Medesthetics

MAY-JUN 2016

MedEsthetics—business education for medical practitioners—provides the latest noninvasive cosmetic procedures, treatment trends, product and equipment reviews, legal issues and medical aesthetics industry news.

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BUSINESS CONSULT 16 MAY/JUNE 2016 | Med Esthetics than non-customer-centric leaders? First, they use very specifi c language. For example, when a front desk receptionist requests to leave an hour early to run errands, instead of saying, "Your shift ends at 5:30 p.m., and it's your responsibil- ity to be here until that time," a CCL would say, "Many of our patients reach out to us at the end of their work day, and without the proper desk coverage we won't be able to provide the same level of customer service." In addition, a CCL needs to coach and mentor every employee to help them embrace the mindset of customer centricity. If you see or hear an employee acting in a customer- centric manner, immediately point out that moment of success: "Jane, it was great the way in which you checked with Dr. Smith to see if she would stay later to accommo- date our patient." The second strategy for implementing a customer- focused culture is training. A CCL needs to show, not just tell, their team what excellent customer service looks like. Script each key interaction (telephone, greeting, providing directions to the waiting area, etc.) that your team has with your patients. Then, hold a team meeting where everyone takes part in role-playing the scripts. Ask for recommenda- tions and keep your staff focused on the end goal of creat- ing a more customer-centric organization. After this training session, implement a fun incentive pro- gram to reinforce the objectives of the training. Each time you catch someone being customer-centric, hand them an incentive. This could be a $1 bill (make sure you keep a stash in your pocket) or a $5 gift card to Starbucks—anything that you feel will be fun and provide incentive. If you really want to get creative, develop a system to track customer service. Create a checklist of protocols that must be adhered to for each patient at the end of their visit. This list should include items such as: recommend home care, book next appointment, confi rm best time for a follow-up call, etc. Then, enter a service into your POS system called "happiness," for example. If the team is able to completely check all items on the list upon checkout, then ring up happiness on the patient's ticket. This can then be tracked through your POS system. The third strategy to implement is integration into your overall practice management protocols. View every business decision based upon the customer: hours of operation, quality of care, accounting practices and principles, phone system, staffi ng levels, equipment purchases, facility manage- ment and so on. Each time you make a business decision, ask yourself and your team this question: "With this decision will customer service improve, remain the same or be reduced?" Based upon the answer to the question, you will have your decision. For example: • When deciding upon the hours of operation for your medspa or aesthetic practice, think in terms of what is convenient for your patients rather than what works best for you. If early evenings or weekends are better for most patients, then you should be open to adjusting your hours to accommodate them. • If your accounting practices result in a lengthy check- out, identify ways to simplify the process. Either gather more information upon check-in or at the time the appointment is booked. If needed, make a POS change to a more effi cient system. • Many practices control their overhead by minimizing front desk staffi ng. Although you may think you are saving money, in the long run you are stepping over dollars to pick up dimes. Telephone calls that go unanswered, long waits on hold, slow check-in/out processes and overworked, stressed out front desk staff all reduce your income and increase the likelihood of costly mistakes. • Pay attention to the small details within your facility, including the amenities within your restrooms, the cleanliness and maintenance of your carpets, and the upkeep of walls, doors and baseboards. Consider add- ing fresh fl owers and make sure your reception area and retail sections are neatly arranged with well-merchandised product displays. These small details speak volumes about how much you care. It isn't easy to become a customer-centric organization, but the most successful cosmetic practices and medspas understand the importance of this concept and will tell you that the cornerstone of their success is their focus on customer service and patient satisfaction. Francis Acunzo is the founder of REACH Beyond Marketing and Acara Partners, a business and marketing consultancy for medical cosmetic practices. Contact him at 203.488.0028, reachbeyondmarketing.com. © GETTY IMAGES Train staff to consider the customer experience and provide incentives to reward their efforts.

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