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Friday, May 6, 2011

The World Is Your Stage...

My two favorite places to eat for lunch are Ava Restaurant on the square in Rockwall, Texas and McAlisters Deli on Lakeview Parkway and Liberty Grove. Of course, the food at Ava is amazing, however, that is not the reason you can find me "checked in" on Facebook 3 times per week. The reason I go there all the time (and take other people there to show off) is because the excellent customer service. I walk in and get a "hi, Christen! how are you today! will it be just you dining with us or are you expecting additional guests"? They seat me at my "regular table" and bring me a tea with the pink sweetner. I don't have to ask. They just know this is what I want to drink. They place my napkin in my lap and ask me if I'd like to see a menu or if I'd just like my usual. WOW! They know me so well and seem to pay such special attention to me. They know the orders of everyone I eat with. In fact, looking around the restaurant, it appears they remember everything about all their customers!

I also love McAlisters on Lakeview Parkway and Liberty Grove. You may ask yourself why I keep specifying the location that I like. This is because McAlisters has mediocre food and at most locations I've been to, a very mediocre staff. Not this McAlisters! While the food may actually taste just as average as it does at the other locations, the food seems to taste better at this location because the staff is so darn nice! You just feel warm and fuzzy walking in the door. They all have smiles on their faces. They often remember what you order. They remember where I have said I work and they ask about the animals.

The morale of these two random food "shout outs" is that they keep me coming back for more than the food....they keep me coming back for the service. When people come to your vet office or business, do they get this warm fuzzy feeling? Are they greeted by a friendly smile, a warm welcome and a bottle of water? Do your staff members remember the clients name and use it when they greet them? Do they remember the pet and say "Hello Max" instead of "What a cute baby"? Do they differentiate your practice from all those like it by adding that something extra to the experience?

A wonderful book, which I recommend to every business, not just medical offices, is called "If Disney Ran Your Hospital: 9 1/2 things you would be differently" by Fred Lee. You will notice that in the previous paragraph I asked you about "adding that something extra to the experience". The chapter titles alone in this book can teach us a lot about creating that "experience" that people are looking for. The perfect client service that keeps people coming back for more.

Chapter 1: Redefine Your Competition and Focus on What Can't Be Measured

This chapter focuses a lot of the perception of the client. (Notice I said client and not customer--Veterinary offices have clients and patients and should have Client Service Representatives, not Customer Service Representatives). Something as simple as communication can help perception and help a client know that we are concerned about them and their pet. An example from the book is "lets say there is a lot of commotion at the nurses' station while giving a report to the next shift. A nurse quickly closes the patient's door out of concern for the patient's privacy. Yet the patient probably thinks, Why are they closing my door? I'll bet they are talking about me. The way to create the impression of concern is to say something to the patient like "Mr. Lee, would you like your door closed? We get pretty noisy out here while we're giving report. It shouldn't last much longer. Only by concentrating on what is said while doing something, did hospitals begin to see significant improvement in patient perceptions that staff showed a concern for patient privacy".

Can you think of any instances where you or a staff member may have done something that the client could have perceived in the wrong way?

Chapter 2: Make Courtesy More Important Than Efficiency

I believe the title is fairly self explanatory. Courtesy should be more important that all else in the hospital. If you are friendly to clients and communicate with clients, they are far less likely to be upset when the emergency is triaged ahead of them, or if their phonecall is returned 15 minutes late. Smile. Be nice. Communicate. Let them know what is happening and why and how you are going to provide them with excellent client service when its their turn.

Can you think of any areas in your hospital/business where you may sacrifice courtesy for efficiency? How are you going to change this?

Chapter 3: Regard Patient Satisfaction as Fool's Gold

Just because a client is satisfied, does not mean they are going to return. Satisfaction has nothing to do with loyalty. You should be measuring client loyalty and not satisfaction. One effort beyond a person's job description can win customer loyalty. If you don't do something special for a guest, they won't remember you. And if they don't remember you, why would they come again? Try this. At your next staff meeting, end the meeting with a simple question. Has anybody done something special for a client lately? Maybe a receptionist delivered food to a clients house because they were feeling ill. Maybe a nurse offered to pick up Fluffy on their way into work because the owner was going to be at the office. These are the something extra that keep clients happy and loyal and coming back for more.

Which of your employees have gone "above and beyond" for a client? Did they offer this solution on their own? How were they rewarded?

Chapter 4: Measure to Improve, Not to Impress

Don't just send out a "satisfaction survey" to see where you rank. Follow up with clients in a manner that allows them to be real about their feedback--not inflated because the employee is watching them fill it out. Spend time in staff meetings problem solving and passing along compliments when they come. Make everyone a part of creating a culture of soliciting feedback to improve, not impress.

What are some questions from your "satisfaction surveys"? What is your measurement scale? Who comes up with decisions on how to change negative feedback?

