Walking the dog, collecting the Maccy Ds: Greg Renk’s Walfinch team literally go the extra mile

Greg Renk, the Walfinch franchisee for Mid and South Buckinghamshire, leads a care team that literally go the extra mile.

“We had been caring for a lady in her 70s for some months, when she went into hospital for three weeks,” says Greg. “She was very concerned about her dog Peachy, so while she was in hospital, our carers checked her house every day and took Peachy out for a walk – in their own time.

“The day she was discharged, the carers went to help her settle back in. The fridge was stocked, and she was delighted to get back to a clean house and a happy Peachy, but when the carers asked if there was anything else she wanted, she said: “I’d love a McDonald’s!”

One of the carers went off to the local McDonald’s and returned with a Big Mac and fries. She was delighted, the carers were happy to see her so pleased – and I was so proud of my care team for going the extra mile to make her homecoming so happy.”
Greg’s team specialise in this sort of thing. “We have been looking after a lady who has dementia, and though she has lived in England for 30 years, she has recently started to revert to her native language, which was making it hard for our carers when they wanted to remind her to take her dinner out of the microwave or ensure she filled her kettle before trying to make a drink,” says Greg.

“The carers came up with the idea of ‘prompt card’s which had an English word on one side and the word in her native language on the other, made with the aid of translation software. Now if she does not understand their message in English, they show her the card with her own language on it. She beams whenever they do it.”

Greg, who used to own a design and marketing agency, became a Walfinch franchisee in 2020 after being dissatisfied with the care his mother received. He says “Things like this make Walfinch a very rewarding franchise. We get so much positive feedback from clients and families – and while we have to make money to keep the business going, it’s the good feeling you get from providing exceptional that is the real reward.”

Greg spent time as a consultant to the care sector and says: “I knew Walfinch had a great reputation, which carries weight when you are talking to people, so when I wanted my own care business, I knew which franchise to choose.”

Walfinch is seeking more franchisees who prioritise care quality while wanting to build a successful business.