Comfort Keepers^® of Kingsport, Tennessee Awarded 2012 KOSBE for Business Excellence

Congratulations to Comfort Keepers^® of Kingsport, TN for recently winning the 2012 Kingsport Office of Small Business Development and Entrepreneurship (KOSBE) Business Excellence Award! Comfort Keepers won the award for “Small Businesses with Over 10 Employees” from among 36 area small businesses competing for awards in 10 categories. Selections were made based on customer relationship strategy, story of success overcoming adversity, community involvement, financial strength, marketing creativity and strategies for growth.

Comfort Keepers employs 45 caregivers who provide companionship, personal care, in-home safety solutions and non-medical support and services that improve the lives of area seniors and enable independent living at home. Owner, Linda Bambino, believes that Comfort Keepers was successful not only because of the services they offer but also because of the personal care and compassion the staff uses when interacting with their clients.

The KOSBE is awarded by the Kingsport Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with East Tennessee State University and partnership with the Tennessee Small Business Development Centers. KOSBE strives to be the go-to organization for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to start or grow their businesses by creating and developing the right tools and resources and cultivating the right partnerships.

To be nominated for the awards, qualifying businesses must have been in operation for one-two years and also present their credentials to the KOSBE Board of directors. This was the 18th year for the awards which were presented on December 6, 2012 at the Ridgefields Country Club in Kingsport, TN.

Please help us congratulate the entire Kingsport office! 

Waller Gets In-Home Care Franchise

Stressed out, dissatisfied, anxious and sick of working for someone else – described the life of Jackie Diaz while working as a general manager at a local fast food restaurant. Unhappy with the direction her professional career had taken in the past2years, she was ready for a change. One day her daughter, home on spring break from Chicago, gave her Mom the same advice she had gotten from Jackie, “Do something about it or quit complaining.” This reminder was just what Jackie needed to take action.

Remembering Comfort Keepers from research for her own parents yrs before she decided to investigate Comfort Keepers®; an in-home care service provider known for its reputation of on-going support to its franchisees in a booming industry. “What really grabbed my attention was their Interactive Caregiving® philosophy,” Jackie said. “I became inspired and fell in love with what they believe in.”

Of course Comfort Keepers wasn’t her only option. During her research and throughout the decision making process, Jackie investigated several other organizations in the in-home care industry as well as other industries. However, for Jackie the decision to invest in a Comfort Keepers franchise became obvious. “I especially enjoyed working with the Comfort Keepers recruiting team,”, Jackie said, “They helped make it a comfortable, natural decision that we felt great about once everything was said and done.”

Just four months ago Jackie was a general manager at a fast food restaurant. Now, she is an owner of a Comfort Keepers franchise, making a difference in the rural area she calls home by providing local residents with professional, compassionate and loving in-home care. In this very brief period, Jackie has completely turned her life around as a proud and successful owner of a Comfort Keepers office in Waller, Texas.

Really liked this post http://www.salesandmanagement.com/resources/ArticleFolder/MSArticle.htm .  Think it’s very succinct and, in very few words, provides a lot of value.   Beneficial whether you own a senior care franchise or a multi-national business. 

Below is my summary of the article:

First,  the business has to know what it stands for, why it is here.  That is step one.  Define the business vision.  

Step two is completing an internal audit of the strengths within the business – do those strengths align and support the business vision?

Step three is to reach out to your external customers and find out  if  their perception of the business matches up with the vision and strengths? 

If internal and external perceptions match – it is time to move to Step Four and prepare a Business Strategy.   

The final two pieces are offshoots of the Business Strategy.  Step five is developing a communications plan (marketing)  and step six is developing a sales management plan (sales). 

Cutting to the chase, this high level plan can help provide focus to drive business growth and development in a franchise organization.   Good suggestions and process!

Comfort Keepers started franchising in 1999, so we are in the process of recognizing quite a few franchisees who are celebrating their 10 Year Comfort Keeper System Anniversaries.   While 10 years may not seem like a long time in the grand scheme of things, according to U.S. Small Business Administration, more than half of all small businesses close within the first 5 years of operation.   

