Understanding your client’s needs and setting their expectations at the outset is key to creating a positive customer experience – and that’s a win for them and for you!
As an added bonus, a service agreement that confirms the type, quantity and cost of the services you’ll deliver can help to lock in repeat business – and it means we can set aside funding from our mutual client’s plan to make sure it’s available every time you invoice. That reduces the risk of a payment delay due to insufficient funding and helps you to manage your cashflow with confidence.
While they aren’t compulsory, service agreements are recommended. But what do you put in them, what happens when a client can’t (or won’t) pay you, and how enforceable are they? We turned to AFA Support Coordination’s Elizabeth Hickey for answers.
For a participant in the NDIS, they help with understanding what services will be provided, what expectations they can have of their provider, and what the cost of their services will be.
For the provider, a service agreement is a written formal contract that covers the conditions of service delivery, the costs their client can expect, and what the rights and responsibilities are for each of them.
Service agreements should be easy to understand, clearly outline supports and how to cease services, detail the rights and responsibilities of the provider and the participant, and clarify who to communicate with in relation to supports.
Here’s a checklist of what to include in a service agreement – and a couple of tips:
Tip #1: One of the biggest jobs for a service agreement is the clear identification of what the services in it cost, what the participant will be charged for (like travel and reports), and how much they can expect to pay for the services they’ve agreed to. This may include a daily, weekly or monthly breakdown of the expected supports to be delivered, along with an estimated budget for the term of the agreement.
Tip #2: Service agreements should be accessible and easily understood. It’s a provider’s responsibility to ensure their client understands what they’re agreeing to. It’s also a responsibility of the provider that the service agreement is in a format that’s accessible for their client. This may mean it needs to be in an appropriate language or meet the needs of the person – like producing it in Braille if required. The participant may also need formal interpreting for the meeting in which they’ll be signing the agreement – to ensure the provider is satisfied they understand what’s in it.
Ongoing service agreements are one of my biggest concerns. Typically, where an ongoing agreement is in place, the service provider and their client are less likely to regularly review service delivery and if there are any changes needed.
The actual costs that will be incurred are also less likely to be clear for the client.
Note: An exception to this is plan managers. At My Plan Manager, our service agreement is ongoing because, unlike a therapy provider whose services may need to adapt to the client as they grow capacity and hit their goals, plan managers offer the same suite of services to every client – services that don’t vary in line item or in price.
For more information about what we do, click here.
Also, another mistake is not clearly outlining the expected cost of service as agreed upon with a client.
While this can be more difficult for a less frequent service (where it can be hard to predict the needs of the client and factor in the cost of inflation), by clearly articulating the total expected cost as accurately as possible, clients (or nominees) are better able to manage their budget. This means a provider is less likely to have issues with their client going over budget.
Over the years, many service providers have questioned what the benefits of a service agreement are and why they should have one. Many have said a service agreement ‘doesn’t really matter’, but I’ve always said that it absolutely does, for a number of reasons:
While it’s best if a client signs a service agreement, this doesn’t need to happen as long as their provider has evidence that the service agreement was discussed, a copy was provided, and service delivery was agreed to by their client. This can be done though file notes, emails, and by the booking of sessions.
The good news is, there are fewer problems with payments when a well written service agreement is in place. However, there may be times when a client runs out of funds mid-plan or decides they no longer want to pay for a service or part of a service.
In the event a client refuses to pay an invoice, the provider can approach the NDIS directly for support.
With a well written service agreement, a client is less likely to run out of funds. However, the service agreement also assists the provider to outline when services will be withdrawn or that it’s the client’s responsibility to ensure funds are available. One of the biggest parts of being a provider is clear and ongoing communication with a client to ensure ongoing funding is available and to support them to regularly review and adjust services.
Note: While plan managers like My Plan Manager can ‘lock in’ funding from a client’s budget if a service agreement is in place, the client can request to reverse that allocation at any time. That’s why it’s important for providers to regularly review and adjust their services so they continue to receive client buy-in.
If you have any questions about service agreements, be sure to contact our friendly team. You can email us at [email protected] or call us on 1800 861 272 from 8am-6pm (SA time), Monday to Friday.
When you’re in the business of working with humans, it’s inevitable that tricky conversations are going to come up.
From letting clients know that an outcome they wanted didn’t eventuate, to following them up about late payments, or making the call to end your professional relationship, respectful communication is key.
