Over the years as a consultant in the Medical Customer Service field, I have seen a lot. I will not claim to have "seen it all" - because I am still surprised on occasion.
I have experienced some amazingly great Medical Customer Service Touch Point examples. Some have been good. While some have been extremely negative. Sometimes one experiences the entire range of amazing to horrific in the same organization.
The one area that seems to be a universal "growth opportunity" is the way patients are typically greeted. How prevalent is the Medical Customer Service Experience I am about to share with you? Let's just say that we see it in clinics, hospitals, optometrists, dentists, and many other medical professions... ALL Medical Customer Service "venues" suffer from this particular problem.
The patient arrives at the medical facility. The natural course of events is to sign in or register and to pay the insurance co-payment.
How the patient is typically greeted in this important interaction will set the tone for the entire Medical Customer Service Experience.
What typical greeting am I speaking of?
Yes... You guessed it. The typical "greeting" is... "Your date of birth?"
The harsh reality is "Your date of birth?" is not even a question when you think about it. It is more like a statement.
The real problem... This "greeting" is not respectful in any sense of the word.
When were born, we were given a name. That name is sacred to most human beings who have hopes and dreams that are unique to each of us.
The next time you meet someone, ask them... "Your date of birth?" How will they respond? How would you respond?
Yet in the Medical Customer Service setting, it is common to begin a "relationship" by asking for the patient's date of birth.
What kind of relationship is being created through such a question being the first words spoken?
What could be done differently? Instead of asking for a date of birth, ask for the patient's name. It might sound like the following...
"Hi, my name is Mark. It is nice to meet you. May I start with your first name please?"
The reply is, "Mary."
"Thank you, Mary, and your last name please?"
THEN one may request the patient's date of birth.
I am often mystified as to why the Medical Profession practices such an impersonal level of rudeness on such a widespread scale. If your organization is truly interested in differentiating your Medical Customer Service Experience, begin the relationship with the patient's first name. Your "stock" will rise as a result and patient satisfaction will increase.
Now go Maximize Possibility!
Other blog posts you may be interested in:
- Seven Contributing Factors to Glenn Beck's Hospital Visit Gone Wrong
- No Problem is a Customer Service Phrase Problem
- Consistency is Key to Creating an Exceptional Customer Experience
- Creating a Powerful Customer Experience by Exceeding Expectations
Chris Young helps organizations Maximize Possibility through talent management, cultural transformation, and strategic intervention. Bring Chris in today!
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