We had the chance to catch up with our friends at Parasol Alliance recently to chat about the role of technology partners like ourselves in senior living, especially amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
Check out the video and our top three takeaways below on technology partners.
Make sure you are working with vendors you can rely on
You should regularly evaluate your relationship with your tech partner(s) and ask how they are serving your evolving needs. Are they responsive? Do they make improvements to their technology? Are they able to quickly respond to events like COVID?
Touchtown and Parasol Alliance were able to quickly provide solutions and free resources even during a global pandemic because of their commitment to continued service. We’re always trying to improve our relationships and rapport with our customers, it’s how we continue improving together!
Choose technology that will not only improve the life of your residents, but fit into your staff’s workload
Tools like Photoshop require a lot of training and practice in order to be used to their full potential. That’s all well and good, but, in senior living, your staff doesn’t necessarily have the time to become a pro on every new tool. When in conversation with tech providers, be sure to ask how their product should fit into your staff’s workload.
How long should it take to implement and learn the product? Do they provide training material? How easy is it to get in touch with support staff?
Good partners will have good answers to those questions. As we saw especially in the onset of the COVID crisis, it’s important to have technology that can be set up and ready to go as soon as possible.
Think about how technology partners will grow with you over time
Maybe you’re considering implementing new tech tools or already have. Congrats! It’s likely you’ll need for those tools will change over time. Ask prospective or current tech partners how they plan to enhance their tools or help you grow with them over time. Do they take a tiered approach to their products so you can increase your sophistication as residents get more familiar with the technology? What’s their history of updates and improvements?
It’s worth asking around to fellow communities or experts like those at Parasol Alliance for information on choosing the right solutions for your residents today and tomorrow.