Plus, how you approach uncomfortable conversations often translates into the reputation of your business – and we all know that having a good reputation is linked to your bottom line.
In a sector that’s working with a cohort of vulnerable people, clear, compassionate communication is vital, and providers who are known for it enjoy positive word of mouth referrals and repeat business.
At My Plan Manager, we’re in contact with thousands of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants every month, and we’ve been connecting with them for years! Here are a few tips we’ve picked up along the way.
Does your client prefer to communicate via email, over the phone or in person? Do they have specific communication requirements – like needing a translator present for all conversations?
Taking their preferences and requirements into account can make a difficult conversation easier to have because it will be more accessible to your client. At My Plan Manager, we record if a client has a preferred method of communication, and wherever possible, we make sure to adhere to their preferences.
New information can be overwhelming, and sometimes it can be difficult to take it in.
To help your client participate in meetings and absorb information related to them, why not invite them to bring along a person they trust? Having someone by their side who can listen to the conversation and recap it for them in private later may make all the difference.
If you’re having a conversation that’s challenging or complex, it’s important the discussion doesn’t take you off course. That’s why preparing notes and talking points is a great idea.
You might like to suggest your client does the same, to keep the conversation on track and make sure everyone gets the opportunity to have their say.
Whether you’re meeting with your client in person, or speaking with them on the phone, avoiding distractions is helpful and maintaining confidentiality is a must.
That’s why we always recommend the conversation takes place in an environment where your client will feel calm and able concentrate, and where they can understand what you’re saying and what it means for them.
Wherever you can, avoid phone calls in busy cafes or noisy office spaces, and schedule face-to-face meetings in designated quiet spaces, rather than high traffic areas.
Did you know up to 90 per cent of communication is non-verbal – including body language and tone of voice?
Non-verbal communication, like sitting up straight and making eye contact, can build authority and instil trust in the person you’re communicating with. It must be said, speaking in a tone that’s friendly can put a client at ease at a difficult time.
When you’re having a confronting conversation, but looking for a good outcome for all, think about your facial expressions, keep an open body (no folded arms or crossed legs), and stay calm and measured while you speak (and speak slowly, clearly and kindly).
Even if you’re on the phone, being mindful of your body language (it guides your mood!) and tone of voice can make all the difference.
We have a lot of respect for expertise, but when experts talk jargon, it’s often like they’re speaking a different language. They’re working in their field and that’s the language they use, but sometimes they can forget that not everyone has the same vocabulary.
When a client is knee deep in the NDIS, they need as much clarity as they can possibly get – and giving them practical, easy-to-understand advice that sets them on the path to success is impactful.
For us, it’s all about supporting our NDIS clients to feel empowered and in control of their plans – and that starts by having clear conversations that strip out the rhetoric.
Has your client had a bad experience in the recent past? Do they have a history of abandonment or trauma? Has there been a pattern of hearing ‘no’ as they navigate the red tape of life as an NDIS participant?
These are just some of the many lived experiences that can impact the day-to-day lives of the people we work with.
With that in mind, try to be the difference in someone’s day – even when having uncomfortable conversations with them. Recognise that some discussions can be triggering and think about tempering them with a disclaimer, like ‘What I’m about to say is challenging, but I’m here to support you’, or consider inviting a support person to join and assist your client.
Walking in someone else’s shoes is a simple tactic that can really help when preparing for a tough client interaction.
It’s only natural to want to avoid a tough conversation, but delays can make things worse.
The earlier a difficult discussion takes place, the sooner it lets the person you’re speaking with understand what’s happening and assess what it means for them.
People may not remember everything said in a conversation, especially when there’s a lot to process.
Emailing your client a written summary of what you’ve covered, and any actions and key dates they need to note, can help. You may also want to include documents that support your conversation, with relevant points highlighted.
If the news that you’re breaking is disrupting services, can you write a transition plan or provide resources that will support your client in the interim?
It’s estimated that up to 50 per cent of Australians don’t have functional literacy. This could be because of interrupted schooling, disability or coming from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background.
Consider whether you need to use a Plain English or Easy Read translation of your work, and at the very least, never choose a longer or more complicated word when a shorter one will do.
Keeping things simple converts better for everyone, and simplicity and compassion are great tool for supporting clients in every sector – but especially those that are centred on a vulnerable cohort.
