Introduction
Dolphin South West is an independent provider of stair-lifts, through the floor lifts, other lifting solutions and a range of mobility products. From their base in Crediton, they supply to families and organisations throughout Devon. A family-run business, they have a showroom and offer free home visits.
Dolphins’ engineers, surveyors and showroom staff aim to be friendly, efficient and professional. The company has a range of quality accreditations and are appointed by many of the leading suppliers of lift solutions. The company are approved suppliers to all the Devon-based councils.
Background
The Dolphin team wanted to ensure their customer-facing staff were aligned with a recognised standard that demonstrated their impartiality and strong commitment to customer service. Dolphin never engages in mis-selling; their approach is always to advise the public on the most suitable adaptation for their individual needs.
While researching relevant qualifications, standards, and training programmes, they discovered the Trusted Assessor model—introduced to them through their trade body, the British Healthcare Trade Association (BHTA).
‘We chose training with Trusted Assessor as we believe that assessing our customers using the values that align with the Trusted Assessor model is vital in providing a lifting solution that has longevity for the user.
We want clients to feel cared for, comfortable, listened to and delighted with the result, so that they may enjoy a life changing piece of functioning equipment that means they can remain in their homes for longer.
Accurate assessing is vital to achieve this outcome, ensuring our clients are matched with the right solution.’
The solution
Opting for a one-day, in-person session, Dolphin hosted the Trusted Assessor training at their showroom, surrounded by the products their teams work with every day. Staff from across the organisation took part—from surveyors and admin teams to senior managers and technicians.
TACT provided one of their most experienced OT Trainers, who described the session as lively, engaging, and full of learners genuinely committed to doing the right thing for their customers. Their enthusiasm meant the course naturally ran over time, which she noted as a positive reflection of their interest and involvement.
Following the training, participants were required to complete an assignment within four weeks to gain accreditation—and every learner passed on their first attempt. Dolphin is already promoting their new Trusted Assessor credentials through their website and social media channels.
What Dolphin South West found
Following the training, the team feel more confident and better equipped to support older and disabled people and understand their specific needs.
A recent example involved the showroom staff advising a visitor to explore funding options for adapting their home. The client later returned for an assessment with Adam, who suggested they might be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant from Exeter City Council. Their application was successful, and they were able to use the grant—plus a small top-up—to purchase a brand-new lift rather than a reconditioned one. They were absolutely delighted with the outcome.
‘We were thrilled to have enabled the client to enjoy a lifting solution option out of original reach by suggesting grant funding from Exeter city council DFG grant funding. Our family run, local business has strong community values and strive to give our clients the care, attention and individual attention that only a local, family run company can offer.’