The Requirement

Two-way messaging to facilitate secure, real-time communication between office staff and care workers. The primary goal was to provide a GDPR-compliant and auditable alternative to external messaging apps like WhatsApp or Telegram.

The feature had long been requested by customers with 50 Salesforce cases across 44 unique customers. There was also a competitor threat, with 2 rival companies already delivering the feature.

Discovery

Through a combination of feedback cases and customer sessions we built a strong picture of what the feature should and shouldn’t do.

The core requirements

WhatsApp Replacement/GDPR Concerns

Another important theme was CQC compliance. Offices wanted evidence of conversations, care workers using external services like WhatsApp make this difficult.

“Staff are needing to resort to texting and WhatsApp which is not regulated and CQC are becoming strict on this area” — Care South Head Office

Feature Matrix

We created a feature request matrix to identify coverage and gaps.

Problems to solve

Reviewing the core themes we listed the problems that needed solving:

• Keep all communication within auditable system for evidence (GDPR/regulatory compliance)
• Direct messaging to individuals or teams
• Need employee-specific communications separate from customer communications
• Confirmation staff have received and read communications

The Concept

Desktop

We wanted a messaging feature that followed standard conventions of popular messaging services so users would feel familiar and comfortable using it. The page consisted of a sidebar of threads displaying the latest messages, and a main area showing the thread that’s been viewed. A clear call to action for messaging an employee, or sending out a broadcast, was positioned top left of the page.

Broadcasts could be sent to groups or teams of staff members. We provided three options, sent out to all, some, or by team (grouped by area). Read receipts could be viewed across individual or broadcast threads. The receipt showed a message was both delivered and read.

The Messaging menu item was added to the main menu, separate from customer communications.

Mobile

Similar to desktop we wanted to follow standard conventions so users would feel comfortable using the feature. The screen consisted of a list of threads, with those who have unread messages or replies at the top. One-to-one messages and broadcasts were identified by their own icon. Like web, messages have read receipts so a care worker knows if it has been sent and read (or not). Messages can be edited or deleted however there are time limits on these options.

The messaging feature is accessible via the Accounts screen. There is an update to move Messages to the footer tabs for more visibility. The maximum menu items for native is five so the notifications screen will be moved to the header and be replaced by Messages.

Validation & Feedback

Positive signals

• The concept landed. All four customers engaged with the office-to-carer model, and nobody pushed back on the core idea. They agreed there should be no carer-to-carer messaging and that replies should fork into private 1:1s.
• Read receipts struck a chord. Here to Care explained why they matter in a disciplinary dispute (the carer said “I didn’t see it”). That reads as a real need we’d already met.
• Features that matched existing workflows. SOS Homecare described a “general mailbox” workflow, and our shared inbox for office users fits it.
• ISSAC’s written feedback. They said they support the new two-way messaging overall. That’s the only explicitly positive statement we have.

Constructive feedback

• Manual close/reopen. Arch, SOS and Here to Care all downplayed it for 1:1s, each for a different reason. Here to Care wants one continuous thread per carer, and our model lets the office close any 1:1.
• Hand-picked recipients for broadcasts. Arch didn’t want this and prefers area tags or 1:1 only.
• Recipient clarity (ISSAC). “To: Office” can make a carer think they’re writing to one manager when several people can read it. We’ve added a notice, but they want a private route to a named person.
• Inbox scope. Arch doesn’t want messages from carers outside their region. That’s a gap in what we built, though we haven’t confirmed it with them.

Next Steps

Since release feedback has mostly been positive:

“It’s absolutely brilliant. It’s fixed a lot of out concerns above secure staff comms – it’ll be even better if we’d be able to add photos to the messages” – Support at Home

“This is a great feature with great capabilities too.”
- Integral Care

There have been some concerns around message visibility in the office. Currently, it’s unclear that office messages are a shared inbox. A customer has highlighted scenarios where a member of staff may want to communicate privately with a specific manager or supervisor about a sensitive matter, e.g. welfare or wellbeing concerns, or personal issues. We addressed this quickly with informative text when the user initiates or replies to a message.

For Consideration – Private messaging between office staff

Concerns around messages of a sensitive matter may result in a private messaging feature. More feedback is needed for this to be considered.