Why aren't Support Coordinators responding to me when I reach out to them?

Greetings, NDIS providers!

I know you're eager to connect with Support Coordinators (SCs) like myself to gain more participants. It's understandable, of course.  SCs are seen as the gateway to participants, and you want to make the most of that connection. However, let's delve into this a bit more. You are probably reaching out on Facebook with posts like this one: 

Or maybe you are emailing random SC businesses with a bit of a spiel about who you are and what you do. It is not unheard of to get emails that say things like: "Hi there, we are core support providers in your area, and we would like to reach out and connect with you!" 

Hello stranger with absolutely no information in your email, I am going to pop that email straight into the trash folder. 

Firstly, please understand that SCs are incredibly busy. We're not just sitting around waiting for providers to pitch their services to us. Our days are filled with coordinating supports, responding to participants, and navigating the complexities of the NDIS system. Currently, we are also trying to shield ourselves from the NDIS and providers blaming SC's for all the terrible things that happen in the world of NDIS. So, when you do reach out, it's crucial to respect people's time and priorities and understand how overwhelmed many SC are.

One of the biggest challenges we face is the sheer volume of requests from providers. We receive numerous emails and calls daily, all asking for referrals or partnerships. It can be overwhelming, especially when many of these pitches are generic and don't show a real understanding of what we do or the participants we support.
I got to the point where if I received a marketing email from a provider, I put it straight into the bin. Cold emailing SCs is going to be your least effective way of marketing, in my opinion. A quick poll of my many SC buddies, sees them agree with me. 

What makes certain providers stand out to us? It's not just about the services you offer; it's about how you approach us. Tailor your approach to make it more personal. Take the time to learn about the business you are approaching, and the needs of their participants. Show genuine interest in our work and how your services can genuinely benefit the people we support. 

Once again, random Facebook posts and emails are simply not going to garner much interest. I have had a total of maybe 5 people from provider companies visit my offices in the last 5 years, and they were only invited after a fair bit of back and forth, and a promise of bringing me a box of cupcakes from the Cheesecake Factory, which was a minimum "hear me out" fee. 

Jokes aside, quality and reliability are non-negotiable. SC's look for providers who deliver exceptional services that align with our values and standards. It's not enough to meet the bare minimum; we need to see evidence of positive outcomes and participant satisfaction. When a provider takes the time to have multiple conversations with me about how we can collaborate, instead of just demanding my time. I am more inclined to listen. I want to know what makes you so different? How much experience do you have? What outcomes have you achieved for people with disabilities? 

It is a little annoying to have so many people approach you with the expectation you will collaborate with them and refer to them, when they have not bothered to do any work in finding out who you are and what your business does and if you share the same ethics, values and skills. Unfortunately, as a core support provider, trying to sell your services, you are a drop in the ocean when it comes to your competition. There are so many of you; it's your job to be clear and up front about why an SC should choose you as a potential referral partner. 

If you come at SCs with generic approaches that have no effort whatsoever put into them, then you will continue to struggle to break any ground. I can go and find 50 of the same Facebook posts like the one above, and the only ones worse than those, are the ones where businesses actually pretend they are looking for a Support Coordinator as if they were a participant. Being deceptive has never, and will never be a strong business move, my friends!  

Focus on building a relationship based on trust and mutual respect. The majority of exceptional SCs value providers who view us as partners, working together to improve participant outcomes. Imagine being in the role of an SC, and how many providers they see and have to continually change on behalf of participants, due to poor service. We are a bit jaded with empty promises and if all you can give us is a generic email, or a vague Facebook post, then you have lost us already. 

Don't get me wrong, you might get one or two bites from (usually) fresh and new SC who haven't had an opportunity to build networks themselves. They are in the same boat as you and looking to expand their opportunities to collaborate and gain referrals for themselves. I ask you to consider how that relationship might pan out, when the only purpose you both have in collaborating, is to try and get referrals from each other. That's not a very effective way to do business. 