Chapter 5: Decentralize the Authority to Say Yes

Empower your staff to say YES. Don't put too many systems in place where the CSR can't make a decision that directly impacts the satisfaction and loyalty and happiness of a client. Mrs. Jones needs to return food. She comes to the building with 5 cans of A/D. Do you have a CSR staff trained to do a return for the food? Are they authorized to take it back? Can they run the card for a refund? You should have empowered the employees to take care of this task because it directly relates to the satisfaction of the client. You have your CSR do recalls the next day to see how the client liked their pet's groom the day before. They hated it. Are your CSRs trained to just say 'I'm sorry you didn't like it. I'll have the groomer call you or I'll have a manager call you or hold on while I go see if there is something I can do. If so, this is not the case of an empowered employee. They should be trained to say "Mrs. Jones, I apologize that Fluffy's groom doesn't meet your expectations. Are you available to bring Fluffy in tomorrow for a regroom at no additional charge? We want to do everything we can to make sure you are happy with Fluffy's groom. What can I do for you"?

In what ways have you empowered your staff to take care of client concerns and issues? Can you think of any issues where you feel you can't hand over the reigns? Why?

Chapter 6: Change the Concept of Work From Service to Theater

"Everyone expects Disney to regard entertainment work as theater. After all, they are in the entertainment business. They are trying to create an escape from reality. When guests enter the world of Disney, they enter a make-believe world of fantasy and fun. But a hospital is about as real as life can get and as far from most people's fantasy of fun as anyone can imagine. Here, where patients are hurting, sad, anxious, and depressed, entertainment is not what they are looking for. Would Disney really define work as theater if they ran your hospital? Absolutely. And here's why: Disney World is not a service; it's an experience. So are movies and plays. Hospitalization is not a service either; it's an experience. Hospitalization provides a stage to facilitate the experience of healing. For both Disney and hospitals, it is more accurate to describe their business as providing a transforming dramatic experience than delivering a service. Not all drama is meant to be fun. But all successful drama is a transforming experience". Keep in mind: Casting good actors helps make a good director.

What does your business do to create an experience for your patients and clients?

Chapter 7: Harness the Motivating Power of Imagination

Try this exercise with your staff. Have them imagine some good friends whom you have not seen for a long time but would love to see. Now imagine you just found out that they are coming to spend the weekend with you. What would you do to prepare for their visit. They will probably write things like: mow the lawn, change the sheets, clean the bathroom, stock the fridge, wash the cars. Now ask them to make another list with some things they would refrain from doing while they are here if we want them to have a good time and return again. They will probably write things like: let them use the bathroom first, respect their privacy, ask them what they want to eat, be awake before them in the morning. Then point out that we all know how to treat a guest in our home. Lee says its no different at Disney. We are hosts and our customers are called guests. Please treat them as you would if you knew each one of them personally and liked them. Treat them as you would if they were staying in your own home. And do it every day, all the time. Help us keep our promise to them that we are here to make them happy--just as you would make your own guests happy.

How does your staff keep your clients/guests happy? Does the CSR staff keep appropriate small talk going with the client while they

Chapter 8: Create a Climate of Dissatisfaction

Take the negative stereotypes that are born out of dissatisfaction for similar businesses and create your business around it. Walt Disney did not invent the amusement park, but he did want it to have immaculate gardens and walkways and wanted well groomed employees. He wanted people to enjoy waiting in lines and wanted shows and restaurants and park benches for those who don't enjoy the rides. If necessity is the mother of invention, dissatisfaction must be the father of improvement. You shuold create an environment where good isn't good enough and you can always do better. Your employees should know that they exist to satisfy your guests/clients. The determining question regarding all suggestions in a service industry should be "How will this affect the perceptions of clients or guests".

Does your staff ask themselves this question before speaking or acting?

Chapter 9: Cease Using Competitive Monetary Rewards to Motivate People

The author of the book says that he witnessed a great client service interaction of a flight. He saw a flight attendant who did a wonderful job dealing with an upset client. He complimented her and she thanked him. A few moments later, she returned with a comment card. She asked him if he would fill it out with his nice compliment so that she could win a trip to Hawaii. Fred Lee says that it ruined the whole idea of her doing a good job because he knew then that her actions were to better herself, and not a sincere, caring action taken to help a client.

Do you have any reward programs directly related to client service? What are they?

Chapter 10: Close The Gap Between Knowing and Doing

What separates a good business from a mediocre business is consistency in day-to-day execution of universally shared values. Empower your staff. Keep people around that do what you ask of them and provide the service you expect of them ALL THE TIME, EVERY TIME. Don't allow staff to "do things the right way" only when someone is watching. Same service every time. Preach it. Live it. Retain your clients and build loyalty that keeps them coming back for more of your great service.

"There are no traffic jams along the extra mile."-Roger Staubach

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