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The thought of switching your home care software can be daunting, but you're not alone in feeling this way. Many agency owners we speak to are worried about the disruption, the data loss, and the potential for chaos. It's a fear we call the 'rip and replace' anxiety.
But what if the real risk isn't in switching, but in staying put? An outdated or inefficient system can quietly hold your business back, impacting everything from carer happiness to your bottom line. The truth is, modern software migration isn't about chaos. It's a structured, phased process designed to get you to a better place, safely.
At Birdie, we've helped hundreds of homecare agencies make the switch with confidence. We've learned that a successful transition is built on a clear, transparent timeline.
Birdie's phased migration approach: a 5-week timeline
We've refined our onboarding into a clear, 5-week journey that ensures your team is supported and your data is secure at every stage.
Week 1: Initial setup and data transfer
This first week is about laying the groundwork. We start with clear communication to your team about the process ahead. You can transfer basic client and carer information securely using our CSV import tool, and we'll get your agency hub set up and ready to go.
This is also your opportunity to clean house. During the data audit, many agencies discover they've been carrying years of outdated records – inactive carers who left in 2019, clients who've passed away but are still in the system. Starting fresh means your new system is lean and accurate from day one.
Weeks 2-3: Care planning and training
Now we begin building out your care management system. Your office team can start learning the platform through Birdie Academy, with easy-to-follow modules that take just 15 minutes. This is the time to set up detailed care plans, including specific tasks and medications.
Many agencies use this period to run the new system alongside their old one in a 'shadow run' to build confidence. Your coordinators can verify that Mrs. Johnson's 8am visit on Tuesday appears correctly in both systems. If the roster looks right, the medication schedule is accurate, and the care notes are accessible, you have confidence to proceed. If something doesn't match, we fix it before go-live.
Week 4: Finance and advanced features
In week four, we focus on getting your finances in order by setting up the finance module. This is also when your carers begin their training, ensuring they feel comfortable and prepared for the transition. We'll work with you on system verification and testing to make sure everything is running smoothly.
The training is genuinely simple. If your carers can use WhatsApp, they can use our app. There's no thick manual to read, no complex navigation to memorise. It's intuitive by design.
Week 5: Go-live
This is the week you officially switch to Birdie. We activate your visit scheduling and your team begins logging visits on the app.
Busting the 5 biggest myths about switching
Let's address the most common fears head-on with the facts.
Myth 1: "I'll lose all my data during the switch"
Reality: We use a proven CSV import process to transfer your core client and carer information. Our team performs quality assurance checks to ensure your data is transferred accurately and securely, giving you a clean foundation to build on.
Think about it: your biggest data risk right now is probably your current system. Paper backups that sit in filing cabinets. Server crashes with no backup. Staff who copy-paste information between spreadsheets and introduce errors. Modern data migration uses automated tools that transfer information with audit trails – far safer than what you're doing today.
Myth 2: "My carers will hate it and might even leave"
Reality: A system designed for carers is a system they'll actually use. We prioritise ease of use, and the results speak for themselves.
Christie's Care successfully onboarded 160 carers without a single one leaving. Tim Middleton, their Head of Operations, told us: "Our demographic of carers tend to not be so 'au fait' with technology, and they were quite scared of the change – so we projected we'd lose some because of transitioning. And we didn't lose anyone. That says it all really."
What carers hate is waiting 20 minutes for a clunky app to sync, or filling out the same form twice because the office system doesn't talk to the mobile app. When you show them an app that's as fast as their Instagram feed and doesn't make them re-enter data, resistance disappears.
Myth 3: "It takes months of pain to get up and running"
Reality: The process doesn't have to drag on for months. Our structured, 5-week phased approach is designed to make the transition manageable and predictable, getting you to value faster without overwhelming your team.
Compare this to staying on your current system: how many hours per week do you spend fighting it? Manually cross-referencing rosters with invoices? Re-entering data that should sync automatically? Most agencies we migrate tell us they're already spending 10-15 hours per week compensating for bad software. Five weeks of focused migration work saves you 520 hours per year.
Myth 4: "It's too expensive to switch right now"
Reality: The more important question is, what is the cost of not switching? Inefficiency, missed growth, and quality issues have a real financial impact.
Here's what agencies who switch to Birdie actually see:
- 56% time savings improvement in overall operations
- 20% median growth in hours of care after one year
- 77% see positive increases in profit margins using Birdie Finance
- 92% report overall care quality improvements
Calculate the real cost of your current system: take the hours your coordinators spend on admin that should be automated (rostering, manual invoice adjustments, CQC report preparation). Multiply by their hourly cost. Then add the opportunity cost – the new clients you can't take on because your system can't scale. For most agencies, this number exceeds £2,000 per month. The cost of not switching compounds every month you wait.
Myth 5: "I'll have to manage the entire migration myself"
Reality: You are not alone in this. Our Soar onboarding programme provides comprehensive support, and for those who want a dedicated partner, our Soar+ plan includes a Dedicated Onboarding Manager to guide you every step of the way. We also provide hands-on support for the CSV data migration process.
You'll need to do three things: provide access to your current data (usually a CSV export), verify that the imported data looks correct during the shadow run, and communicate the change to your team. Everything else – the technical setup, the data mapping, the testing – is on us.
Real results from agencies like yours
Don't just take our word for it. Here's what other agency owners have said about their experience.
"The training for Birdie is really, really good – I know I can go back onto it and go straight to what I need at anytime." – Leanne Newman, Compliance Officer, Walfinch
"Our demographic of carers tend to not be so 'au fait' with technology, and they were quite scared of the change – so we projected we'd lose some because of transitioning. And we didn't lose anyone. That says it all really!" – Tim Middleton, Head of Operations, Christie's Care
These aren't software success stories – they're business transformation stories where the right technology removed the ceiling on growth. Spire Homecare scaled from 350 to 3,500 hours per week. Britannia Homecare improved their CQC rating from Requires Improvement to Good after making the switch.
Ready to make the switch with confidence?
If your current software is holding you back, let's talk. A migration specialist can walk you through the process, answer your questions, and show you what a seamless transition looks like. This isn't a sales call – it's a technical conversation about your specific data, your team, and your timeline.
Speak to a migration specialist
Learn more about switching to Birdie
Published date:
February 26, 2026
Author:
Hannah Nakano Stewart
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