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Private Duty Today
Welcome to Private Duty Today,
the bi-weekly electronic newsletter for Private Duty Home Care Leaders
from Leading Home Care ...a Tweed Jeffries company.
I'm Jason Tweed, Director of Business Development for
Leading Home Care, and Editor of Private
Duty Today.
Private Duty Today is published every
other Wednesday, and currently goes to over 8000 subscribers.
Private Duty Today is
a permission-based newsletter.
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Academy for Private Duty Home Care comes to Florida in
January
Join us for
the next Academy for Private Duty Home Care in Sanibel Island, Florida.
January 22,
2010
Sanibel Island Resort
DEADLINE: While
registrations will be taken right up to the workshop date, you
must reserve hotel accomidations by January 6, 2010.
Upcoming academies have also been scheduled in Seattle in
April and Dallas in May. Registration is now open.
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2009 Private Duty Home Care Benchmarking Survey and
State-of-the-Industry Report
Leading Home Care is currently
in the midst of data collection for our 2009 State-of-the-Industry study
for Private Duty Home Care.
It's critical
that as many private duty home care companies as possible participate.
Participating
companies will be able to see the report and data summary in advance, and
at substantial savings.
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The first argument with my wife after we were married
occurred on the way home from our honeymoon. We'd spent a week sleeping
in late, shopping, eating, taking long walks and watching the horses on
Kelley's Island. There were amazing fireworks (not those fireworks,
it was Fourth of July).
The drive home
was nine hours long and eventually our conversation drifted to
Christmas. Then we experienced a brand new type of fireworks. You see,
my wife's family are all clustered together in Pennsylvania and
Christmas is a three day event. My family is scattered across several
states. Our holidays usually involve airplanes and rental cars.
Our
"discussion" is going into its 13th year. Every couple I know
only really has three arguments. They are about money, sex, and where
to spend the holidays.
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 Regardless of race, nationality, spiritual beliefs,
gender or family situation, traditions are important to us as humans.
Even those who are "non-traditional" in their traditions are
frequently adamant about doing things differently from the norms.
These passionate feelings create a powerful opportunity
for customer service and private duty home care.
Every day you, as an organization, are intimately
involved in the lives of the families you serve. The time around the
December holidays is important to these families. Jewish, Christian,
Muslim and non-believers alike have traditions important to their
families at this time of year.
Whether anticipating the arrival of the Christ child or
a jolly old elf, these spiritual and cultural events are important.
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Three Steps for Excellent
Holiday Customer Service
 There are three things your
caregivers and staff can do to enhance customer service around the
holidays.
- Demonstrate awareness
- Demonstrate respect and
understanding
- Demonstrate support and
assistance
Awareness
is critical.
Hanukkah began this past Friday and runs for eight days. Buddhists
celebrated Bodhi Day, the day of Buddha's enlightenment, on December 8.
Christians will celebrate the birth of Jesus on December 25. And
sometime around midnight on December 24 a crazy reindeer with a glowing
red nose will visit my house with a big bearded man, a bunch of elves,
and a massive sack full of good old American consumerism.
Demonstrating
that you have an awareness of significant events in your client's
culture and spirituality is a first step toward great customer service.
We
are all different. In my home Christmas gifts are opened on Christmas
morning. Santa Claus doesn't wrap gifts, he and the elves simply set
them up. My favorite holiday song is "Oh,
Come All Ye Faithful". Christmas trees are always
natural. Christmas Eve to me is a time of prayer and thanksgiving, and
deeply personal.
You
don't have to like my traditions, but I ask that you respect them
and try your best to understand, particularly if you are going to be in
my home every day throughout December. Complaining to me about
vacuuming pine needles is somewhat offensive. Commenting that pine
needles are difficult to vacuum, but the vacuum spreads the scent of
Christmas throughout my home is endearing.
Demonstrating
respect can enhance customer service, while disrespect will destroy it.
Thanks
to the Internet I do most of my shopping in my slippers. I do, however,
always choose one gift for my wife personally. My attendant and I brave
the cold, crowds and the creepy looking guy at the mall dressed as an
elf whom we can't quite tell whether or not he is part of "the
mall Santa" entourage. It's not fun, but for me, it's important.
For my attendant, it's a royal pain in her... um... toboggan. While we
joke about how we are never doing this again, we always do and she
never complains. I wouldn't want to experience that day with anyone but
her.
My
twins are seven this year, "7 1/2" they will say. Santa Claus
still visits, at least for a few more years. A caregiver who
inadvertently exposes the magic of Christmas to my children will be
employed for their last day in my home.
Supporting
your clients' traditions and providing them with assistance can not only provide
for extremely happy customers, but also can prevent extremely unhappy
customers.
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 For many of your clients this is their last Christmas.
The families, while it's unspoken, are aware of this. Great grandma
will cry quietly, frequently, and without explanation. If asked, she
will simply say she's happy.
Sons and daughters will wear ugly sweaters and holiday
ties. 30-year-old grandson's will receive "Merry Christmas,
Grandson" cards designed for a three-year-old and cherish them.
Families will get together as one for perhaps the last time. Grandma's
favorites will be served, even though she can barely eat them.
At no time in our lives are traditions more important
than on the last Christmas.
This is also a critical point for your business. The
sons, daughters, and grandchildren will remember how the home care
company treated Great Grandma during the holidays. They will recall
that experience to co-workers, case managers, family members and people
with whom they worship. You'll never know what they say or who they
tell. Your business will grow simply by demonstrating awareness,
respect and support during this important time of year.
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 You know that guy with the snow white beard. He's got
the big belly and a red velour jumpsuit that would be creepy any other
time. His smile is genuine and his breath smells of peppermint. Santa
Claus is an American tradition.
However, if you
were born prior to 1960 you probably have a different memory of
childhood Santa. The Coca-Cola Company solidified the image of
the American Santa Claus. Through massive marketing, Santa Claus
as we know him became the icon.
For many of your
clients the childhood memory of a Christmas visitor could be very
different. Their memories are probably closer related to their ethnic
heritage. Father Christmas or Christkind may visit. Gifts may be left
by the door in wooden shoes, or deposited in stockings by the fireplace
hearth. He may have been dressed in red, blue, or green but likely had
a fur-lined cap.
Ask your older
clients about their earliest Christmas memories. Watch their eyes light
up as they describe a Santa Claus that is very different. They will
tell you of the gifts that would humble us today. Gifts came from the
heart rather than Target or Wal-Mart.
Your caregivers
will be blessed this season.
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