Case Studies
Scaling care without slowing down: Preferred Care at Home
Scaling care without slowing down
Founded in 2022, Vermont-based home care organization Preferred Care at Home of Champlain Valley set out with a clear purpose: to deliver reliable, high-quality care to an aging population while supporting families in their community. What began as a single-owner operation quickly evolved into a fast-growing agency, expanding to roughly 60 caregivers serving around 100 clients in just a few short years.
Growth was fueled by demand and a deeply personal connection to the work. Both owners had experienced firsthand the challenges families face when seeking care for loved ones. That perspective shaped their mission and the way they built their business.
“We wanted to do something where we could have a real impact on people’s lives and in the local community,” said Justin Ballard, co-owner and manager of Preferred Care at Home of Champlain Valley.
But as the organization scaled, so did the operational complexity behind the scenes.
When growth impacts the back office
With weekly payroll, dozens of caregivers, and a growing client base, administrative demands began to add up quickly. Ensuring accurate pay while managing schedules, validating hours, and handling reporting requirements became a time-intensive process.
At the same time, the leadership team was intentional about what they didn’t want: to get buried in back-office tasks at the expense of their people and their mission.
“Efficiency is the biggest one,” Ballard explained. “As a business owner, we don’t want to be spending a ton of time having to deal with payroll and complexities. Having a simple interface, access to support, and an easy process is the best thing that Viventium has done for us.”
They needed a solution that could keep up with their growth without adding friction or requiring heavy manual work.
Viventium was the natural choice
From the start, the organization was introduced to Viventium through a broader corporate relationship, making it a natural choice early on. But what kept them there was how quickly the platform proved its value in day-to-day operations.
The ability to run payroll efficiently stood out immediately.
“Once we have everything set, it’s as simple as exporting a payroll file, going in, clicking five or six times, double checking the data, and submitting it,” Ballard said.
For a company running payroll weekly, that simplicity mattered. What could have been a recurring operational burden became a quick, repeatable process. Even as they layered in additional elements like third-party rewards and paid time off, the system remained easy to manage.
“It’s just another file that gets sent to me,” said Ballard. “And all I have to do is upload it and it combines right into payroll.”
The flexibility to integrate new components without disrupting workflows gave the team confidence that their systems could scale alongside their business.
A better experience, week after week
As the organization grew, consistency became just as important as speed and payroll had to run smoothly every time.
With Viventium, the team found that reliability.
The actual payroll process, once hours were validated, took about 15 minutes to complete. “It saves us a lot of time,” confirmed Ballard. “The process for uploading the payroll and validating is very easy.”
That efficiency extended beyond just payroll runs. When new processes were introduced, like implementing paid time off, support was readily available.
“I called, and they walked me right through it,” Ballard said. “She stayed on the line while we completed it to make sure it worked.”
That hands-on support helped reduce friction during moments that could otherwise slow the team down. Even more complex needs, like custom reporting for insurance requirements, were addressed collaboratively.
“Trying to do that myself initially was a failure,” he admitted. “But the support team created a custom report, saved it for us, and now I can just go in, change the dates, and download it. They’ve always been there when I needed to get ahold of someone.”
What started as a challenge became a simple, repeatable task.
Supporting both caregivers and administrators
Beyond the back office, the platform also delivered a straightforward experience for caregivers. Employees could easily access pay stubs, W-2s, and request time off through a simple interface. And notably, there were no complaints.
“I haven’t had any complaints,” Ballard said. “It just works.”
In an industry where caregiver satisfaction and retention are critical, that kind of seamless experience matters more than it might seem.
More time for what matters most
Ultimately, the biggest impact wasn’t just faster payroll or better reporting. It was what those efficiencies made possible. With less time spent on administrative work, the leadership team could focus on growing the business, supporting caregivers, and delivering quality care to clients.
“The amount of time it saves is pretty incredible,” Ballard shared. And in a business built on relationships and trust, that time is everything.
“We’re very happy, very satisfied with Viventium,” he confirmed.
