01 Big Vision, Small Actions
Do not shy away from small acts of kindness.

As China’s aging population grows, the demand for care workers has surged due to fewer children in families and busier work schedules for younger generations. Many property management firms and home services companies have entered this space, seeing the growing market.

However, the care worker industry is fraught with challenges:

  • Demographics: Care workers are often older and less educated.
  • High turnover: The job is demanding, and retaining workers is difficult.
  • Market chaos: Unauthorized “black care workers” disrupt pricing and service standards, causing risks for hospitals and patients alike.

New Life Group, a publicly listed company, is a leader in property and home service standards in Guangxi Province. Over the past 20 years, its professional care services have expanded across multiple provinces, providing in-hospital care for patients.

Through innovations like labor competitions, training simulations, specialized teams, and quality inspection programs, New Life has built a standardized service framework.

But as competitors flood the market, New Life faces new challenges.

Chairperson Zhu Rongfen has been contemplating:
“How can New Life, as an industry leader, stand out amidst market chaos and establish order and standards that benefit both hospitals and patients?”

02 Address Both B2B and B2C Needs
Turn “B” into “C”

In 2020, Chairperson Zhu approached CBi China Bridge for strategic guidance. Field research revealed several critical issues:

  • Misunderstood relationships: Many patients believe care services are part of hospital offerings and don’t understand why there are additional charges.
  • Invisible efforts: Services like cleaning personal areas often go unnoticed, leaving patients reluctant to pay for them.
  • Competition from unauthorized workers: “Black care workers” aggressively approach families, undercut prices, and disrupt the market.
  • Labor shortages: High workloads make it difficult to meet the hospital-mandated patient-to-care worker ratio.

CBi identified the root problem: New Life’s approach was primarily B2B-focused, prioritizing hospital satisfaction. However, the ultimate service users are patients.

“Future success lies in creating value for end-users (C) while continuing to meet the needs of business clients (B). This dual approach can turn patient satisfaction into a lever for hospital relationships.”

Chairperson Zhu embraced this vision wholeheartedly:
“I agree with CBi’s strategy. We must shift our mindset to focus on what we can offer patients, our end-users. By building a strong brand, we can gain recognition from hospitals and patients alike.”

03 Making the Small Things Visible
Redefining communication with end-users

As a B2B2C company, New Life traditionally emphasized its relationships with hospitals and meeting their standards. Connecting with end-users (patients) required entirely new strategies.

“Creating a new brand for care services isn’t just about designing a logo. Winning in this space requires a comprehensive system that creates competitive advantages.”
– Zhu Rongfen, Chairperson, New Life

Using service design methodologies, CBi collaborated with New Life to transform its strategy across three dimensions:

1. Product Line Optimization

CBi revamped New Life’s product offerings:

  • Previously, care levels were categorized purely by professional criteria (e.g., Levels 1, 2, 3).
  • The new approach aligned services with patient needs, creating four distinct product lines for in-hospital care.

To expand beyond hospitals, CBi also introduced guidance services and home care, creating a comprehensive user journey that made services more accessible and understandable.

2. Brand Identity and Communication

CBi helped redefine New Life’s brand, emphasizing:

  • Core Values: “Warmth and Professionalism.”
  • Mascot: A kangaroo symbolizing care and trust.
  • New Role Name: Care workers became “Caregivers”, elevating the role’s professionalism and societal respect.

3. User Journey and Touchpoints

CBi mapped the patient journey from pre-admission to post-discharge, identifying seven key scenarios and creating 12 touchpoint concepts to enhance user experience.

For example:

  • Pre-appointment services: Patients could book care services early through online platforms, reception desks, or emergency departments, making services easier to access.

 

04 A Comprehensive Transformation
Patience builds the foundation; breakthroughs happen in moments.

Despite challenges like labor shortages and the pandemic, New Life launched a specialized sub-brand for professional care: “Ai Hu Ning” (Caring Peace of Mind).

Major Achievements

  • New Partnerships: Ai Hu Ning secured a contract with Guangxi’s largest hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, implementing its rebranded care services.
  • Enhanced Product Lines: The newly added guidance service saw strong market demand, with high user willingness to pay.
  • Improved Visibility: Ai Hu Ning’s branding, including the kangaroo mascot, is now prominent across physical and digital touchpoints.

For example, the service desk evolved into a true one-stop hub for inquiries, bookings, and payments, becoming a central point for both patients and internal operations.

In May 2022, New Life celebrated its 20th anniversary by officially launching the Ai Hu Ning brand, marking a new chapter in its journey.

 

 

 

 

 

05 Service Design Enables Stunning Transformations
Small sparks can build a blazing torch.

As a B2B2C enterprise, New Life must understand not only the demands of its B-end clients but also the needs of its C-end user market, as feedback from both sides influences each other. It requires:

  • Stable service performance to consistently achieve excellent or at least good customer satisfaction;
  • Unique features and innovations to differentiate from competitors, establish trust, secure renewals, and attract new customers;
  • A dual approach: broad strategic insight to analyze the bigger picture and benchmarks, paired with meticulous, ground-level efforts to achieve operational refinement.

Isn’t this the shared challenge of many enterprises?

Through the Ai Hu Ning project, New Life redefined its brand’s core values, reshaped its product lines based on insights into target users’ needs, and mapped the entire user journey from their perspective. By designing standout concepts, it achieved a comprehensive transformation—from strategy to tactical execution—marking a stunning leap forward.