We Really Appreciate Your Business!
As I walked through the aisles of my local office supply store (a national chain store) bright and early on Monday morning, I was in a hurry and needed a few quick items to be on my way. Truthfully, I dread going to the office supply store; I rarely can find what I need without having to ask someone and I always walk out spending much more than I had originally intended. Needless to say, I was not in the best of moods that morning.
While I had been to this particular chain store many times, mostly because of its convenient local to my home and office, I am not particularly loyal. I do have the reward card, but that doesn’t alter my purchasing habits much. Normally, the associates in the store are for the most part friendly and helpful, but no one has ever gone out of their way for me or made me remember the experience. That was, until Monday morning. While looking around bewildered by all of my options, one of the associates asked “Can I help you find something particular, ma’am?” It was a polite enough exchange and he pointed me in the right direction, I appreciated that. Then, out of nowhere he says “Thanks for coming in this morning, we really appreciate your business.” Wow, was my internal response. What a nice thing of this associate to say, my mood completely changed. When I walked up to the counter with my supplies, the associate checking me out said at the end of our transaction, “Ms. Verkamp, we really appreciate your business, thanks for coming in.” (She used my name!) Again, I was surprised…and impressed. When I got to the office, I mentioned my experience to several co-workers who all were surprised to hear of the pleasant experience and the value these associates had placed on my visit.
So, how does this recollection of my Monday morning trip to the office supply store related to your medical practice? The answer: in many, many ways. How are you showing your patients that you value them? How is your staff expressing to them that we understand you have many options for your healthcare and we’re happy you chose us? Do you even have an attitude of gratitude in your practice? While you are in healthcare, you are also in business and to stay in business, you have to value your customers…your patients. Your patients have many options for their healthcare needs and they are in search of a better patient experience. If you are not communicating to your patients that you value them and their business, your competitors may.
It’s time to put the attitude of gratitude to action in your practice. Think about adopting this customer service initiative in your practice. After each patient interaction, train your staff to say “We appreciate your business, thank you for coming in today.” This simple phrase, said to a patient on the phone, at the front desk, in the exam room, at the check-out counter, and in the follow-up after the appointment can leave a lasting impression. It’s a differentiating factor that will make your practice stand out and be memorable to your patients, prompting more conversations with their circles of influence and increased referrals
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