There’s a health industry statistic that says 85 per cent of patients value compassion over cost and waiting time, and we think keeping that in mind can add value to those working in the disability sector as well.
Remember, at the end of the day, every conversation and every written interaction is ultimately between humans!
Every person has the right to make decisions for themselves, and to take risks that help them to learn, grow, and experience life at its fullest. And for people with disability, it’s no different.
That’s why it’s important they and their loved ones know about ‘dignity of risk’ – the right of every person to, within their capacity, make the choices they want, even if they involve some level of risk.
Dignity of risk is a basic human right. Examples might include:
Where dignity of risk can get complicated is when it is balanced with duty of care – the legal responsibility to keep a person and their property safe. For example, a support worker assisting a person living in disability accommodation should honour the person’s decision to walk outside alone, even if it may be a risk to their safety.
Duty of care also means having systems in place to help reduce risk, but not at the cost of a person’s right to choose for themselves.
An example of this is, if a healthcare provider recommends a patient (who may be a person with disability) stops consuming alcohol, but the person instead decides to only reduce their intake, those who provide support to the person can check in regularly to see how they’re going with minimising their consumption.
It’s less about removing risk and more about helping someone do what they want in a safer way.
With dignity of risk, you have the right to make decisions about your life, and your support networks – family members, providers and others – should respect them, even if they don’t agree with them.
Running out of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) funds isn't good for anyone. For your clients, a budget blowout could mean they miss out on continuity of supports that are vital to achieving their goals. For you, a budget blowout could have a significant impact on your workflow and income.
It's clear it's in everyone's best interests for plan funding to be spent at a Goldilocks pace – not too quickly and not too slowly, but just right!
We spoke with five experienced support coordinators/recovery coaches to get their advice on how providers can attract and serve loyal clients by supporting them to avoid over and underspending their plan funds. Our editorial roundtable – a think tank that brings together support coordinators from across Australia to share insights, experiences, challenges and solutions with others in the disability community – has unpacked the issue for you.
Read on to find out which budgeting tools they recommend, what to do if a client is running low on NDIS funding, and how to support participants to get the most out of their NDIS plans.
Partnering with participants – panel members:
Here’s the questions we posed and the answers they gave. Click on each question to open up their answers and learn more. We hope you get as much out of it as we did!
2. What are the impacts of overspending and/or underspending an NDIS plan budget?
If you or your employer provides a service to a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participant, and either or both of you gets paid under the NDIS, then you’re required to adhere to the NDIS Code of Conduct.
The NDIS Code of Conduct is designed to promote a safe and skilled workforce to serve participants in the Scheme, and it applies to every provider – both NDIS registered and unregistered – and to NDIS workers.
Brush up on what the NDIS Code of Conduct sets out for providers and workers – and find out what we’re doing at My Plan Manager to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of people with disability – by reading on.
The NDIS Code of Conduct helps protect the health, safety and wellbeing of people with disability by setting out acceptable, appropriate and ethical conduct for NDIS providers and workers. The requirements in the NDIS Code of Conduct are fundamental to the rights of people with disability, as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
NDIS providers and workers must:
1. Act with respect for individual rights to freedom of expression, self-determination and decision-making in accordance with applicable laws and conventions.
People with disability have the right to make their own decisions, to be free to live the life they choose, and to have the same rights and freedoms as any other member of the community. (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission)
That’s why, at My Plan Manager, we place huge emphasis on supporting choice and control for every client – a commitment that forms the basis of every decision we make.
We aim to present information to our clients that they can use to make decisions – like what kind of providers they want to use and where they want to spend their funding. Then, if requested, we assist them to act on those decisions by helping with budgeting and setting funding aside to access the providers they want to see. This gives our clients more control of their NDIS plans, their budget and their lives.
2. Respect the privacy of people with disability
Everybody has the right not to have their personal information disclosed without their informed consent. NDIS providers should respect and protect the privacy of everyone they provide services to and have policy and procedures to ensure they manage information in accordance with privacy laws. (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission)
At My Plan Manager, our staff are trained to protect the personal information of our clients and we’ve created policies (if ever there’s a case where client privacy is compromised) to minimise exposure of personal information and the subsequent damage that may arise from it.
We also undertake proof of identity checks when clients and providers call us and request private information.
We have specific training about privacy and dignity that we approach from a rights-based agenda (as opposed to a box our team members have to tick). This means our clients’ privacy is at the heart of the training we provide to our team members and is emphasised through it, as part of the person centred approach we take.
