The Confidence to Bid Against Bigger Player
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Care Concepts was awarded a national tender against stiff competition from bigger players.
MD Martin Clark tells how Business Support Solutions gave him the confidence to go out and promote his business.
"We first worked with Business Support Solutions to achieve Investors in People status in 2005.
In 2008, we were awarded a contract with Manchester City Council to build a 12-place respite and assessment unit, a day centre and a community outreach service at our care home site in Wythenshawe, an investment of £1.2m. We tendered for the opportunity to develop new services as we recognised that we needed to diversify and find new markets, and to work as a team if we were to get further in the business.
For some time, we have been supported by our Business Adviser who suggested that we try the Care Productivity programme. Our management team attended all the sessions, and this brought us into contact with many other people from our sector. I think our Business Adviser suggested we attend because we had had such a positive experience with Business Support Solutions in the past.
We were able to learn from and draw on the management content of the Care Productivity programme. Our specialist consultant then ran three individual sessions with us to go into more detail and map out a project plan for our new development. We looked at critical elements to achieve our goals and then broke them down into smaller tasks to allow us to build up a full project plan.
He also helped us to look at our mission statement and how we were going to market ourselves and organise publicity. We found it really useful to bring those marketing ideas together and these have enabled us to think about how we market ourselves.
The new building is on target and due to open in April 2009.
Before, I liked to keep a low profile - I was always worried that if you take a high profile you fall from a great height - but he showed us that we must "show off " and that there are ways of getting out there and promoting your company in the right arena.
For example, I'll be speaking about the new service at the National Dementia Congress in Bournemouth in October. I wouldn't have felt comfortable doing that before. We've also been in various local papers including the MEN and in a national care publication - in the past we would have completely shied away from this.
In addition we have been awarded a national tender to build a new 60-bed care home and day care centre for Warrington Council - a £4 million investment that will create 100 jobs. Some people raised eyebrows - people said how could we - with one little care home - win against major players? But we did and it is a huge coup for us. We have the confidence to deliver what we say we'll deliver.
The traditional model of care for older people is changing and people's expectations are increasing. The message is that if you can provide quality services that meet people's needs and you are prepared to be flexible, then you can expand your business."
Martin Clark, Managing Director
Care Concepts Ltd - Care centre for people with dementia
http://www.careconcepts.co.uk