The essence of teamwork is vital in any business, but arguably none more so than in an Integrated Retirement Community. This is a sector with people at its heart, and in which care and service is of paramount importance. Yet, how can you deliver best-in-class services, care and wellbeing support if you have multiple providers onsite, each focused on their own activity without central coordination and communication? The simple answer is, you can’t.
Bespoke service
Within the IRC sector many providers seemingly offer service equivalent to a 5-star hotel, often comparing themselves to luxury hospitality. But while the level of service within an IRC is key to how it operates and what prospective owners will look for, is it really all white gloves and ‘Sir’ or ‘Madam’ that they want? Or is there more to it?
Our definition of great service at Wallacea Living, is to have one team with shared missions and values employed by us. Our team are aware that owners will have different requirements at different times. The reality is, we can’t all have a lust for life every day of the week, and owners may wish to enjoy a lazy day reading the paper, not always being physically active. Our team will be there, whatever their desire and whatever time of day or night.
In short, we offer a single team with the single goal of understanding our owners and how to react, and whenever possible anticipating their wants and desires. Whether they work in reception, the restaurant, the care team or housekeeping. they are all employed and trained in the Wallacea Way to deliver the best possible service, care and support.
Flexibility
Our eye is always on the detail. It’s about knowing that an owner’s car is in for a service and offering a lift back and forth before being asked, or remembering that another owner will always arrive 10 minutes late for their Pilates session and so tailoring the start time to suit their needs. While it’s not always possible to accommodate everyone’s individual idiosyncrasies, it’s about being aware of them, who they are and anticipating what they need. That is true 5-star service.
Connectivity
Within an IRC, communication amongst the team is vital and the truth is, this can’t be achieved when you have different providers on site all delivering their own services to their own standards. We are passionate about the importance of dialogue between teams to ensure a seamless, joined-up approach, with daily discussions highlighting specific requirements of owners amongst colleagues. The one-employer model enables seamless communication between our team members. Imagine a casual conversation between an owner and barista about a desire to walk faster, which would prompt the barista to talk to the wellbeing team about setting in motion the necessary framework to enable that person to realise their ambition. It might require a regular walk to increase strength or a specific assessment of the biomechanics in the knee or ankle to pinpoint the problem and find the solution. That simple conversation between different team members and the actions they then take will be the key to helping that owner achieve their goal. Can that happen in a community serviced by third parties and concessions? I think not.
Attitude
In order to deliver the best possible service, care and wellbeing support to owners, we are building an unrivalled team of dedicated experts all united by the same goal. But for us, it’s not so much about the skills and experience of our recruits, which in truth can be learnt, but it’s about attitude and personality. Every team member will understand our philosophy and our mission to make life for our owners not only full of opportunity but full of conversation when it’s needed, and quiet when it’s not; active and playful at times, and peaceful and cosy at others. It’s an appreciation of the subtle nuances of individuals, and having the character and attitude to support their needs so that they have the time to live later life to the full.