Considering this fact, it’s a pretty big deal that 50 territories in the Comfort Keepers Senior Care system have been in operation for 10 years during 2011.   We would like to congratulate the following franchise owners on their 10 year system anniversaries for May and June 2011:

The Comfort Keepers Franchise System has over 628 territories in the United States and more importantly, our system franchise owners employ over 20,000 individuals throughout the United States.   Even more exciting is the fact that our system is still growing.   These strong numbers are possible due to three distinct points:

• Home Care is the Right Industry
• Franchising is the Right Model
• Comfort Keepers is the Right Franchise

For more information about franchise opportunities in your area, please visit:  www.comfortkeepersfranchise.com

Comfort Keepers is proud to announce that for the second year in a row, we have been named to the Military Friendly Franchise list.  It is a privilege to be named to this list and an honor to work with those who, many time, have dedicated their lives to serving our country. 

One of the great things about working with military members and veterans is that they have a great work ethic and are accustomed to following set processes.  This attitude really fits with the franchise business model.   Comfort Keepers has many veteran owned franchises in our system and we are working to grow that ownership base too! 

Visit our website at www.comfortkeepersfranchise.com to see the full press release and to find out more about senior care business opportunities with Comfort Keepers.

It’s 2010 and it’s time to set your goals for the next year, both professionally and personally. We came up with a few for entrepreneurs and franchisees, and also found a great list from Entreprenuer.com worth sharing. Please comment and tell us what YOU plan to do to kick off a new decade of business success!

Great 2010 Goals for Franchise Business Owners

• NETWORK.
  
  Devote 30-45 min a day to networking and marketing your business. This can just be updating your profiles on social networks, attending luncheons or setting up coffee meetings with other potential business leaders.
• MAKE the ASK.
  
  Use the new year as an excuse to set up meetings with potential clients you haven’t talked to in awhile. Create a template email and just personalize with the client name and relevant info. Always remember to make “the ask” – Get them to give you 10 minutes to give a presentation about your business, to meet you for lunch or more information to build into a formal pitch for their specific business.
• MOTIVATE your employees for 2010.
  
  If the holiday season got crazy, take the time to lay out a roadmap for future growth in 2010. Share your goals for the company for the next year, and give real numbers, like a benchmark from 2009 that you’d like to beat this year. Solicit their opinions of what could be improved or their own career goals. Don’t be afraid to get personal. Sometimes helping an employee with one of her goals, like giving flex time so she can spend an extra hour a week with her grandkids, will engender deep loyalty to you and the company.
• Give yourself DEADLINES and break into achievable milestones.
  
  If you goal is to cultivate and bring on three new franchisees this year, set a deadline of one a quarter. Make yourself set two meetings a month with potential franchisors. Keep a fresh calendar specifically for this goal, separate from your day-to-day To Do list.
• DIVEST yourself of 2009.
  
  Part of starting anew is getting over the past. Though 2009 was a rocky year for many, check it off your list. Take a day off just for you – not family time, spouse time or catch up at the office time – actual mental time off for you to regroup. A business is only as strong as its leader, and your positive mindset will encourage others to set off in pursuit of an awesome 2010.
  –

Last year, Entrepreneur.com featured wise words from business leaders. Many still work today, so we thought we’d share a few… Check them out:

Don’t lose your optimism and opportunism. Someone has to be opportunistic in this market and if entrepreneurs can’t do it, who can? There’s still room for optimism.

Startup Financing
Asheesh Advani

Get more traffic. Convert more traffic. Sell more to existing customers. Put everything you can on autopilot.

E-Business
Derek Gehl

Focus on planning as management. It’s not just a plan, but a planning process including regular plan reviews with course corrections. Note changed assumptions in order to steer your business through constant change without losing sight of the long-term goals; which is, in a nutshell, getting back to the fundamentals of planning, or “plan-as-you-go” planning.

Business Plans
Tim Berry

I think mompreneurs should make just one resolution in 2009: Be present in whatever you do. When you’re working, don’t answer the home phone, change out the laundry, etc. When you’re with your children, truly be with them. Don’t answer e-mails, sort through your mail and check your phone when you’re spending time with your children. And when the best plans fall through, just laugh.

