MedEsthetics magazines offers business education and in-depth coverage of the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures for physicians and practice managers working in the medical aesthetics industry.
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BUSINESS CONSULT 18 MARCH 2016 | Med Esthetics for your practice. These types of questionnaires are widely used in corporate recruiting and are completed online as part of the pre-application process. Skill tests are also valuable in weeding out applicants who do not have the minimum skills required for the open position. Develop a series of simple skill tests for each position in your practice, and keep in mind which skills are most important for each position. For example, not all applicants for technical or back-offi ce positions will have— or need—innate customer service skills. EMPLOYEE TRAINING Once you've hired your new employee, focus on training and retaining them. This will include providing the employee with a job description and practice proto- cols, and having them work with another team member for at least the fi rst week to learn their specifi c duties and the overall fl ow of the practice. In addition to learning their specifi c roles, all employees should receive customer service and sales training. Customer service is the sum total of everything your practice does to meet your patients' expectations and ensure satisfaction. It includes making sure patients are happy with how they were treated, the outcomes of the services they received, and the price and the "feel" of their experience with your practice. Creating a strong focus on customer service not only improves patient satisfaction and increases referrals, it also supports staff loyalty. Employees work harder when they are part of a responsible, compassionate medical team. You can achieve this by leading from the front, reiterating your commitment to the patient experience and answering all employee questions. Cosmetic practices must be able to convert inquiries to bookings and often depend on retail sales to support both patient outcomes and profi tability. Therefore, all employees need training in honest, high-integrity sales techniques to help patients fi nd the right procedures and products for their aesthetic concerns. Regular weekly, bi-weekly or monthly lunchtime training sessions are benefi cial, as are individual coaching and self-training exercises. There are several resources available to help you create a sales training program, including: • Local university business department • Manufacturer-supplied training • Department store cosmetic manager • Aesthetic consulting business These professionals will have the background to work with your staff to help them identify the patient's goals, educate the patient on new and exciting products and treatments, and differentiate your practice as their best option. You can get staff members more involved in improving your practice's customer service by periodically asking each member of your team to read a book on sales, marketing or customer relations, such as How to Swim With The Sharks Without Getting Eaten or Nordstrom's Way. Then ask them to share information they found helpful or interesting at your next team training lunch. EMPLOYEE RETENTION If you want to create a team environment that encourages best practices and supports each member's role in practice success, hold regular team meetings once or twice a month. At the meeting, invite team members to offer recommenda- tions, provide feedback and discuss levels of patient satisfaction or dissatisfaction they have noted. These meetings give each employee a stake in the team's overall success, as well as the success of the practice. These meetings should be informal affairs, such as catered lunches or after-hours wine and cheese get-togethers. And, like all team-building activities, these should be "on the clock." Hiring an outside team to mediate an annual staff retreat is another way to bring employees together and increase their job satisfaction. All employees, even those who love their jobs, want to grow in their careers. One way to increase employee reten- tion is to identify growth paths for each position. Depending upon the position, this may include covering the cost of train- ing for certifi cations to provide additional services, continuing education units, new software skills or regulatory training. You can highlight your commitment to career advancement by including advancement opportunities in each job description. Compensation is a signifi cant concern for employees. In addition to developing a competitive compensation package for each position, consider rewarding those who excel in their positions with production bonuses. Employees also appreciate managers who recognize their hard work. Positive recognition can come in the form of a bonus or a raise, but it can also come in form of a plaque commemorating the employee's success, a gift certifi cate to the employee's favorite restaurant or store, or even regular thank-yous and public recognition at staff meetings. By selecting the right employees, providing them with the tools and training they need to do their jobs well and consistently recognizing their contributions to your practice's success, you can build a dream team of motivated, engaged staff members who will make it their mission to grow your practice and provide fi rst-rate patient care. Cheryl Whitman is the CEO of aesthetic business consulting fi rm Beautiful Forever and author of Beautifully Profi table/Forever Profi table. Contact her at cheryl@beautifulforever.com.