Viewed comprehensively, these challenges highlight the urgent need for a more efficient and effective system of managing enquiries. That’s where digital transformation comes into play. As a promising solution to the many challenges faced by the sector, digital transformation can help shift staff focus from merely deflecting enquiries to empowering them to offer faster, more efficient assistance to those who need it most.
Streamlining for successful service delivery
In today’s care sector, it’s clear that social care departments — both those that deal with adults and children — are overwhelmed by the number of queries they receive on a daily basis. However, despite this volume, staff spend a staggering one-third of their time addressing the same repeat enquirers. This phenomenon not only strains resources but — most importantly — delays help for those in urgent need of assistance.
Digital transformation offers overwhelmed staff a simplified and streamlined way of dealing with enquiries. At its heart, this is a process that involves integrating digital technology into all areas of service delivery, fundamentally changing how services are provided and how departments operate. For stretched social care departments, it can also help to drive positive changes in behaviour. Here at Granicus, we are experts in promoting behaviour change via the strategic use of outbound communications. For those within the sector, this means that our technology can be used to empower individual community members to live healthier lives and — more importantly — to steer those in need to the right agencies or charities at the right moment.
For social care departments, digital transformation can lead to improvements in:
- Efficiency: Automated processes can reduce the amount of time staff spend on repetitive tasks.
- Accessibility: Digital platforms make it easier for members of the public to find and access help independently.
- Cost-Effectiveness: Streamlined processes can lead to significant cost savings for local governments.
From theory to practice: Implementing digital solutions
One of the most effective ways to implement digital transformation in social care is through the use of simple forms and workflows. These tools can serve as triage systems, thus helping to categorise and prioritise requests and preventing the escalation of queries into costly phone calls. A more effective triage system can save councils and their partners money in the long term, meaning valuable resources are used more efficiently. Granicus can support more efficient triaging of queries to ensure that swift assistance is provided to those in urgent need, while offering signposting to members of the public who would be better served by other stakeholders within their communities.
Leveraging the power of big data
Big data plays a crucial role in enhancing social care services. By analysing large sets of data, social care departments can gain insights into patterns and trends. This enables them to:
- Predict service needs: Anticipate which services will be in high demand and, on the back of that, allocate resources accordingly.
- Offer personalised assistance: Use data to build drip campaigns that thoughtfully provide information while reducing the need for contact between the sector and individual enquirers. You might, for example, create compelling content to address the concerns of an adult child caring for a parent with dementia or a member of the community with complex disabilities.
- Improve resource allocation: Ensure that resources are directed where they are needed most, thus reducing waste and improving outcomes.
Digital transformation creates a positive experience for all
A positive user experience is the key aspect of any successful digital transformation process. Digital interfaces must be user-friendly, ensuring that members of the public can easily navigate them to find the help they need. By incorporating technology designed to mimic human interaction — such as chatbots programmed to provide empathetic responses and helpful resources — social care departments can offer a more personalised experience, all while more easily managing enquiries.
Yet digital transformation in social care is about so much more than deflecting queries; it’s about providing faster, more efficient help to those who need it most. By implementing digital solutions, leveraging big data, and enhancing the user experience, social care departments can improve their day-to-day operations, all while empowering themselves to face the sector’s many challenges.
Want to learn more about how a better user experience leads to more efficient and effective social care? Contact Granicus today!
