Why Patients Judge Your Practice By Your Restrooms
Posted
Does the average person have the knowledge necessary to judge your clinical skills? Can she determine whether you’re an excellent practitioner, or merely average?
By Chuck McKay
You spent years in school, more years honing your technique, and keeping up with the latest developments through continuing education. Its only natural to expect your patients to hold you in esteem for your skills as a health care provider.
Unfortunately, your patients don’t have your background. They can only judge you by your performance in areas they can evaluate – your décor, the attentiveness of your staff, the cleanliness of your restrooms, and your own visibility.
When customers see you paying attention to small details of your presentation, they will also conclude you do the bigger things equally well. Not everyone will notice, but those who do will assume your attention to detail extends to every part of your business.
Australian dentist Paddi Lund coined the term Critical Non-Essentials to describe the parts of your practice that can be easily observed and judged. Like it or not, the way your receptionist answers the phone will affect patients’ opinions of your ability as a practitioner.
And, for good or bad, these impressions will shape the bulk of the word-of-mouth about your practice. Lund goes so far as to stock his restrooms with expensive soaps and perfumes. A sign says “Dear guest, please feel free to use the toiletries. They are for you.”
You’ll sometimes hear this called “Experiential Marketing” - focusing on the experience, and communicating that experience to potential patients. And make no mistake, creating strong word-of-mouth is definitely a marketing strategy.
Have you ever seen a film and told people about it afterward?
How about an incident at a restaurant? What happened to you as a customer at a store? Have you shared those stories?
Why did you talk about them?
Because the experience was unusual.
Ordinary happenings don’t make good stories. Exceptional experiences do. For good or bad, its the ocurance they didn’t expect that causes people to talk.
There’s an old saying that if people like you they’ll tell 3 others. If they dislike you they’ll tell 20.
In reality, if they merely like you, they’ll tell no one. Like-able people are not, by themselves, great story material.
And, if they dislike you they’ll never stop telling. But, on the other hand, if they’re thrilled by you they will also keep telling that story.
You need to thrill them.
When patients visit your practice, what do they see? What amenities do you offer? Disposable cups and coffee that was brewed three hours ago?
What’s that? You’re not in the coffee business?
You’re right. You’re not in the coffee business. When it comes to making impressions and creating word-of-mouth you’re in the experience business. Create an exciting patient experience and you’ve created advertising that can’t be bought, and a never ending source of referrals.
__________
Search this site for other articles on: publicity, public relations, marketing tactics, referral strategies, patient interraction, word-of-mouth.
Technorati Tags: publicity, public relations, marketing tactics, patient interraction, referral strategies, word-of-mouth.
__________
Why Patients Judge Your Practice By Your Restrooms. copyright © 2007 Chuck McKay and AdvanceMyPractice.com. All rights reserved.
Chuck McKay is a marketing consultant who works with professional practices and owner operated businesses. Questions about creating an exceptional patient experience may be directed to ChuckMcKay@ChuckMcKayOnLine.com.
[…] was just reading a post over at Advance My Practice. The post discusses why you should think about how your restroom looks. It is the small […]
I agree Chuck - Paddi Lund is a true legend in the health care marketing arena.
Other Brisbane dentists have taken up the challenge put down by Paddi - one has teddy bears waiting on each dental chair for each patient. Whether you are adult or child you have the option to hold a bear during your treatment. They also have an x-box in the waiting room. No surprises they have a full practice.
For contrast one opthomologist I visited had a light bulb out in their toilets (and apparently it had been out for days). Guess whose practice was struggling.
Outward appearances are critical for health care practices to attract and retain loyal customers. Pay attention to the details and it will pay dividends.
regards
Ingrid
Heart Harmony
Ingrid, the burned out light is an excellent example.
After publishing this post I took a friend to breakfast at a well-known restaurant chain. During the meal I asked if he were pleased with his food. He was. Then I asked, “Have you noticed the dust in the vents? How about the dust on the ceiling fan blades? Did you notice the cobwebs on the ‘Emergency Exit’ sign?”
My friend looked around and noted all of the dust. I asked, “How’s your food.”
“Not as good,” he replied.
When I asked what had changed, he said, “If they can’t keep the front of the restaurant clean, the kitchen must be FILTHY.”