A Conversation with
Herm Eick on How
Griswold Home Care
Transformed
Operations with Ally

Meet Herm Eick, Director at Griswold Home Care

When we sat down with Herm Eick, it was clear that he’s a passionate leader with a hands-on approach to running his caregiver registry. From the start, he knew that compliance was a major factor in operating successfully—but navigating the legal landscape was a constant source of stress.

“Half of this gray hair is from going to bed worrying about a DOL visit,” Herm admitted with a chuckle. “Or maybe an IRS visit. Mostly DOL.”

Herm and his team didn’t start by acquiring an existing business—they built their registry from the ground up. And like many registry owners, he quickly realized that while the model provided flexibility, it also introduced complexities, especially in handling payments and compliance.

The Challenge: Compliance & Administrative Overload

Before adopting Ally, Griswold Home Care faced a few major hurdles:

• Compliance Concerns: “We knew we shouldn’t be handling caregiver payments directly. The legal input was clear—we needed to be careful about how money flowed.”
• Time-Consuming Manual Processes: “In the early days, we were on a two-check system. My wife and I had to manually send out billing, process checks—it was bulky and time-consuming.”
• Growing Operational Complexity: “As we grew, keeping up with payments, shift tracking, and documentation became harder. We needed efficiency.”
• Fear of Potential Audits: “I’ve never been audited, but I still worried about it constantly. You hear stories from other registry owners, and it makes you stay on edge.”

Herm summed it up best:

“There’s good, and then there’s great. If you’re just ‘good’ when it comes to compliance, you’re still at risk. You want to make sure you’re at ‘great’—so that if anything happens, you’re at your best.”

The Solution: Finding a Better Way with Ally

Herm first heard about Ally through word of mouth from other registry owners. “The Florida registry community is tight, and people kept mentioning Ally as a ready-made solution,” he shared.

For GHC, the transition to Ally brought immediate relief:

• Seamless Compliance Management: “Ally took us out of the payment process, which was exactly what we needed for legal protection.”
• Streamlined Billing & Payments: “No more manual check processing. Everything became smoother.”
• Efficiency Gains: “What used to take hours now happens automatically. That alone is a game-changer.”
• Community & Support: “Other registry owners reassured me that this was the right path. That helped in making the decision.”

The Results: A More Secure & Efficient Operation

Since implementing Ally, Griswold Home Care has seen significant improvements:

• Peace of Mind: “I still worry about compliance—it’s the nature of the business—but Ally helps me sleep better.”
• Time Savings: “We’re no longer bogged down in admin work, which lets us focus on caregivers and clients.”
• Stronger Legal Position: “Having a system that keeps us aligned with regulations is invaluable.”
• A More Connected Registry Community: “I stay in close contact with other registry owners, and many of us are on the same page now with Ally.”

And when it comes to keeping an eye on his business, Herm takes a unique hands-on approach:

“Once a month, I download reports from Ally—our caregiver engagement numbers, compliance status, and financial summaries—and I tape them to my wall. It gives me a visual snapshot of where we stand. If something’s off, I know immediately.”

Looking Ahead

For Herm, Ally isn’t just a software solution—it’s a way to ensure his business remains strong, efficient, and compliant. “This model will always come with challenges, but having the right tools in place makes all the difference.”