Putting village knowledge to work at Pineview Village

Published: 18 Sep 2023
Updated: 23 Jul 2024

Rebuilding village knowledge after a team restructure

Pineview Village, operated by Burnside Retirement Services Incorporated, has been part of the local community for almost 40 years. Owned by the local council and managed by a board of directors, the village offers 83 independent living units surrounded by landscaped gardens. When Michelle Cheetham joined as Executive Manager, a recent restructure had brought in a new team, leaving limited historical knowledge of how the village operated.

Important information was spread across spreadsheets, paper documents and a previous software system containing basic property and maintenance details. Without comprehensive historical records, Michelle had little visibility of established processes or the wider responsibilities involved in running the village. Pineview needed a reliable way to retain operational knowledge, keep recurring responsibilities on track and give its team the information to make confident decisions.

Bringing village responsibilities into one clearer view

Pineview introduced Operations Management, powered by Centrim Life, to organise everyday responsibilities and make information easier to access across the village. Maintenance Management supports routine inspections and contractor coordination, Feedback and Quality Management brings resident feedback into clearer reports, and CRM gives the team useful information about prospective residents and its waiting list.

Together, these solutions are giving Pineview a more structured approach to village management.

Operations Management (Centrim Life): Keeping a new team informed

Within four months of introducing Operations Management, powered by Centrim Life, Pineview had already noticed improvements in how staff kept track of important events and responsibilities. The dashboard provides a useful picture of village activity, showing occupied and vacant units, birthdays and upcoming resident arrivals or departures. For a relatively new team, having this information readily available makes it easier to prepare for what is happening across the village.

Michelle also valued the support provided during implementation. PCS offered virtual training sessions, guidance on different modules and direct access to its Australian support team. Being able to ask questions and receive prompt responses gave Pineview confidence as staff became familiar with the system. Michelle also appreciated having access to the product development roadmap, providing insight into how the software could continue to meet the needs of retirement living providers.

Maintenance Management: Making preventative maintenance part of the routine

One of the biggest changes at Pineview has been the introduction of scheduled preventative maintenance. The maintenance coordinator now has a recurring annual inspection for every unit. During these visits, the team checks items such as range hood filters and air conditioning systems, helping identify potential issues and keep residents' homes in good condition.

Pineview also uses Maintenance Management to coordinate contractor quotes and invoices, alongside billing residents for additional work outside the village's usual maintenance services, such as installing bookcases. The team has also started adding QR-code labels to assets and building its equipment register. As more information is recorded, Pineview expects to gain a better understanding of what equipment it owns and where each asset is located.

Feedback and Quality Management: Turning resident experiences into useful reports

Understanding what residents think about village life has become an important part of Pineview's approach to improvement. The team recently introduced its first annual resident survey. Recognising that many residents preferred paper forms, Pineview collected responses in print before entering the information into Feedback and Quality Management to produce a report.

Pineview also conducts surveys 90 days after residents move in, asking about the sales experience, settling into the village and any changes residents would like to see in their homes. Compliments, complaints and suggestions can also be recorded, giving the board of directors a clearer view of residents' experiences. For Michelle, having a consistent way to bring this feedback together has been particularly valuable, as the village previously had limited reporting processes in place.

CRM: Understanding waiting-list demand and prospective residents

With a long waiting list, Pineview needs to understand who is enquiring about the village and how their circumstances change while waiting for a home. CRM gives the team information about enquiry sources and helps identify why prospective residents leave the waiting list. Some applicants find alternative accommodation before a unit becomes available, and recording this information gives Pineview a better understanding of demand.

The village also uses CRM to generate reports showing where prospective residents currently live. As a council-owned retirement village, this helps the team review applicants against the council's geographical jurisdiction and understand which areas generate the most interest. Staff can also send confirmation emails for village viewings and tours, keeping relevant enquiry information together as relationships develop.

Keeping village knowledge strong as teams change

For a retirement village with almost four decades of history, continuity matters. Residents should feel confident that the community they know will continue to be well managed, even as the people responsible for running it change.

Pineview is building that continuity into the way its team works, creating a more dependable foundation for new staff to take on responsibilities, make informed decisions and look after the community with confidence.