Desperation lowers people's standards and I understand that when you have worked hard to set yourself up and then struggle to find participants, it is very hard! You have bills to pay and the stress of running a business that isn't growing is immense.  However, you need a solid plan of how you intend to attract participants to your business in the long term. And the only way to sustain that is through high standards, great service and support, and consistency and reliability. That comes with time, yes you will get a trickle of participants regardless, but I hazard a guess that without a solid business plan, including how to continually connect with the people you want to support. Those participants will quickly dry up, and poor reviews might follow, damaging your reputation.

Importantly, the more SCs you engage with, but then fail to deliver an exceptional service, the more your reputation will be damaged. SCs are a tight-knit group! We talk to each other and for a lot of us, we have been doing this a long time and are very sick of false promises affecting participants. I used to have twelve SCs in my business, and we used Teams for internal communication. One of our most popular chats was called, "Blacklisted Providers" and we would ensure that any provider who we had worked with that was doing the wrong thing, offering poor service, or creating risks for participants, went straight on this list. There are a million and one providers. If you started your business without a clear idea of what you do and why you are the best at it, you will be quickly lost amongst the crowd. 

While we are here - let's make a concerted decision to stop posting anonymously. If you have to post anonymously as a business, then you have a serious issue. It reeks of something to hide, and makes it painful to get your information and a feel for your business. If you are doing the right thing, in the right way, and you are genuinely open to collaboration, you don't post anonymously. You should stand by your business and your name and reputation. I'm no marketing expert but in no world that I have ever lived in has posting anonymously been a smart or winning marketing strategy. (Hot tip: it's actually a losing strategy) No SC engaging in high standards of work and collaborations is going to be bothering to reply to anyone posting anonymously. Your job as the business owner is to tell people who you are and why you are the best choice for them. Stop hiding. 

As a long term and experienced SC and SC provider, I would never, ever respond to an anonymous advert. You have put little to no effort into your advert, so I assume that is the effort you put into supporting participants. 

So how can you actually link up with participants that might choose you as a provider?

Personal connections matter. Just not the ones that waste the SC's time. Find out where SCs are going to be and be there too!  Look up local meetings, communities of practice, expos and any other gathering of like-minded people. Networking isn't just about making business contacts; it's about building relationships that could lead to meaningful partnerships. 

Of the utmost importance is ethics and professionalism. Uphold the values of dignity, respect, and integrity in all your interactions. Follow NDIS guidelines and codes of conduct meticulously. These standards not only demonstrate your commitment to ethical practices but also enhance your credibility as a provider. Please have a clear outline of what your business is and why it is a service we should suggest. Be proud and proactive to know the ins and outs of the NDIS. And importantly, do not promise the world if you cannot deliver it. 

Connecting with SCs requires a thoughtful and personalised approach. Understand our role, respect our time, and demonstrate how your services can genuinely benefit participants. By focusing on quality, reliability, and ethical conduct, we might give you our ear. 

Know your stuff! Do you understand the price guide? Do you understand legislation? Do you understand risk assessments and service agreements? Have you checked your service agreement is actually one that an SC does not have to go through and send back to you to outline the mistakes in it? Do you have policies and procedures that you can explain and put into practice?

In an absolute sea of providers, both companies and independents, an SC has to try to find ones that are committed to best practice and are of the highest standards. When you post on Facebook: "I need to connect with SCs to find clients!" Most people assume you are not a great provider and the only reason you are not damaging your reputation is that you choose to be anonymous. Which, ironically, is another reason that most SCs won't respond. 

Reach the highest standards for the support you give and the interactions you have, and then go higher. Strive for best practice and strive for excellence. Never forget who you are working with, these are people who rely on others to provide them with the support they need, to live the kind of life that other people take for granted. I can guarantee that if the people we support could, they would choose to be independent and do things without support. Don't minimise those challenges by being substandard at what you do.

The way you reach out to Support Coordinators who you think can help you, shows them a glimpse of how you will probably help others. If you make absolutely no effort in trying to make those connections genuine and long-lasting, we will not have any faith in your ability to provide support. 

If you need an internal audit of your business, and want to truly know how to showcase your best self and why you are a great provider that SCs should give a chance, then reach out to us at training@mindgrown.com.au We can give you both a business and lived experience perspective to help your business thrive. Taking an outside magnifying glass to your business from a fresh perspective, can be the difference between your failure and your success.