) and isolation (31%). And this is for all people aged 60+ surveyed, not just people who have personal triggers.

So the customers are definitely out there, they are looking for options and they are committed. But how much can we do as village professionals on the front line?

If there is one thing that I’ve learned in tough sales markets, it’s that ‘one percenters’ matter. 

It’s the addition of all the little things that add up to a big impression on customers. The one percenters.

In this promotional video we have just done for this month’s deep dive topic in the DCM Institute’s Village Management Professional Development Program, I discuss the importance of having several people in the village that a prospective customer meets – not just you. These extra touch points give reassurance and also take all the reliance off you.

Check the video out as a thought starter. The challenge is to start now – the customers are there, they are willing, and December is just 13 weeks away.  

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Key things to help you everyday Latest industry developments Things to watch What the research tells us

Independent resident surveys and the importance of benchmarking the sector

It’s time of year where many operators need to consider their requirements under regulations, the Code of Conduct or Accreditation to invest in an annual resident survey.

If you are a NSW village you are required to conduct a resident survey under Rules of Conduct, for instance.

We’re a huge supporter of this process.

It’s an opportunity for residents to be heard, and for operators to obtain information that can develop into future services and business plans.

Personally, we prefer surveys that are undertaken by a third party, and provide the opportunity for benchmarking across the sector.

Why is benchmarking important?

Benchmarking is how we, as an industry, identify the highest level of achievements in the sector, so we can improve our performance standards.

This is valuable data that can be presented to governments and the media.

In-house resident surveys are still a valuable exercise and can be useful for operational decisions.

But we believe it is far more powerful to understand where you fit in the sector.

This highlights areas for immediate attention, areas for celebration and possibilities.

Here are some key questions to answer when considering your survey process:

  • Does it cover the key elements of the ARVAS standards?
  • Will it address key legislation requirements to provide evidence of review?
  • What performance and speciality areas are investigated?
  • How engaged will residents be?
  • What information could you collect that would benefit residents?
  • Which survey format is best for your village – written, online or a mix of both?
  • How are you going to collate and interpret results?
  • What is the best mechanism to share results?

There are a range of survey services, including the DCM Research one stop outsourcing program.

 Drop me a line HERE and I can let you know your choices.

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Key things to help you everyday Things to watch

Join your colleagues at DCM Institute’s Village Network – join us in October

One of our key commitments at DCM Institute is assisting village professionals around the country build strong local peer support networks.

We recognise the importance of these networks as a place that can provide:

  • Connection with likeminded peers facing similar experiences
  • Peer support to help solve challenges
  • Validation of current practices
  • The sharing of knowledge and experience
  • The opportunity to keep up to date with industry trends and local issues

Please join us and your local colleagues at the village network gatherings scheduled for October where we will discuss the challenges, opportunities and state of the sector.

Find the upcoming dates below, and click here to register.

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Key things to help you everyday Things to watch

Now is the time for emergency and fire safety preparation

Emergency and fire safety are key components of a compliant, safe and well managed village.

Be it for Workplace Health and Safety requirements, Retirement Village Act compliance or as part of a development approval condition, every village is required to have an emergency and fire safety plan. 

And fires aren’t the only threat a village professional needs to be aware of. 

Other emergencies like gas leaks, bomb threats and cyber attacks must also be planned for.

In my experience coming out of winter or early spring is a great time to schedule the review of these plans and any supporting activities.

Things to review:

  • Fuel reduction activities such as tree lopping and bush trimming
  • Fire warden refresher training
  • Continuity plans in the event of there being no access to the village, no phone lines, no electricity or no access to emergency contact records
  • Accessibility and visibility, like cutting back of hedges
  • Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans for residents that may require additional assistance from emergency services
  • Alternative route maps in case residents cannot leave by their usual route
  • Fire equipment and maintenance, including the checking for deterioration of hoses and equipment
  • Emergency lighting
  • Evacuation procedures

Here are a couple of ideas we’d suggest, as part of your review:

  • Consider inviting the local emergency services in to update them on any new process, personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEP), equipment or access arrangements
  • Revisit notification systems – notification strategies, door knocking, telephone trees, window signs
  • Organise a guest speaker from fire services to refresh all residents on their own personal plans, particularly if in higher bushfire risk areas
  • Arrange for warden and volunteer resident refresher training

We’d also recommend engaging in a two-way dialogue with the resident committee, wardens and your team. Even consider developing a resident interest group that may act as a sounding board to be engaged in supporting these activities throughout the year.

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Key things to help you everyday

Effective customer engagement: creating a sense of community unites us

By Rebecca Hogan, 3C Management

It is critical that the retirement living ecosystem is viable and sustainable.

Achieving effective customer engagement will drive growth and brand awareness.

Increasingly the people accessing retirement living are looking to be part of a social community, so people feel as though they are part of something greater.

If operators create a sense of community, it gives people the opportunity to connect with people, establish new friendships which makes people feel safe and secure.

Customer experience should be your No.1 priority:

  • Obsess over your customers by delivering value.
  • Having digital communication lines open by creating a ‘listening centre’. Let the customer know that it is okay to communicate what they are feeling.
  • Operators should be encouraging customers at all touch points to reach out to their Operator. This not only improves your service, but also empowers the customer to mediate their own concerns and self-manage their independence.
  • Implement a communication strategy that creates a sense of community and belonging.
  • Change your mindset about social media. Use social media as an engagement tool, not just an online platform to promote products and services.
  • Get creative and do not hesitate to try something different, because without customers there would be no service to operate.
  • Scale your customer engagement budget. Business is not as it used to be.

If you need a hand in developing your customer engagement strategy be sure to reach out to DCMI Industry Partner Rebecca Hogan, 3C Management.

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Key things to help you everyday

Your Regulator is there to help!

Regulators of Retirement Villages around the country have been adding to their resource base to assist residents and operators.

These websites are a great place to visit if you are looking for directions, guidelines or resources in relation to a particular matter.

Some jurisdictions also have helpful fact sheets, checklists or calculators to help prospective residents through the sales process.

The NSW regulator page has information on proposed changes to legislation, guidelines and resources for Moving into a Village, Living in a Village and Leaving a Village as well as some supporting information about COVID requirements and guidelines.

The Queensland regulator page walks operators through everything you need to know about running a village from registering to documents and contracts for residents.

The ACT regulator page has comprehensive information about the day to day operations of a retirement village and a great list of contacts for village professionals.

The WA regulator page also has useful information for retirement village operators, as well as publications for prospective clients and residents.

The Victoria regulator page has information for prospective residents about Choosing a Village, Living in a Village, Leaving a Village and the Fees and Charges applicable.

The SA regulator page has information for prospective residents and some great fact sheets, legislative information and documents that can help operators improve their processes.

The Tasmanian regulator page gives some clarity around what classes as a retirement village, operator contract requirements, leaving a village and disputes. 

When you’re looking for an answer to a question you are unsure of, these resources are a great place to start. You can check the legislation, resident contracts, organisational policy, or even call through to the regulator for a definitive answer or advice.

Be sure to save the URL for your regulator and legislation in your favourites bar. If you ever need a quick link you can find this information on the DCMI Industry Links page.