We’ve already talked about running your healthcare practice like a business to create a brand that will help consistently and effectively market your medical, dental or veterinary practice. The next important thing when it comes to successful healthcare practice marketing is customer service.
Like a business, healthcare offices provide a service to clients and customers. But providing excellent customer service may be even more important for a healthcare practice than a business. Here are some reasons to consider upping your customer service experience:
Sensitive situations
Health information, no matter how crucial or mundane, is a very sensitive topic for people because of how personal the subject matter is. And it becomes even more sensitive when the health news you’re providing your patients is serious or life-threatening. Is your staff prepared to handle these situations? Are they communicating effectively with each other and your patients in these difficult moments?
Disgruntled patients
As you have probably already noticed, some of your patients may be nervous when coming into your practice regardless of their health situation. Providing excellent customer service is key to avoiding upset or disgruntled patients. Does your staff know how to handle people who are nervous or upset? Can they speak to your patients in a way that calms them down or helps them feel at ease?
Referrals
It is much easier to gain a referral from a current or regular patient than it is to go out and look for referrals on your own starting from scratch. Referrals are a great healthcare marketing strategy – not only do they help attract the type of patients you want, but they can also improve the reputation of your practice and increase your profitability. Does your staff know how to approach your patients about referrals?
Branded messaging
Having a consistent message doesn’t just fall to the responsibility of your content writers. Consistent messaging is more than just the wording on your marketing materials and on your website – it’s also about how your staff communicates with your patients. Is your staff representing your brand and message in a positive way? Are they effective at communicating with clients and patients? Do they understand your mission? Are they working and communicating together to achieve the same goals for your practice?
If you want to be sure that your staff is ready to deal with these situations and to bring your customer service experience to the next level, our staff training sessions are designed to improve your customer service and help your staff work together to reach your goals. For more information, contact one of our healthcare marketing consultants at 800.679.1200 or by email at info@practicebuilders.com.