Why your care business needs to add new locations

Expanding your homecare business through new locations is not just a nice-to-have strategy - but a very valuable response to an evolving market.

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With an ageing population and rising health awareness in the UK, the demand for home-based care services is surging. Domiciliary care businesses must seize this opportunity for expansion not only to meet market demand but also to stay relevant and competitive.

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This quick guide explores a few of the most compelling reasons for adding new locations to your domiciliary care business - and provides a few steps to achieve this goal effectively.

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Meeting the Rising Demand in Domiciliary Care

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Addressing an Ageing Population: The UK's population is ageing, leading to an increased need for domiciliary care services, adding new locations enables your business to provide vital services to a broader segment of this demographic.

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Action Steps:

• Conduct research to identify regions with a higher concentration of elderly residents in the UK.
• Regularly review and adapt to changes in demographics and health trends. Stay up to date by signing up to social care newsletters, subscribing to courses and joining webinars and homecare related events.

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The Homecare Association produces authoritative, evidence-based publications that increase people’s understanding of the homecare sector. You can check them out here.

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Staying Ahead in the Competitive Landscape

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Competitive Advantage: The domiciliary care market is becoming increasingly crowded. By expanding to new locations, you can gain a competitive edge by being the first to offer high-quality care in untapped areas.

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Action Steps:

• Use competitor analysis tools to identify areas with limited domiciliary care services.
• Develop unique care programmes that set your services apart in new markets.

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Watch Birdie’s webinar “How to get started with Domiciliary Care Tenders” with industry expert Cliff Daulby from Tenders UK:

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Enhancing Brand Recognition and Trust

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Building Brand Authority: Expanding to new locations can significantly enhance your brand's visibility and reputation. A larger footprint can often equate to increased trust and recognition in the industry - if you do it properly!

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‍Action Steps:

• Implement a targeted marketing strategy that highlights your successes and client satisfaction in existing locations.
• Engage in homecare community events and partnerships in new areas to build awareness of your brand.

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Financial Diversification and Stability

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Economic Resilience: Diversifying your business across multiple locations offers financial stability. It reduces dependency on a single market and creates multiple revenue streams, safeguarding against local economic downturns.

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‍Action Steps:

• Create detailed financial projections for new locations to understand potential revenue and costs.
• Explore various funding options to support expansion efforts.

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Always wanted to know if your agency is spending in the right places? Try Birdie's Homecare Agency Cost Benchmarking Tool to see if you're spending more, less or the same than the average on everything from per-hour pay to travel time, if your profit margins per hour of care are beating your competitors and exactly where you need to make savings or efficiencies in order to improve the health of your business. Try for free today.

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Leveraging Technology for Scalability and Efficiency

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Operational Efficiency: Technology plays a crucial role in managing the complexities of scaling up. Digital tools and platforms can streamline operations, ensuring consistency and quality across all locations.

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Action Steps:

• Invest in a centralised care management system to efficiently manage operations across new locations.
• Train staff in using any digital tools you employ, ensuring a high standard of service delivery whilst developing your team.

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Read also - Top 8 Digital Care Management Systems

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Adding new locations is a strategic necessity for domiciliary care businesses in the UK. It's about responding proactively to demographic changes, staying ahead in a competitive market, building your brand's authority, ensuring financial resilience, and leveraging technology for efficient expansion.

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Each of these aspects is crucial for sustaining and growing your business in today's healthcare landscape. Neglecting these areas can lead to missed opportunities and a weakened position in a rapidly evolving sector.

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Want to read more on this? Click the button below to read our article ‘Mistakes to avoid when you add new locations’.