Customer service has always been a crucial factor for success in all industries. But as society has evolved, especially in the realm of technology, customer service has become even more vital. Consumers who receive poor service can now turn to the internet to share their grievances immediately. Unfortunately, the healthcare industry does not escape this scenario unscathed. Your health center or practice can suffer irreparable damage if you aren’t proactive with your customer service efforts. So, how can you improve your healthcare-based customer service? Let’s start with customer experience.
We mentioned customer service now we’ve transitioned to customer experience, but aren’t they the same concept? Well, no. Customer service is a component of the customer experience. Customer experience encompasses all your interactions with your clients. While customer service includes the support interactions you perform to problem solve or troubleshoot their issues. For instance, implementing wearable technology to help monitor a patient would be an element of customer experience. Improving the overall experience before there is an issue can impact the view of your practice.
You don’t want uninterested or even combative individuals handling your patients’ appointments, follow-ups, and other tasks like billing. The best way to avoid this issue, hire the right people in the first place. Do your due diligence and make cultural a fit a priority. A potential employee who seems like they aren’t a fit probably isn’t. Trust your research and make a wise hiring decision.
Every single employee at your practice needs to keep this point in mind. Communication isn’t a one-way activity. It’s important to get your point across, but it’s even more vital to listen actively. After you hear out their concerns or queries, you need to respond accordingly. Offer fixes for issues and either provide or find answers to their questions. Something else to take note, not all communication is verbal. Your non-verbal cues are also essential. Smile and show that you are open and ready to help.
Some patients are easier to please than others, but regardless, you have to treat them all with the same respect. When you receive a complaint, take it seriously. Your employees should put forth their best effort to resolve the issue. If there isn’t an ideal resolution, try to do the next best thing. However, in some cases, there isn’t a solution. Still, everyone should remain positive and upbeat. At the minimum, you want your patient to leave feeling you at least tried to fix the issue. Another aspect of problem-solving is responding to reviews. Whether positive or negative, try to formulate a well-thought-out reply that either thanks clients for a positive review or offer a fix for a negative one. The same concepts work in customer service and review response. Try to remain positive and be a problem solver.
Customer service is the new battleground for gaining business. If you, and your employees, put your best collective foot forward, it will make a big difference in your health center or practice. One great way to help with your new focus on customer service is to delegate other tasks. We offer help for health centers that includes revenue optimization. Find out more, and good luck making your customer service stellar.
