Empowering individuals experiencing blindness or low vision to live the life they choose is at the heart of Vision Australia’s mission.
Each year, Vision Australia supports around 40,000 people to access the services and products they need to achieve their goals.
For Vision Australia, every interaction is an opportunity to make a difference. Whether it’s welcoming a new client seeking initial support or assisting an existing client with evolving needs, providing timely access to the right services and products is crucial for helping clients achieve their goals.
However, over recent times, several challenges have emerged, namely funding changes, increasing compliance requirements, skills shortages, and rising client demand and expectations. These challenges prompted Vision Australia to reimagine how services could be delivered to ensure they could get clients to the right services, faster.
The new service design focus was to develop a more streamlined, client-friendly intake and planning approach that would benefit both clients and staff while ensuring resources were used effectively.
To achieve this outcome, we prioritised the client journey, reduced complexity, and made accessing services easier and more efficient. Together, we shared a common goal – to create a more seamless, human-centred experience for Vision Australia’s clients and staff alike.
Our phased approach focused on what matters most to clients – implementing practical solutions that delivered measurable benefits.
A dedicated intake team was established to provide a more responsive onboarding process. Administrative tasks were reduced with clearer client information and a streamlined scheduling system, allowing staff to focus more on direct client interactions and first call resolution for a range of client enquiries.
Improvements to website functionality and content made it easier and faster for clients to access information and be connected to the services they need. Self-service options were introduced, and automated referral and inquiry forms simplified the initial engagement process.
An ‘Initial Consultation’ stage was created to undertake a more dynamic planning process that better identified client needs and goals upfront and developed a supporting intervention plan with the range of services to be delivered.
Referral processes were refined and tested to ensure clients moved more efficiently from intake to receiving the services they needed.
We shifted the value of time to a shared responsibility. This was achieved through automated short notice cancellations within two business days’ notice with easy rescheduling capability. Time efficiencies were achieved by minimising skilled service providers’ commuting time and alignment to funding requirements, and giving clients the flexibility to decide the best mode of service delivery for them.
The project created meaningful improvements, enhancing the client experience at Vision Australia.
2.7 AUD million in year-on-year savings unlocked within one year.
7.8% increase in new clients in FY24.
95% of clients receiving an initial response within five days of referral.
96% satisfaction rate among clients following their initial appointments.
Reduced unbilled travel from 23% to 7% within six months.
These achievements were realised alongside reduced call centre costs, shorter wait times for clients, and improved utilisation of government funding. By streamlining processes and enhancing the digital experience, Vision Australia not only boosted client satisfaction but also optimised their resources to serve the community more effectively.
The program also established new ways of working in project delivery and expanded their use across other key initiatives to drive continued positive impact. This benefitted key strategic initiatives including scheduling and employment services, the organisation’s strategic refresh, and many more.
Together, these enhancements have laid a stronger foundation for Vision Australia to meet the evolving needs of their clients. The improvements ensure their services are more responsive, efficient, and accessible, enabling Vision Australia to continue empowering individuals with blindness or low vision to live the life they choose.