We’re also currently working towards being accredited with the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 27001 Standard, which assesses and accredits information security management. The 27001 Standard entails an external and independent review of our policies and systems to ensure we protect the confidentiality, integrity and accessibility of our client data at a world class level.
Once accredited, we’ll be one of the first plan managers to achieve this external validation of our systems.
3. Provide supports and services in a safe and competent manner with care and skill
Providers should ensure they have competent workers to serve their clients. They should ensure their workers have the necessary training, skill and qualifications for the services they provide. (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission)
At My Plan Manager, our team members are provided with training at key stages of their employment, including induction and refresher training, to have competence in assisting our clients in a range of areas – in addition to processing their NDIS invoices.
We also have a competency framework that’s used to structure our team member training, which is externally reviewed as part of our ISO 9001 accreditation. We’re one of only a few plan managers to have the ISO 9001 accreditation at present.
We also adhere to NDIS Practice Standards that are audited every three years.
4. Act with integrity, honesty and transparency
People with disability have a right to accurate, accessible and timely information that includes the cost and efficacy of services. (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission)
At My Plan Manager, we scrutinise every invoice to make sure clients aren’t being charged more than the rates set out in the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits. We also help clients to verify the services they’ve been invoiced for, and they can let us know if they have any concerns about invoices or the charges being made by their providers.
We’re able to provide accurate, accessible and timely information through technology that lets our clients see their information – including their NDIS plan budget – in real time, via the client portal and mobile app.
Our clients can choose to receive SMS text notifications when their invoices are processed, and we have service level standards – including call response and invoice processing times – that we monitor and are reviewed under our ISO 9001 accreditation.
5. Promptly take steps to raise and act on concerns about matters that may impact the quality and safety of supports and services provided to people with disability.
NDIS providers have a responsibility to provide safe and quality services. That’s why they should have effective complaints, resolution, incident management, investigation and disciplinary processes. (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission)
At My Plan Manager, we can provide information if clients have concerns that need to be reported to the NDIS Qualify and Safeguards Commission or to the National Disability Insurance Agency.
If a client has a concern about fraud, if something goes wrong with their supports or services, or if they’re at risk of danger, we can provide information on who to report it to and how, and we’re committed to reporting first and third party reports if ever required.
This basically means we’ll provide a report to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission if ever we become aware that a My Plan Manager team member or provider is involved in a ‘reportable incident’.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission considers a reportable incident to include these scenarios when they’re related to NDIS services provided:
We have a dedicated Quality and Risk team that’s in charge of notifying the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission if a reportable incident does occur. The team looks after subsequent requests, and answers communication from the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, once informed.
6. Take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to all forms of violence against, and exploitation, neglect and abuse of, people with disability.
Evidence demonstrates that people with disability are at a far greater risk of experiencing violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation than others in the population and this often goes unrecognised and unaddressed. Women and girls with disability are at far greater risk of violence, and children and young people with disability experience violence and abuse at approximately three times the rate of children without disability. (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission)
We know that people with significant or profound disability are particularly vulnerable to systemic and opportunistic harm, and we’re often their first line of defence in raising concerns about actual and potential risks.
That’s why we proactively work to detect and report vulnerability, safety and safeguarding concerns, to improve outcomes for the thousands of Australians with disability who we support.
7. Take all reasonable steps to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct.
Sexual misconduct is a broad term encompassing any unwelcome acts or behaviour that are experienced by the person with disability as being sexual in nature. This includes physical and verbal actions committed without consent or by force, intimidation, coercion or manipulation. It includes sexual violence and exploitation but is not limited to actions which constitute a criminal offence. (NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission)
The relationship between a worker and a person with disability relies on a great degree of trust. All forms of sexual misconduct constitute a breach of this trust and a breach of the NDIS Code of Conduct.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission states that an NDIS provider’s guidance for their workers should:
As we’ve outlined above, we know that people with significant or profound disability are particularly vulnerable to systemic and opportunistic harm, and we’re often their first line of defence in raising concerns about actual and potential risks.
That’s why we proactively work to detect and report vulnerability, safety and safeguarding concerns, to improve outcomes for the thousands of Australians with disability who we support.
