While the supported housing market, in general, is facing a raft of challenges right now, particularly in the wake of the Supported Housing Act, smaller supported housing providers face a distinct set of challenges that require a distinct set of responses.
Unlike their larger counterparts, they often struggle with limited resources, both financial and human, but want to ensure a quality of support on par with the bigger providers and give their residents the best possible chance to live comfortable, independent lives.
Chief among these challenges is the comparative lack of staff and the subsequent need to juggle multiple roles, from property management to resident welfare. Keeping so many plates spinning at once can be tricky and dangerous, however, which means these providers need all the help they can get.
Efficient operational tools should be top of the list for these providers, because filing cabinets and spreadsheets might have worked in decades past but in the modern world, you have to utilise every tool at your disposal to avoid falling behind.
The risks and limitations of relying on spreadsheets
There is something undeniably comfortable about an Excel spreadsheet but while many small providers default to using spreadsheets for their management needs, this approach has several major limitations holding it back: –
Scalability: Spreadsheets aren’t inherently scalable, making it difficult to accommodate growth or increased complexity. Many spreadsheet platforms are simply not designed to process thousands of pages worth of information, for example.
Limited Collaboration: Real-time collaboration is challenging on spreadsheets, leading to inefficiencies and miscommunication.
Error-prone: Manual entries can lead to errors which might go unnoticed but can have significant consequences. This is particularly likely if you have a lot of your staff pulling double or even triple duties, as their attention is less likely to be 100% focused on a dull data entry task.
Security Concerns: Spreadsheets may not always meet the data protection standards required for sensitive resident information.
How management software changes the game – Case Studies
Homes of Hope
Homes of Hope currently use a combination of spreadsheets and paper records. Implementing a specialised software could streamline property management tasks, centralise resident data, and make overall coordination more efficient.
Hebron
With a focus on rehabilitation, Hebron needs detailed records of resident progress and welfare. Their current system of manual record-keeping is time-consuming and doesn’t allow for easy analysis. A software solution would not only save time but also provide insights into the effectiveness of their programs.
The ECCO solution
Of course, several software solutions exist in the market, many catering specifically to housing providers. However, many are designed with larger organisations in mind and could involve prohibitively high costs, hidden complexities, and a lack of customisation options. Ecco, meanwhile, is a system designed with the needs of small, supported housing providers in mind. ECCO boasts: –
Streamlined Tracking: H&S checks become a breeze, with reminders, logs, and an easy-to-navigate dashboard.
Low-cost and heavy customisation: ECCO is priced reasonably, ensuring small providers don’t have to stretch their budgets and has many features that can be tailored to the specific needs of an organisation.
Enhanced Efficiency: Tasks that took hours can be accomplished in minutes thanks to automated processes, freeing up staff for more engaging and important resident-focused activities.
Improved Resident Welfare: With efficient tracking and management, residents’ needs are addressed more promptly and efficiently.
Data-Driven Decisions: Providers can make decisions based on data analytics and insights rather than mere intuition.
Scalability: As the organisation grows, the software grows with it, eliminating the need for frequent system overhauls.
Contact us today and our team will get you sorted with a free ECCO demo and explore exactly what the software can offer your enterprise.
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