The Apoio Pulse – Issue 12

Do you smell that? It's the sweet scent of a new Pulse Issue!

We need to start by saying a BIG thank you to those that reached out to us last week after our topic on Community. We are pleased that these emails are bringing light to your day and making you think and provide better service!

So, let’s do a deep dive into this week’s Pulse – This week we want to bring to light the importance of understanding business terminology and questioning the motives behind it. In the world of NDIS, buzzwords such as "personalised", "participant-focused", "face to face", and "adaptive" are thrown around by many providers, and it is important to understand what they actually mean and how they fit into our world.

We recently attended a networking event where a national plan manager claimed to offer “personalised service”, despite each plan manager having 400 clients. Now, call us crazy, but we’re not sure how that many clients can equate to personalised service! It got us thinking about how businesses use language to create a certain image, even if it doesn't necessarily reflect reality.

So, we want to challenge all of you to ask yourselves two questions when you hear businesses making claims like these:

What do they actually mean by these terms? Are they just buzzwords, or do they have a concrete definition that applies to their business – are they in line with the business’s goals, values and mission?

 How does this fit into ours and the participants world? Does this claim actually benefit anyone, or is it just a way for the business to make themselves look good?

As we navigate the ever-changing landscape of the NDIS Industry, it's important to be critical and discerning about the claims that we and other businesses are making. We believe that tailoring your business to work for the purpose of the participant is best practice. Participants, Representatives and Providers need to ensure that what they claim is true and those they engage with are purposeful and suitable for everyone’s needs.

To finish up, it is vital to understand the jargon and business terminology that some may use are there to lure us in. If we can all be true to our word, we can create an NDIS community that works for everyone! As NDIS intermediaries, we are connected with many providers and happy to offer guidance to participants and providers who need it – Just reach out!