Medical Customer Experience - Has a LONG Ways To Go
The world of Medical Customer Experience creation is a fantastic opportunity... Medical Customer Service could be a lot better. Let's make it happen by working on a common theme - helping team members fully understand why they are there... To make a difference in the lives of patients and their families.
We do a lot of work in the Medical Customer Service Training field and I have to say that quite simply... We are blessed with all the opportunity that exists... I don't know what it is about medicine... Perhaps it is that it's a bit of a monopoly-situation in many cases. Let's look at it from the opportunity it presents. I am not saying Medicine doesn't want to improve. Quite the contrary. I sense a movement, a drumbeat saying, "We must create better Medical Customer Experiences." Not that all Medical Customer Service engagements are badly done. Quite the contrary. But all it takes is one negative Customer Service Experience to destroy the goodwill developed via many Customer Service engagements. I have seen many instances of wonderful kindness displayed by a medical professional only to have the very next touch point destroyed by someone focused on the task and not the person. What causes the gulf between mediocrity and wowness? I think it's because some of us really don't know why they are there in the first place. Some of us think it is about the job - the task. And don't get me wrong. That's important. It's important that procedures are done correctly and protocol is followed. But it's not what you do - rather than how. For others - it's about touching other people's lives. And it makes sense given what we know about our core behaviors (more on this in a future Customer Experience Blog). Some of us are more task-driven naturally and others are more people-driven. From our Medical Customer Experience, we can help the task and people-driven focus more on why they are really there - to make a difference in the lives of Patients and Customers. How do we do that? By helping them talk about the difference they are making. We help them create the story they need to inspire and motivate them to do what needs to be done. If people don't emotionally own what they do - through "Why am I here" thought processes, they will never do what we want them to do. Here's a thought... Have your team members sit down and write for five-ten minutes about the following topic... "Why my life mattered." Have them talk about the difference they made in their lives as they reflect from the age of 75. Why did their life matter? The focal point will become about relationships and difference-making. It always boils down to that. It's never about the stuff we gather in our lives. Kick it up a notch... Ask your team members how they think the patient is feeling as they are walking in the door.
Ever think about that? And this doesn't apply to just medicine. When that Customer walks in the door or calls, what are they feeling? Your opportunity is to help them feel better. If you don't - someone else might. If you don't help that patient or Customer feel better, someone may have a better price than you.
The key is to create an inspiring Medical Customer Service Experience that leaves the Patient and Customer feeling emotionally better than when you first engaged them.
Imagine how it felt... Mental journey here... I remember when our second child, Macauley was born in Bismarck, ND at one of the two large hospitals on the east side of town. I remember the excitement as we walked in the door. I remember thinking - "I hope everything goes well... What if it doesn't go as well as planned?" I remember being scared. I remember not being in control (scary for Dad!). I also remember the first time we visited the hospital as we were deciding where to have our son welcomed into the world. I remember how the hospital rolled out the red carpet showing us the nice rooms and facilities. It was quite amazing. Small problem. When we got there right after my wife's water broke... No one was there to greet us the way they did when we were deciding because we came in late in the night. There was someone at the front door - but no wheel chair, no welcome committee... Nothing. In fact, we had to walk up to the birthing area. I remember thinking... "This doesn't compute." This isn't how the advertising said it would be. There were many touch points that didn't match the advertising. Overall, we were treated well. But there were clear mismatches between our expectations (set by advertising) and what we received. Tip for the day. Help team members focus on why they are there will help them emotionally-own the Medical Customer Experience. 
And isn't that the point of birth centers - to make the welcoming of a baby as positive an experience as possible? Hospitals have spent a great amount to create this physical environment. What's missing? The emotional-connection. Any organization can change the appearance of the room - but changing the emotional-engagement felt - now that's a real challenge.
It's not about the beds, bed pans, doctors, nurses, laboratory, cribs, hospital gowns, etc... It's about helping people feel better. And helping people feel better emotionally is the most critical piece. Exercise - do this during your next team meeting. Ask - "What do you think our Patients are feeling as they come into our facility?" Give your team 5-10 minutes to come up with several one or two-word answers. Put their responses on a marker board or sheet of paper. Next - ask them - "What do we want our Patients to feel?" Have them write down their ideas over another 5-10 minutes. Again - put the answers up for all to see. Last - ask them - "What can we do to help our Patients feel the way we want them to feel?" Close the discussion with the following question... "Can we ask ourselves - Did I make a difference emotionally today?" That's the kicker. Need an article as a thought-provoker? Check out http://rmg.typepad.com/daymaking/2006/09/the_opposite_of.html. This is a huge opportunity... I know you are busy. We are all busy. Sometimes we get so caught up in being busy that we are busy being busy as we run past those that we are on this earth to serve. It's time to stop telling ourselves this story of busy-ness and tell ourselves that those we touch in this world are there on purpose and they deserve our love. And if your team members say, "I don't know what you are talking about...", then send them to your competitor. What you do matters.
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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