We often get asked the difference between the NDIS Practice Standards and the NDIS Code of Conduct, and here’s the simplest response:
The Practice Standards outline the legally binding quality standards that registered providers must adhere to, while the NDIS Code of Conduct sets out expectations of how providers and workers will conduct themselves when delivering services.
For the latest information about the NDIS Code of Conduct, visit the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission website.
As a former National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) staffer, who went on to create My Plan Manager from her kitchen table in 2014, our founder, Claire Wittwer-Smith, knows the NDIS inside and out. We spoke with her about the review, her vision for how the NDIS can return to its roots, and why it’s so important to hear from everyone in the Scheme – providers and participants.
To start with, Claire says she believes the Albanese government is truly committed to implementing the Scheme in the way it was designed in legislation.
“I think the Federal Government really wants the opportunity to shape it and get it right, true to the legislation,” Claire says.
“After all, it was a Gillard government that implemented it and it follows on from Medicare, which was the Whitlam government. Both initiatives are based on the principles of fairness and equity for all, and that everyone has the opportunity to develop to their full potential, and that’s what we’re aligned to here at My Plan Manager.”
Bill Shorten, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme, announced a review of the NDIS in October 2022. The review, led by an expert panel and co-chaired by Professor Bruce Bonyhady AM and Lisa Paul AO, has the goal of putting people with disability back at the centre of the NDIS and restoring trust, confidence and pride in the Scheme.
The review will have two parts:
Crucially, Minister Shorten has said that changes will begin happening to the NDIS before the review’s completion date. He’s already made changes to the way the NDIS operates, with a commitment to putting more people with lived experience at the helm – including NDIA Chair, Kurt Fearnley – and a new culture at the Agency.
Claire says providers should be contributing to the review as it will take feedback from everyone involved in the NDIS to make the review – and the Scheme – a success.
“I think we have to work together to make the Scheme a success. I’m sure we would all agree that the most important voices are the participants and ensuring that participants are able to reach their potential and live their lives with the intended quality that an insurance scheme brings,” she says.
“I think we should look at how the caring sector actually starts to work together. We have the disability sector, aged care, child care – I think we should start streamlining our education in those areas, so your qualifications and skills are transferable and we’re not duplicating training and paperwork unnecessarily.
“There are such similarities in terms of supporting vulnerable people – children and adults – how participants access funding and so on, and we should be capitalising on that.”
Claire says it’s also important that the wider community understands the benefits of the NDIS and recognises it’s an insurance scheme – not welfare.
“It shouldn’t be seen as a burden. I think we need to get better at measuring the benefits of the Scheme – what it’s providing – not only in terms of economics, but in terms of quality of life for people with disability and their families. It’s about everyone having a fair go.”
Claire says listening to client feedback and implementing it has been a gamechanger at My Plan Manager, so she knows the NDIS review has the power to make change.
“Clients have been able to help us understand what a plan manager should be providing for a participant, and the information and insight they give us about that is so rich,” she says. “If you want to be able to provide a good service, you have to be able to listen and be informed by your consumers.”
The NDIS review is open for feedback until the end of the year. However, early feedback is always valuable, and Minister Shorten has said changes will be implemented while the review is open.
To provide feedback, or for more information on supporting your clients to provide their feedback, go here: https://www.ndisreview.gov.au/have-your-say/have-your-say-online
Support coordinators have a lot of responsibility on their shoulders. They need to get to know their clients, build relationships of trust with them and their support networks, foster positive engagement with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and providers of disability and mainstream supports, and coordinate a team of wrap around supports designed to assist their clients to achieve their goals.
But what about their own goals? Where do they find time for those?
In recent months, we’ve convened an editorial roundtable to bring together support coordinators from across Australia in a virtual forum to discuss a range of topics and issues impacting them and their work. We’ve passed the baton to Elizabeth Hickey of AFA Support Coordination, one of our roundtable members, to cover off on a key issue arising from recent discussions – how to build a successful business in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) marketplace.
In this article, Elizabeth shares her perspectives and learnings on how to build a business and juggle client needs and the delivery of quality service at the same time.
For any National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) business, no matter the size or type, balancing service delivery and business processes with bringing in the next client is vitally important.
One of the biggest issues facing many support coordinators today is ensuring they’re able to juggle the jobs that bring in money, along with administration and business building tasks – all while ensuring they deliver a quality service and avoid falling casualty to burnout.
