My staff and I love to talk to our clients and classify customer service as an investment rather than an expense that must constantly be slashed and analysed.
So what does this mean to you and your practice?
Invest in customer services- Invest in your people skills
- Know your services and products inside out
- Know your patients and staff members
Why do patients leave?
| 68% | Experience poor customer service |
| 17% | Don’t like the service |
| 9% | Or the opposition |
| 5% | Have new friends in business |
| <1% | Die |
What upsets Patients?
- No staff to assist
- Ignored, no attention given
- Staff have very little product/practice knowledge
- Staff are rude, or talk amongst themselves
- Staff/practice owner show no interest in the patient’s problem
- No return phone call
- No same day service
Why customer service should be a priority
Have you ever had an experience as a customer that affected your day? The way we treat our patients can seriously affect them in either a positive or negative way. A fantastic patient experience can really make someone’s day, and the reverse also applies. It is all about how you to do it. Patients are people like you and I and it is very rare that you would be unreasonable to someone who was doing their best to help you.
Key Points:
- The patient does not know how busy you are, they want to be looked after now
- Staff not offering to help can make patients irritated
- Keeping patients waiting can affect their experience and may influence their decision as to whether they use your practice or not
- It is the primary duty of ALL employees to look after patients
- Make your patients feel like family or friends every time they enter your practice
- Think long-term reputation versus short-term profit
So for a fresh start this year, a great suggestion is to make your plans smart and set some smart team goals around customer service.
