Two weeks ago CKFI launched the annual Franchisee Opinion Survey conducted by the Franchise Research Institute. We would like to remind all franchisees that this is the opportunity for you to let CKFI know what we do well and where we can improve. Please take a few minutes to complete this confidential survey and provide your feedback.

You can access the survey using the information sent to you last week from Aftyn@FranchiseResearchInstitute.com.

If you have not received the email containing the survey information, or if you have any questions about the survey, please contact Aftyn Arter, Project Manager at Franchise Research Institute, at Aftyn@FranchiseResearchInstitute.com.

Dear Franchisees,

I would like to share with you some exciting news about a live answer pilot program the NBF committee is conducting with RDI Corporation. As the group of franchisees that is making decisions about the allocation of the fund, the NBF committee is 100% committed to reviewing and analyzing the processes that will not only generate more phone calls as a result of the advertising but will also maximize each consumer call by channeling it to local franchisee offices as expeditiously and professionally as possible.

CallSource is the call routing technology we currently use. This technology requires the caller to input a zip code for the location where care is required. If the caller does not take action, takes incorrect action, or if the zip code is not in the database of zip codes submitted by franchisees, this call potentially becomes a lost opportunity to secure a client. To maximize the phone calls delivered successfully to local offices, the committee agreed to pilot a live answer service. Here are the details of the pilot:

• The pilot launched on June 11, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. EDT.
• The pilot uses ONLY the trackable phone number found on ComfortKeepers.com.
• All other trackable phone numbers, i.e., from TV and digital advertising, serve as the control group. The call routing process for the control group is unchanged.
• The call routing process for the pilot is as follows:
• The caller dials the phone number on ComfortKeepers.com, and the call is sent to the CallSource routing system.
• If the caller does not enter a zip code, enters a partial or unrecognizable zip code, dials zero, or if the zip code is not in the database, the call is immediately transferred to a live agent.
• The live agent greets the caller, inquires where care is required, and then completes a search for the appropriate location or the location preferred by the caller.
• The live agent contacts the office and alerts whomever answers the phone that s/he is preparing to transfer a call to the office.
• The live agent introduces the caller and then connects the caller with the local office.

As of June 23, 2014, less than two weeks since launch, over 100 calls have been successfully transferred to RDI. Without this successful transfer, these calls would have been lost opportunities.

The committee will complete the pilot, undertake a cost analysis, and then determine if and how the live answer program could potentially be integrated into a permanent solution. We will continue to keep you apprised of the pilot results and how the experience may contribute to the success of the national advertising.

If you have questions about this pilot, please contact me, Jack Warren, Chairman of the NBF Committee, at JackWarren@ComfortKeepers.com. 

Thank you,

Thank you to all who have responded to last week's article on the Friday Flash (FF) recipient list clean up. Your feedback helps us to make the distribution process more efficient and secure.

Many of you have sent requests for non-Comfort Keepers^® email addresses to be added to the recipient list. To maintain the security of the list and Comfort Keepers' information, however, we require that the FF be sent to accounts within the Comfort Keepers' active directory. If you have an employee whom you would like to receive the FF and who does not have a Comfort Keepers email account, or if you would like to receive the FF at an email address that is more personalized (e.g. one that uses your name rather than location), please contact the help desk at HelpDesk@ComfortKeepers.com to request an account be set up.

Looking for ideas for your Feed Seniors Now^® (FSN) campaigns? Join the Comfort Keepers^®' Nourish Senior Life^® (NSL) LinkedIn group and find out what others are doing to make their Comfort Keepers franchise stand out in the crowd during National Hunger Action Month this September.

While September might seem a lifetime away, now is the time to start planning your campaigns. Franchisees around the country have numerous creative, effective tactics to promote the Comfort Keepers^®' Nourish Senior Life™ (NSL) program. CKFI established this private NSL LinkedIn group just for franchisees to discuss ideas amongst themselves. Join today and get the conversation started.

If you have any questions about NSL or FSN, contact Joni Magnus-Ramsey, Marketing Manager, at JoniMagnusRamsey@ComfortKeepers.com.

As an organization committed to providing consistent, quality care, Comfort Keepers^® places significant value on furnishing caregivers and staff members with access to high-quality, easily understood, useful training through SilverChair Learning System (now transitioning to Relias Learning Management System). Training contributes to the quality of the services franchisees and their staff provide to clients and their families and comes in multiple formats, including web based; self-administered through an individual reading and testing; and in-person, instructor-led classroom training. 

The Vendor Relations Committee, which is a part of the National Advisory Council (NAC) is asking for your feedback on your experiences with SilverChair Learning System. If you are currently a subscriber to SilverChair Learning Management System, or, have previously used the SilverChair Learning Management System, please take a few minutes to complete the survey. You can access the survey here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mike Painter, Vice Chair of the NAC, at MikePainter@ComfortKeepers.com.

Join us to learn about the future of e-learning for Comfort Keepers^®. The Comfort Keepers system is transitioning from Silverchair to Relias Learning Management system (LMS), and a pilot group of franchise units is beginning to use and test the new system. The July MasterMind call will bring you up to date on the transition and provide a preview of the pending rollout and training plans. We will also offer a demonstration of the new Relias LMS for those of you who haven't seen it yet. Relias LMS offers comprehensive training for the senior care, health care, human services, corrections, and intellectual and developmental disabilities industries. Attend the webinar to learn more:     

Thursday, July 3, 2014 11 a.m. EDT (10 a.m. CDT, 9 a.m. MTN, 8 a.m. PDT) 

Click here to join the MasterMind webinar.  

For audio, enter your phone number when prompted after you log into the webinar, or you can dial in: