The five areas of business NDIS Providers cannot afford to ignore.
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The NDIS landscape is always evolving, and for providers, staying ahead means having a strong foundation in place. Whether you're a seasoned operator or just starting out, mastering these five core business principles will ensure sustainability, reliability, and consistent revenue.
Let’s dive into these fundamentals and explore how to strengthen each area.
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Compliance & Governance: The Backbone of NDIS Business
NDIS compliance isn't just about ticking boxes—it’s about safeguarding your business, your clients, and your reputation. It’s a necessary consideration for providers to stay up to date with registration requirements; even if it’s not currently mandatory for your area of support, being aware of what’s expected for registration will keep you ahead of any possible changes.
What you can do:
Regularly review the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission updates. Sign up for email updates, if you haven’t already. Recent civil penalties for insufficient safeguarding demonstrate the seriousness of non-compliance.
Implement a compliance calendar to track reporting deadlines.
Ensure policies and procedures are clear, accessible, and regularly updated.
Financial Sustainability: Managing Invoicing & Cash Flow
Even the most passionate providers need strong financial health to continue delivering services. Budgeting, following invoicing best practice, and forecasting are critical elements of a sustainable NDIS business. From the smallest sole-trader business, through to the biggest multi-disciplined
What you can do:
Get trusted professional advice on how to manage your financial business matters, such as how to track your cash flow and what reserves you should have on hand for unexpected expenses.
Use an NDIS-compliant accounting system for easy invoicing and claims. Or, at the very least, have a good understanding of how to streamline getting paid. NDSP does a good job of breaking down all the elements that can affect a Providers cash flow from invoices.
Regularly review pricing structures and ensure sustainability per service. Remember, the NDIS Price Guide and Pricing Arrangements provides a maximum limit for prices and should not be your only tool for setting your service prices.
Technology & Systems: Streamlining Operations for Growth
The right technology can enhance efficiency, reduce errors, and free up time for client care. Whether it's integrating PACE, automating scheduling, or using a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool, providers can benefit greatly from digital solutions that are appropriate and specific to their circumstances.
What you can do:
Research and implement a practice management system like ShiftCare or Brevity, to benefit from enterprise-level technology for your business. Ensure that the investment and return is appropriate for your business size.
Stay informed on PACE rollout and integrate them into your operations and billing workflows.
Use secure, cloud-based, Australian-hosted storage for participant records. Be aware of your data security and privacy obligations to staff and participants.
Workforce & Culture: Building a Strong, Committed Team
Your workforce is your most valuable asset. Investing in staff training, culture, and retention strategies will ensure long-term success. Finding people who put the people they work for - first, cannot be overstated as a huge asset in this sector. People who are kind, self-aware, empathetic and adaptable should be treasured in your business practices and staff who feel appreciated will reward you with loyalty.
What you can do:
Invest time and resources into a quality onboarding (introducing new employees to a company, it’s values and how it operates) and ongoing training schedule.
Foster a positive work culture with open feedback channels that are demonstrated regularly.
Ensure staff not only understand, but live, the NDIS Code of Conduct and champion participant rights.
Community & Marketing: Growing Your Reach & Impact
Building strong relationships with participants and the wider NDIS community is key to finding and keeping clients. Word-of-mouth referrals and an authentic digital presence play a significant role. When first starting out, introduce yourself to your extended community as a courtesy and lead with what you bring to the table. You don’t need to ask for referrals; if referring professionals think your skills and personality will work with a participant they know, they’ll be the first to send them your way.
What you can do:
Join NDIS provider communities like Kinora to network and collaborate. LinkedIn is also great to make industry connections. Try not to sell, but showcase your knowledge and what you have to offer.
Create an accessible website or social media account with clear service information; people like to do their research before engaging a service provider. Showcase your company’s or your personality there - try not to use NDIS token positivity words in your marketing, i.e. “empowering clients to live their best lives…
Let’s make 2025 the year of strong, thriving, and participant-focused NDIS businesses!