For every business, but especially NDIS businesses, ensuring every client receives quality service is paramount, and should be the number one focus. As disability service providers, we should be aiming to assist all people with disability and their supports by delivering quality services that empower people, support choice and control, and help our clients to live in their communities in the way they’d like to.
When asked, most clients say they want a provider who’s approachable, able to assist and help in developing solutions to their problems, available when needed and willing to help them achieve their goals. Remember, without clients you don’t have a business, so the clients you already have on your books are more important than the clients you may potentially have tomorrow. By focusing on a quality product, everything else will fall into place.
Client load is one of the make-or-break points for quality service, staff retention and business reputation. Understanding how many clients you can work with, and what the client need actually is, is as individual as the clients you work with, and typically it can’t be pinned down to one number.
Every support coordinator will have a different skill level and different strengths, and this may impact on the number and type of clients they’re able to manage. While billable hours are key to the equation, remembering that your hourly rate includes an amount to cover administration and training (and then ensuring it’s implemented!) is important, as those two things will directly relate to the end quality of your service.
When looking at client load, you also need to consider the type of clients you work with and where they are on their NDIS journey. Ensuring there are a variety of clients with different levels of need in your business is important, so you can spread what’s required of you a little more evenly.
Allow for a balance of need, but also for movement through the service. When looking at client need, clients will typically fall into two different categories:
Having a mix of both types of clients can help to ensure that when things get busy, you’re less likely to have everyone calling at once.
Regular and ongoing review of your client load is critical, as is consideration for how many new clients you can manage at one time.
When onboarding a new client, you should think about the amount of time you have available to help get them set up and fully engaged, which can be intensive.
Making sure you know how many new clients you can work with, while also providing ongoing services to your current clients, should be a consideration for all businesses, and remaining focused on reporting and planning – and scheduling time to do this – is important also.
It isn’t unusual for a number of clients to need support and reports all at once, so knowing what your schedule looks like for reporting and planning can be important in ensuring ongoing quality.
One of the comments I regularly hear from clients and providers alike is that communication is key to providing great service.
Clients are individuals and, as such, each client will communicate differently. Ensuring their communication needs are met – both for routine needs, like putting service agreements in place and booking appointments, as well as for service delivery – can be a huge part of ensuring quality. If you can communicate in a way that meets each client’s needs, you’ll have the basis for a great service.
All NDIS service providers (registered and unregistered) are bound by the NDIS Code of Conduct, which is a great place to start when measuring how well you’re working to provide quality service, and deciding where to focus for further business and worker development.
As an NDIS business, working to empower people with disability and their informal supports to make decisions about their lives, and providing supports that are safe and respected, is the basis of great service.
Understanding the concept of choice and control, and dignity of risk, allows providers to support people with disability to exercise their freedom of choice and explore what their life means. A good worker is someone who’s able to support a person in their choice, even when they may not agree with the decision the person has made.
The NDIS Code of Conduct is also a roadmap for reviewing your service delivery. You should regularly seek feedback from your clients – whether it’s through a casual conversation, informal and formal reviews or surveys, or even complaints – to identify potential improvements that can help serve them better.
Ongoing improvement and training for workers is paramount to ensuring that a business continually develops. Improvement can be something as small as changing an invoice number to better identify your business and make it easier for a self managed client to pay the bills, or as big as training in customer service, if that’s a weakness.
Documenting every business process is vital to support delivery of a consistent, quality service, but there are times when documentation can cut into client time and compromise outcomes.
One of the biggest things I’ve learnt in business is that having the right systems in place can save time, help serve clients better, ensure you’re compliant and you meet the standards you’re upheld to, help manage risk, and make you even more attractive to new clients.
Many new businesses may not have the time or capital to invest in streamlined systems. However, even a simple system that’s easy to implement can make a huge difference to compliance and risk and the ease with which you can grow your business.
One of the easiest and cheapest ways I found to set up systems to manage different processes was to use the inbuilt forms tool through Google Workspace. This allowed me to create easy spreadsheet data entry for processing – including risk management, continuous improvement recording, personnel training/education registers, client intake and exit processes, and quality review recording. It allowed me to design and record the information my business needed, while keeping an easy-to-use record.
Once you have them in place, it's important to review systems and processes to make sure they’re working and helping to reduce time spent on tasks that don’t create income. One consideration should be the time spent completing the different workflow tasks – both client directed and administration focused – and if you’re able to implement a system that will reduce the time required, sometimes paying for it up front is a better investment in your business in the long run.