Mompreneur
Lisa Druxman

Resolve to make 2009 the year for building relationships with customers and influencers as well as offering the best value–because in a tough economic year, we’ll all choose to spend our limited dollars with the people and companies we know and trust.

Marketing
Kim T. Gordon

If you’ve been thinking about buying a franchise, make 2009 the year to stop pondering and start researching. Read everything you can about franchising, make lists of what concepts interest you, get Franchise Disclosure Documents, talk to franchisees and franchisors, look into your financing options and start taking legitimate steps toward buying the franchise that’s right for you. Many franchisees are succeeding even in this economy and will continue to succeed in 2009, but risks are arguably higher and preliminary research is more important than ever. Resolve to start this year by launching into your own in-depth, full-force franchise research.

The Franchise Insider
Janean Chun

*Get your conversation started. Sign up and learn by doing. I’m talking about Twitter and Facebook. Using social media can be the biggest impact for your business in 2009.

Search Engine Optimization
Jon Rognerud

HAPPY NEW YEAR from the COMFORT KEEPERS BLOG TEAM!

I recently tweeted a video released by popular business, marketing guru, Chris Brogan. He used this :49 second clip to bring home one simple message: in order to make your business or franchise successful – you’ve got to go where the business is. The concept seems simple – but tapping into new business can be a daunting and time-consuming task. There are a few reasons, however, why being proactive and going to where the business is will yield rewards.

• Keeping in contact with your network and touching base frequently may yield future referrals. Word of mouth is a powerful force in business, so keep your business relationships current.
• Developing a proactive sales or networking plan will allow you to strategize. Who do you need to contact? What audience needs to know about your business or service? Take some time to answer these questions and then strategize about how you might connect with them.
• Being proactive in your sales strategy will also help give you a solid business reputation. Other business owners and consumers will start to see your business as a valid, respected presence in the business community.

Bursting out of everyone’s mailboxes come sparkly snowflakes, prancing deer, jolly elves and silver bells – it’s the holiday season, and everyone wants your money. Though the holidays are a marketer’s heyday, it’s important to remember some cardinal rules for relationship-based marketing that works better than pushy solicitations topped with a santa hat.

Keep it family-focused.
Many Comfort Keepers are intimately involved with their clients’ lives – so much so that they are considered not just a caregiver, but part of the family. While it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season, remember that relationships with adult children and their parents end up generating word-of-mouth marketing and referrals. Make a special effort to continue a great level of communication with families of seniors during the holidays, and relieve a little of that end-of-year stress for all.

Give thanks.
If you do send out marketing materials at the end of the year, one of the best reasons is to give thanks to your customers. A real, sincere human sentiment is more motivating than any commercial note or promotion. Cards and letters should be personalized — tell a story, show photos of real people or be in first-person (“I’m so thankful this year for you.” not “The business is thankful for its clients.” A handwritten signature is a must.

Make it a gift of your time or experience.
The holidays are a time to give back to your community, and you can use your expertise in working with seniors to educate others. Maybe someone has a church group who would love to hear your perspective on aging gracefully, or a gym club who wants ideas for senior exercise techniques. Be generous with your time, even during the busy holiday season, when time is a hot commodity.

Recognize individuals.
Your staff can be the most important grassroots marketing tool in your toolbox. Paying attention to their ideas and needs can not only help you keep improving your services, they can spread the word about the great work you do. Make time to ask other franchisees or staff for 2010 ideas — you never know what will come up. Recognize outstanding 2009 employees. Validating their concerns, thanking them for their hard work and truly listening is the best gift you can give.

Don’t be afraid of the tough stuff.
Your positivity and optimism can be infectious. For seniors who may be a long ways from family, you play a crucial role in connecting them with good things of the season. It’s been a tough year for many across the country this year and travel may be especially difficult. Recognizing that and showing compassion and understanding are important. Expect extra requests from families and do your best to accommodate them.  They’ll remember your kindness long after the holiday season ends.

The most recent issue of TIME magazine caught our eye today, because of an article on China and U.S. relations, to accompany President Obama’s visits this week to the largest and most influential Asian nation.

