We take you behind the scenes of your monitoring service, explaining why the right procedures are vital for delivering safe, reliable telecare services.
When somebody uses your telecare service, you need to have absolute confidence their call will reach the Alarm Receiving Centre quickly and be handled efficiently.
This requires:
- the right technology – it’s crucial both you and your monitoring service are prepared for the digital switchover
- a skilled team – operators ready to provide assistance 24/7
- robust procedures – the backbone of your monitoring service
In this blog post, we explore why procedures matter and what procedures should be in place at your monitoring service, so you can feel confident this will keep the people in your communities safe.
Why procedures matter for your monitoring service
Well-structured procedures ensure every emergency call is handled efficiently, consistently and in line with industry standards and regulations.
These enable your monitoring service to define:
- How calls are identified and prioritised correctly
- How different types of calls are dealt with, including ensuring the call is answered by an operator with the relevant skills and training
- The information operators see on screen, including up to date records
- What insights into your service are available through detailed reporting
- How service continuity is maintained in the event of issues such as downtime
Five essential procedures for your monitoring service
A telecare call begins when somebody presses an emergency button, pendant or door entry button, or a fire alarm is triggered. The call then travels from the telecare device to the Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC).
Once it reaches the ARC, the procedures your monitoring service has in place determine how the call is dealt with. These should cover everything from the way the operators respond to calls through to the ongoing management of your service.
1. Identify and prioritise calls
When the call reaches the monitoring centre, it should be categorised so operators can quickly differentiate between emergency and non-emergency calls. For example, a fire alarm is a higher priority than a call from the door entry system. In addition, a system can be used to filter accidental and test calls.
Why this is important: Careful prioritisation ensures genuine emergencies receive immediate attention, while routine calls are managed appropriately. With accidental and test calls accounting for a significant percentage of telecare calls, effective filtering ringfences operators' valuable time for those who need it most.
2. Match calls to an appropriately-trained operator
The call should be directed to an operator with the specific expertise to deal with the situation. This is achieved through skills-based routing, with calls sent to operators who have done the correct training. For example, some operators may only handle door entry calls while others are trained in responding to emergency calls .
Why this is important: Matching calls to appropriately trained operators means they only handle calls they are fully prepared for, which ensures more effective responses and better outcomes.
3. Equip operators with clear and up to date information
Operators must have access to important details on screen during the call, such as the person’s family contacts, current medications and preferred names. This should be managed via an online management portal, allowing your staff to keep people’s records up to date at your end and operators to log important information during the call.
Why this is important: An online management portal ensures people’s records are accurate. You have control over your information and operators can quickly and easily find the relevant details, avoiding delays in responding to the call. It enables a personalised response, so the individual can feel confident their needs will be understood and met. It also means information is consistent and accessible for future reference for both your staff and your monitoring service.
4. Follow up with effective reporting
A live dashboard can show your key performance indicators, while the ability to create reports gives you useful insight into your services. This allows you to keep track of areas such as response times, first time call failures, call volumes etc.
Why this is important: Reporting is integral for the accountability of your service. You can analyse the data to identify areas for improvement, such as whether you need more operators to handle the calls placed or whether they need to handle calls more efficiently.
5. Safeguard your service to minimise disruptions
Your monitoring provider should have appropriate disaster recovery procedures, such as a back-up system or the ability to relocate to a different building. With digital systems, remote working can be a good way to ensure continuity if there is an issue at a particular location.
Why this is important: Your telecare services are a crucial lifeline, so you need to ensure these will remain available even if there are disruptions to your operations.
The right people and the right training
Of course, your monitoring service needs a strong team of operators to implement these procedures. This requires a meticulous training programme that equips operators with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to excel in their roles.
Why this is important: Operators must be able to deal with high-pressure situations where quick, accurate decision-making and clear communication are essentials. This ensures the people using your services feel safe and supported.
What to ask your monitoring service
It’s vital to confirm your monitoring service is ready for the digital switchover. Alongside this, you also want to be confident your monitoring service is based on robust, carefully-designed procedures that make the most of digital capabilities – meeting your needs today and tomorrow.
Ask your monitoring provider:
- Can you demonstrate your monitoring service is fully digital?
- What procedures do you have in place for call prioritisation and skills-based routing?
- What information do operators see about the caller and do you provide step-by-step guidance on screen for each call?
- What training do your operators receive?
Digital monitoring services for housing providers
Appello Careline is the UK's largest monitoring centre, supporting over 400,000 older and vulnerable people with the help they need, when they need it.
We blend technical expertise and robust procedures with empathy to create people-focused services. These deliver the highest standards of safety and wellbeing to meet your current demands and adapt to your future needs.
- Highly trained operators - providing vital assistance and a personalised response
- Award-winning digital monitoring platform - presents clear information and on-screen guidance for efficient, accurate call handling
- Real-time information - ensures details are correct and enables valuable insights with comprehensive reporting
- In partnership with you - working together to deal with calls exactly as you require
- Excellence ensured - over 35 years' experience and certified by the TSA Quality Standards Framework
Talk to us to find out more and arrange your pain-free transition to digital telecare.
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