Case Study: How Visiting Angels Boosted Live Call Coverage by 45% With ClearDesk
- Mar 24
- 7 min read
Every missed call at a home care agency is a family that needed help and didn't get an answer. For one Visiting Angels franchise, that meant more than half of all incoming calls were going unanswered, and potential clients were choosing competitors who simply picked up the phone.
This case study breaks down how the agency partnered with ClearDesk to boost live call coverage from 48% to 81%, reduce caregiver turnover, and scale their remote team from one to six members.
Who Is Visiting Angels
Visiting Angels is one of the largest non-medical home care franchises in the United States. The franchise has hundreds of locally owned agencies that provide in-home senior care, including companionship, personal care, and respite services for families. This particular franchise location operates like many home care agencies do: a small administrative team managing a growing roster of caregivers and clients, with the owner deeply involved in day-to-day operations.
The Call Coverage Challenge This Home Care Agency Faced
Before working with ClearDesk, this Visiting Angels franchise answered only 48% of incoming calls with a live person. That means more than half of all calls, many from families actively looking for care, went to voicemail or simply rang out. For context, ClearDesk helped this agency boost live call coverage from 48% to 81%, reduce caregiver turnover from 8% to 5%, and scale from one to six remote team members over time.
The agency also reported being able to hire two ClearDesk employees for the cost of one local employee, which made expanding their phone coverage financially realistic.
Missed Calls During Peak Inquiry Hours
Families researching home care tend to call during business hours, often squeezing in calls during lunch breaks or between appointments. The problem is that those same hours are when front office staff are busiest. They're scheduling caregivers, handling paperwork, and managing urgent client issues. Calls would come in while staff were already on another line, and potential clients would hang up without leaving a message.
Limited After-Hours Phone Availability
Many families start their search for care in the evenings or on weekends. That's when they finally have time to sit down, do research, and make calls. Without live coverage outside standard office hours, this agency was losing inquiries to competitors who simply picked up the phone. With 85% of unanswered callers never calling back, a voicemail greeting, no matter how professional, rarely converts a worried family member into a scheduled consultation.
Overwhelmed Front Office Staff and Owner Burnout
The existing team was stretched thin. Administrative staff juggled phone duties alongside scheduling, intake paperwork, and caregiver support. The owner found herself stepping in to cover gaps, which pulled her away from business development and client relationships.
With home health aide roles projected to grow 17% by 2034, this is a pattern we see often in growing home care agencies. The more successful you become, the harder it gets to keep up with the operational demands.
Why Missed Calls Cost Home Care Agencies Revenue
When a family calls a home care agency, they're often in a stressful situation. A parent had a fall. A spouse received a difficult diagnosis. A hospital discharge is happening faster than expected. Callers in these situations are ready to make a decision, and they're not going to wait around for a callback.
Here's what happens when calls go unanswered:
Lost leads: Less than 3% of callers who reach voicemail leave a message. They move on to the next agency on their list.
Damaged reputation: Unanswered calls signal to families that an agency may not be responsive when they actually need help.
Wasted marketing spend: Every dollar spent on advertising or referral relationships brings in calls. If no one answers, that investment doesn't convert.
The math is straightforward. If your average client is worth several thousand dollars over the course of their care, even a handful of missed calls each week adds up to significant lost revenue.
How ClearDesk Solved the Live Call Coverage Gap
ClearDesk placed trained remote team members with this Visiting Angels franchise to handle incoming calls. A remote team member is a skilled professional, typically based in the Philippines, who works as a dedicated extension of your team rather than as a generic call center agent. Remote team members learn your services, your pricing, and your intake process so they can represent your agency with the same care as an in-house employee.
Dedicated Remote Intake Coordinators
The agency started with one remote team member focused specifically on answering and managing intake calls. This person handled initial inquiries, gathered key information from families, and scheduled consultations. Having a dedicated resource for phone coverage meant calls no longer competed with other administrative tasks for attention.
Extended Hours and Overflow Call Support
The remote team member provided coverage beyond what the front office could handle alone. During busy periods, calls that would have gone to voicemail were routed to the remote team member instead. The agency also gained the ability to answer calls during extended hours, capturing inquiries that previously would have been lost to competitors.
Seamless Integration With Existing Phone Systems
One concern many agency owners have is whether adding remote staff will require a technology overhaul. In this case, the remote team member worked within the agency's existing phone system and software. There was no need to purchase new equipment or learn new platforms. The transition was smooth and required minimal disruption to daily operations.