Systems that assist, including business registers, and accounting and client management software, should be reviewed regularly and not set and forgotten. By continuing to consider different options and improving your business in small steps, continued growth will naturally occur, along with the ability to easily show compliant systems and supports are in place.
Every business is different, and both the systems you need and the clients you work with will vary. Identifying what makes your business special, and different to others, is important when considering how to balance the client experience and business development.
No NDIS business will, or should, suit all clients – because, just like the people we serve, each business is individual. Focusing on what you do well and providing a niche service can help to ensure everything your business delivers is quality.
It’s easy to fall into the mindset that you’re competing against all the other providers who do the same thing as you do for clients. But comparing yourself to others is probably the worst thing you can do.
The NDIS is still growing. In December 2022, there were approximately 573,000 participants, and this is expected to grow to 670,000 by 2025. By identifying your perfect client, letting people know who you work with, having a great reputation, knowing who else is out there, and then referring clients you can’t serve to others, you’ll benefit your business and ensure you get to work with the people you can best support.
Working in the disability industry for more than 20 years has taught me one big lesson. For an NDIS participant, the best way to find support is to ask around.
Word of mouth is the best form of advertising for a business within in this sector, simply because people talk and the disability community is just that – a community. It’s close knit, extremely supportive, and will offer guidance to its members. So, doing the right thing – and being known for it – will serve you well.
When it comes to word of mouth, networking is key. Connecting with other businesses and having great relationships with others will ensure you’re able to access services, get help when you need it, and also refer clients if you’re not the right service or you don’t have availability at the time.
Connection to networking and training opportunities is also a fantastic way to ensure your business is participating in ongoing education and training and keeping up to date with changes, both in the NDIS and your local area.
I’ve come to learn the following five things are important to building a successful business:
Work with clients to find the way they need you to communicate with them to get the best results. Communication can look like an in-person catch up, a phone call, an email, an SMS, a direct message through social media, or a physical letter. Every client will have a difference preference for communicating.
Their decisions are not yours, and your job is to assist them to be supported, so they can make the right decisions for them – even if they’re not decisions you might make for yourself.
Make sure you document everything, but don’t let it compromise service. Whether you own the business or work in it, you should aim to document things in a way that someone new can easily understand. This ensures clients can continue to receive services and the business is compliant.
Even though the initial investment in systems may be daunting, in the long run it may mean you’ll actually free up time and capacity and make more money than before. You might even find a little time in the day for yourself!
Figure out what you do best and don’t try to be everything to everyone. By developing a business that serves a specific group of people well, word of mouth will do most of your advertising for you, and you won’t need to worry about getting clients.
When looking at how to build a business that balances client expectations and growth, providing quality service should be the top priority for every business owner.
By ensuring you have a quality service that sells itself, a sustainable client load, and that you focus on continually improving your service, you can know that your business will be sustainable and continue for many years to come.
Support coordinators play a key role in the delivery of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), supporting people to implement their plans and exercise choice and control over the supports and services they choose.
They’re also vital supports in helping to secure the funding you need to achieve the goals in your plan, as well as better outcomes and more independence.
But, as we all know, support coordinators and their clients can take every measure to secure funding and it still may not come through from the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA).
What do support coordinators need to do to aid their clients in putting forward the best case for a funding increase? And, if you don’t get it, or your funding is cut, what happens next, and how can a great support coordinator help you get back on track for success?
We invited one of our support coordinator editorial roundtable panel members – Zena Dyson of Esteem Care Services – to discuss this important topic. Here’s what she had to say.
A. The number one factor that influences a participant’s NDIS plan and the amount of funding they receive is EVIDENCE, EVIDENCE, EVIDENCE, related directly to the participant’s disabilities, which proves that their daily living is affected by their disabilities. The newer the evidence, the better!
A. The participant can proactively help themselves achieve the funding they need by asking their GP, specialists, allied health professionals, or any other services involved with them in regard to their disabilities for current reports, recommendation letters, or test results that prove their incapacity to complete their daily living tasks.
A. To help my clients to secure the funding they need to achieve their NDIS goals, I encourage them to gather all the correct, relevant evidence directly related to their disabilities and their NDIS goals combined.
