Tips on Chiropractic Customer Service
Across the country, many healthcare practices struggle with building that practice. Patients come and go, and there may be a slow or even non-existent growth pattern. The practice may offer cutting-edge treatments and procedures that would normally be a sign of success, but there is so much more to success than the services being offered. The key to a successful practice, whether it is a surgical clinic, a chiropractic care center, or a pain management office, may be so simple that many practitioners tend to overlook it: good customer service. Your patients are your customers, and they deserve the very best service possible.
The Patient’s Perspective
Think about it from a patient’s perspective: if a clinical practice is inviting and the staff is attentive and friendly, wouldn’t the patient want to continue receiving care there? Would they possibly tell their friends, neighbors, and family about the wonderful treatment they receive at the clinic? Both of these factors strongly influence the growth of a healthcare practice. If patients feel welcome and perceive that they are receiving compassionate care from practitioners who are actually interested in the patients’ health outcomes, they are far more likely to share those thoughts with others. There’s an old saying in the business world that it costs more to attract new customers than it does to keep the existing ones. Adopting good customer service habits can boost a clinic’s bottom line, allowing for positive growth and high patient retention rates.
Customer Service Habits to Adopt
There are many aspects to good customer service habits. The overall goal of good customer service is to make your patients feel like they are getting the best care possible, and that starts with the front office staff. A good practice to adopt is to make sure each of those front-office employees makes a great first impression. A simple greeting when a patient arrives, or courteous behavior over the telephone, makes a huge difference.
Next, keep the promises you make. If a staff member promises to call back today with important diagnostic or insurance billing information, it is critical to keep that promise. Even if your staff member doesn’t have all the information they need, a quick phone call to let the patient know that progress is being made makes a positive difference in the perception of customer service.
Employee training can be a great way to instill customer service skills. Being friendly and accommodating to others does not come naturally to some people, but those skills can be learned. There are many customer training programs and tools from providers around the United States, and the training investment could pay big dividends in retaining existing patients along with attracting new ones. Once these good customer service skills are established on an organizational level, staff members become invested in the process and will go the extra mile for the practice’s patients.
The environment in which patients receive care can also be a valuable component to the overall customer service experience. Make the patient’s experience as positive as possible, such as offering comfortable seating, refreshments if possible, and pleasant surroundings. These simple additions to your practice can strongly influence perceptions, giving rise to a positive experience on the part of the patient.
Final Thoughts on Good Customer Service
Finally, it is absolutely vital to be open to complaints from patients. Not every patient will go away satisfied by the care they received and the service they expected. Take note of the most common complaints and address the root causes of those complaints. Also, be sure to let the complaining patient know that the issue was corrected and how it was corrected. Be proactive in streamlining operations such as reducing wait times, improving scheduling, and maintaining open communication between clinic staff and patients. Don’t be afraid to admit mistakes such as insurance paperwork errors or scheduling conflicts. By being honest and upfront with patients, you reinforce that they are a valuable component of your clinical practice and its continued success. Good customer service skills are easy to adopt and can create an incredible rise in patient satisfaction, benefiting the growth of your practice.