How ClearDesk Implemented Remote Call Support for Visiting Angels
Getting started with remote call coverage doesn't have to be complicated. Here's how the implementation unfolded for this agency.
1. Discovery and Needs Assessment
ClearDesk began by evaluating the agency's call volume patterns, identifying peak hours, and understanding their specific intake requirements. This assessment helped design a coverage plan that matched the agency's actual needs rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution.
2. Remote Team Member Selection and Training
ClearDesk matched the agency with a remote team member who had relevant experience and strong communication skills. That person then completed agency-specific training covering services, pricing, call scripts, and intake procedures. The goal was to ensure the remote team member could handle calls as confidently as someone sitting in the front office.
3. Phone System Integration and Go-Live
Once training was complete, the remote team member was connected to the agency's phone system and began handling calls. During the initial transition period, there was close oversight to ensure quality and address any questions that came up.
4. Ongoing Performance Monitoring and Coaching
ClearDesk didn't disappear after go-live. The partnership included continued support, regular call quality reviews, and coaching to maintain consistent performance over time.
Results Visiting Angels Achieved With ClearDesk Remote Team Members
The partnership delivered measurable improvements across several key areas.
Significant Improvement in Live Call Answer Rate
Live call coverage jumped from 48% to 81%. More calls answered live meant more opportunities to connect with families and schedule consultations. That 33-percentage-point increase represented a fundamental shift in how the agency captured new business.
Increased Lead Capture and Client Conversion
With more calls being answered, the agency captured leads that would have previously gone to competitors. More consultations were scheduled, and more families chose Visiting Angels for their care needs. The connection between answering the phone and signing new clients became clear.
Reduced Operational Burden on Agency Leadership
The owner and front office staff regained hours each week that had been consumed by phone coverage. That time went back into client relationships, caregiver retention, and business growth.
The agency eventually scaled from one to six remote team members as their needs expanded. Caregiver turnover also dropped from 8% to 5%, which the agency attributed in part to having more administrative support and less chaos in daily operations.
Metric | Before ClearDesk | After ClearDesk |
Live Call Coverage | 48% | 81% |
Caregiver Turnover | 8% | 5% |
Remote Team Members | 0 | 6 |
Key Takeaways for Home Care Agency Owners
This case study illustrates several lessons that apply to home care agencies of all sizes:
Live call coverage directly impacts revenue. Families choose agencies that answer. Every missed call is a potential client lost to a competitor who picked up the phone.
Remote team members provide flexible, cost-effective staffing. You can scale phone support without the overhead of additional full-time local hires.
Proper training ensures quality. Remote staff can represent your brand professionally when they receive thorough preparation on your services and processes.
Implementation does not require major changes. Integration with existing systems is straightforward, and most agencies are fully operational within a few weeks.
How Your Home Care Agency Can Improve Call Coverage Today
If your agency is missing calls, losing leads, or struggling with front office capacity, remote team members offer a proven path forward. The results from this Visiting Angels franchise show what's possible when you have dedicated, trained professionals handling your phones.
FAQs About Live Call Coverage for Home Care Agencies
How do ClearDesk remote team members handle sensitive home care inquiries?
Remote team members receive specific training on compassionate communication and home care terminology. They understand that families calling about care are often stressed or emotional, and they respond with professionalism and empathy. The training covers how to gather information, answer common questions, and set appropriate expectations without overstepping.
What hours can ClearDesk remote team members provide phone coverage?
ClearDesk offers flexible scheduling options including extended hours, overflow support during peak times, and coverage beyond standard business hours. The schedule is designed around your agency's specific needs and call patterns rather than a fixed template.
How long does it take to onboard a remote intake coordinator for a home care agency?
Most agencies are fully operational with their trained remote team member within a few weeks. The timeline depends on the complexity of your intake process and the systems you use. Agencies with straightforward processes often get started faster.
Can ClearDesk remote team members integrate with existing home care phone systems?
Yes. ClearDesk remote team members work within your current phone system and agency software. There's no requirement to purchase new technology or overhaul your existing setup. The integration process is designed to minimize disruption.
What training do ClearDesk remote team members receive before handling home care calls?
Each remote team member completes role-specific training covering your agency's services, pricing, call scripts, and intake procedures. They don't go live on calls until they're fully prepared to represent your agency. Ongoing coaching and call quality reviews help maintain performance over time.