To do this, I advise my clients of what they need to relay to their health professionals and service providers for better outcomes. If the participant does not have the capacity to do this, I ask if they would like me to attend appointments with them, if they would like me to write down information to give to their service providers, or if they would like me to email all their service providers with the correct information required for the best outcomes.
A. Service providers can assist their clients to put forward their strongest case for supports and funding by offering comprehensive reports and recommendations for further funding for their clients’ NDIS supports.
I also expect service providers to relate their reports directly to the client’s NDIS goals.
A. I always ensure I have supplied the client’s NDIS goals to all their service providers, so they can best support our mutual clients to achieve their goals.
Communication between myself and my clients’ support providers is a huge key to ensuring the best funding outcomes for all clients.
A. The relationship between the support coordinator and the NDIA planner and/or their partner in the community, such as Carers QLD – who often conduct plan meetings – is extremely important. Respect goes a long way within these relationships, as well as effective communication, great rapport and knowing the NDIA’s rules and responsibilities.
I have built wonderful working relationships, particularly with many of the Carers QLD Local Area Coordinators (LAC), from Rockhampton to the Gold Coast, to the point where they contact me with many referrals of NDIS participants for support coordination.
A. The single biggest mistake that participants make is filling in the NDIS access request form and sending it in themselves, or getting help from people who do not have the knowledge of what is required, and submitting it without any evidence to support their needs associated with their disabilities.
These access applications generally come back from the NDIA unapproved or with the absolute least amount of funding to support the participant to achieve their NDIS goals.
To avoid making this mistake, the participants must source help to apply for the NDIS from either an NDIS partner in the community, such as Carers QLD, or a support coordinator who is willing to help with this process, such as myself.
A. If a client receives their NDIS plan and they don’t agree with it, then it is up to their support coordinator to contest the plan with supporting evidence for a review. The participant has three months to do this. If this fails and the NDIA disapproves of any changes, then the next step is to take it to the tribunal.
A. The greatest challenge I am currently seeing and/or experiencing in the area of NDIS funding is with child/teen participants not receiving funding for respite and support workers.
It is extremely frustrating when I see a family suffering and struggling due to their child with disabilities not having the help of support workers, especially where the parents either both work full time jobs or do not have the capacity to support their child’s daily needs due to their own disabilities.
A. I have had many clients come to me asking for help because they have put in their NDIS access application and have been denied access to the NDIS, usually due to no evidence going in with the application.
I have then helped the client to collect all the correct evidence and helped them to reapply. They have then received approval for access and gained their first NDIS plan. This happens quite frequently.
A. I believe honesty is the key in this situation. Explain to the participant why their funding was not approved and explain the next steps to take in gathering evidence etc to try applying again. Do not give up!
A. The only time I have seen funding drastically cut is when the participant did not use that particular funding prior to their plan review. In this case, I agree their funding should be cut if they are simply refusing support services and not using their funding.
I believe the NDIS is sustainable if the NDIA ensures all participants only receive funding that they absolutely need to support their disabilities and NDIS goals.
A. I have seen a few cases in the media where the NDIA has cracked down on fraud and exposed people who have been exploiting the NDIS and participant funding, and I agree with the Labor party that cutting excessive costs and cracking down on fraud is correct and justifiable.
These are the types of things that will ruin the NDIS for participants with disabilities that absolutely require the Scheme. Therefore, ‘nipping it in the bud’ now is the correct and the right way to keep the NDIS sustainable.
A. I would say that is a fantastic statistic, if it is correct.
As a support coordinator, I see the huge differences that the NDIS creates for people with disabilities and their families. I have seen clients go from complete hermits to outgoing community members who now enjoy their life, which would be impossible without NDIS funded support services.
The smile on my clients' faces when they are achieving in life says it all!
There’s no doubt about it – the life of a support coordinator is a constant balancing act.
From working with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and service providers, to engaging mainstream and community supports, and connecting with families and friends of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants, there’s a never ending ‘to do’ list that requires a broad skill set and a seemingly endless supply of energy, optimism and ‘can do’ attitude.
We spoke with five thought leaders in the sector – members of our support coordinator editorial roundtable – and asked them how they navigate their pivotal role as a conduit between their clients and the supports and services they need to achieve their goals and live the lives they choose.
What they told us revealed how a great support coordinator really can tip the balance in favour of the participant.
The delicate art of balance – panel members:
Here’s the questions we posed and the answers they gave. Click on each question to open up their answers and learn more. We hope you get as much out of it as we did!