In the article “Five Things the U.S. Can Learn from China,” writer Bill Powell listed “Look After the Elderly” (pg. 3 online) as the third lesson to learn – which so many of us at Comfort Keepers know firsthand is vitally important to the future of our country.

Powell gave his own personal perspective on the difference between each country’s treatment of seniors, saying:

“It’s hard to imagine two societies that deal with their elderly as differently as the U.S. and China. And I can vouch for that firsthand. My wife Junling is a Shanghai native, and last month for the first time we visited my father at a nursing home in the U.S. She was shaken by the experience and later told me, ‘You know, in China, it’s a great shame to put a parent into a nursing home.’

In China the social contract has been straightforward for centuries: parents raise children; then the children care for the parents as they reach their dotage. When, for example, real estate developer Jiang Xiao Li and his wife recently bought a new, larger apartment in Shanghai, they did so in part because they know that in a few years, his parents will move in with them. Jiang’s parents will help take care of Jiang’s daughter, and as they age, Jiang and his wife will help take care of them.” 1

The writer goes on to examine some of the reasons for increased national need for in-home senior care, especially as the U.S. becomes what he characterizes as a “mobile and rootless society.” High costs for nursing home care and soaring numbers of elderly citizens are paired with many adult children’s desire to provide parents with the kind of love and support that many Chinese citizens consider a matter of duty.

The TIME article continues, speaking with Arnold Eppel, a leading researcher and expert on America’s aging population:

“Home care for the elderly will most likely make a comeback in the U.S. out of sheer economic necessity, however. The number of elderly Americans will soar from 38.6 million in 2007 to 71.5 million in 2030. But, says Arnold Eppel, who recently retired as head of the department of aging in Baltimore County, Maryland, ‘There won’t be enough spots for them’ in the country’s overwhelmed nursing-home system. Appreciating the magnitude of the coming crisis, the U.S. government has begun to respond. Two new initiatives — Nursing Home Diversion and Money Follows the Person — expand subsidies for home elder care, and the Veterans Health Administration has just put in effect its own similar initiative. ‘The whole trend will be into home care, because nursing homes are too expensive,’ Eppel says, noting that nursing-home care in the U.S. costs about $85,000 annually per resident.” 2

When thousands of American readers of TIME consider these statistics – both in the context of cultural background and as simply a matter of caring for one’s own –  it becomes clear that we’re on to something here at Comfort Keepers. Franchisees, employees and clients already know how important service to seniors is today.

Our challenge is to continue to study best senior care practices, publicize our role in this increasingly important societal change and truly serve our mission by providing excellent service to seniors.

Read the whole article from TIME here.

Reference:

Powell, Bill. ““Five Things the U.S. Can Learn from China.” TIME Nov. 12, 2009. Time.com. 20 Nov. 2009. <http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1938671-3,00.html#ixzz0XE0k5INy>

If you’re in the process or starting a new business or entrepreneurship venture, you are facing the daunting task of hiring employees. How do you know who to hire? How do you find the best people for your company? Here are some tips:

• Ask for references (and use them). References should match the most relevant job experience.
• Ask good interview questions. Ask questions that give you a good understanding about how the job candidate responds in certain situations – Questions like “What would you do if…”
• Ask questions to determine if the candidate would fit for your work environment. Do you need a team player? Ask whether the job candidate prefers to work independently or with people?
• Hire interns. If you work with interns, you’ll be able to observe them on the job. Many times, an intern will turn out to be a great full time employee.
• Try trial period, contract work or part-time workers first. This will give both of you an opportunity to determine whether your company is the best fit for the employee.
• Gauge the job candidate’s enthusiasm. If your potential employee doesn’t seem to have much of an interest in your business and knows little about what you do, then chances are they just don’t care that much and his or her apathy will probably affect job performance.
• Have a real conversation in the interview. Many times, interviews are stilted and uncomfortable. Try to chat a little before you get to the more formal interview questions. This kind of conversation may help you understand the job candidate’s personality.
• When trying to make sure that you keep your great employees, remember to have your employees do regular boss evaluations. This will be invaluable feedback about your leadership style.
• Meet with each of your employees to find out how you can better meet their needs. Ask what they’re enjoying and disliking about their jobs.
• Ask for suggestions from your employees about how your business is run.