Land Lease Community App Case Study: Botanica
“ It is an easy central location to get all the communication you need to get out to everybody, whether or not they are looking at moving in, they’re about to move in, or they’ve already moved in. It keeps them informed about everything that’s happening at Botanica. This app is just the easiest way for us to be able to communicate.”
The Company: Botanica Lifestyle Resort
Located in Cairns, Queensland, Botanica Lifestyle Resort is a distinguished community for individuals over 50. The resort offers custom homes in a secure, gated environment, emphasizing an active, low-maintenance lifestyle. It focuses on wellness and social interaction, providing residents with various amenities and activities designed for seniors.
Upon completion, Botanica will house 600 residences and two on-site country clubs. The resort opened its doors to new residents in January 2021 and became a customer of Pluss Communities in March 2021, starting with just 17 residents. The resort's ongoing focus is building a thriving, welcoming community, while selling homes off the plan and managing the release of new development stages.
Botanica is a Land Lease Community, where the land is owned by an operator, and the resident leases the land while owning the home. It is not a retirement village and is governed by different legislation.
Gavin Third, the Sales Manager at Botanica, has played a lead role in the implementation and ongoing management of the Botanica app, built on the Pluss Communities platform.
The Challenge
Botanica Lifestyle Resort faced communication challenges in managing the needs of a rapidly growing community with varying levels of technological proficiency. The resort needed to balance the management of a sales pipeline of potential residents and their transition into the new community once their homes were constructed. As the community grew, it needed to send targeted communications to specific groups and involve residents in organizing events and contributing community-focused content. Using only email, text messaging, and a sales and marketing CRM was insufficient for managing and cultivating an engaged community.
The Solution
The Botanica app, developed on the Pluss Communities platform, emerged as a comprehensive solution. Designed specifically for seniors, it served as a central hub for news, events, and community updates. The app's interactive features encouraged residents to engage more actively with the community.
The app's user-friendly design and tailored content catered to the varied interests of the residents. It successfully bridged the communication gap, enhancing the overall community experience and fostering a sense of belonging among residents.
Gavin Third said, “We needed a centralised communications system that we could get all of our messages out from the one place, rather than sending an email out and then hoping people have read it. With the app, we can send out an alert, a notification, or news stories, and we can see whether or not people have actually had a look at that. We know that the information is getting out there.”
The Botanica app revolutionized the way residents interacted with each other and the management. It became a crucial tool in community management, improving communication, and enhancing resident engagement.
The Impact
The Botanica app had a profound impact on the resort's community. It achieved a remarkable 90% regular engagement rate among residents, significantly improving communication and community participation. Gavin shares his insights in how they achieve such high levels of engagement amongst older people in community in an in depth interview.
Engagement and participation saw a massive increase, with the number of events rising by 262.22% over the last 12 months. This rise came as residents began organizing their own events and adding them to the events feature. Gavin said, “Allowing our residents access, being able to put up events that they want to put up as well. So it's not just us, Botanica management, coming up with news and events.”
Residents reported a heightened sense of connection and satisfaction with the community, as the app made it easier for them to access information and interact with one another. The app not only improved the residents' daily lives but also became an essential tool for the resort's management. The success of the app in engaging residents has set a new standard for community management in senior living environments.
