patient satisfaction | Customer Service Solutions, Inc. - Page 5

The Secret Sauce for Great Customer Service - 3/26/24


I was working with the League Office for a major American sport several years back, and one of the executives asked me to describe our Secret Sauce that helped our clients improve the fan experience and customer retention.  I gave him a sense of what makes us unique and Read more

The Miracle of an Apology - 3/19/24


Unfortunate but true story… The manager basically lost his mind.  He terminated his employee on the spot.  She had told the customer that there was going to be a delay in the shipment.  The employee called up the customer ahead of time to let the customer know what was about Read more

It’s Not About the 5-Minute Wait - 3/12/24


Robert went into his supervisor’s office to update her on a situation at the payment desk.  Robert said that a customer was about fourth or fifth in line, waiting to be served, and the customer was complaining loudly about the wait.  He was there to make a property tax Read more

Lessons from the Greats - 3/5/24


I was recently facilitating a workshop on the customer experience, and I made the point that it’s usually beneficial to look at your personal life for great experiences; identify what really resonates with you in a positive way in order to uncover ideas to improve your own customer service. So, Read more

The Empathy Roadmap - 2/27/24


For some people, empathy comes naturally.  There’s an innate desire to learn about the other person and to sincerely convey that sense of interest and caring.  But for many of us, sometimes it helps to have a communication plan.  It helps to know what to do in order to Read more

“You’re the Boss” - 2/20/24


Terrence is excellent at what he does.  From a technical standpoint, he knows how to keep the facility clean.  He’s the lead custodian, and he knows that keeping things straight does not necessarily mean keeping things sanitary.  He knows what chemicals to use and not to use, how to Read more

Customer Understanding Leads to Relationship Growth - 2/13/24


We’ve worked with educational organizations at all grade levels over the years.  One special and unique characteristic about the staff who work in these organizations is that there’s a clear intent to know about the students as individuals, to focus on them rather than purely focusing on what’s delivered Read more

Define Customer Service Success Differently - 2/6/24


When I’m watching television, listening to the radio, or listening to a podcast, it’s always interesting when the topic moves to the question:  How can you be a success?  The speakers often discuss the process of becoming a success with the assumption that people believe success is defined by Read more

Care Enough to Give Them a Heads Up - 1/30/24


Nothing bad at all might happen.  Every day in the office could seem like every other day.  Sights and sounds and smells might continue to be the same.  But we have a lot of construction going on around our offices, and the building manager knows the type of work Read more

Be Better than AI Customer Service - 1/23/24


There was a recent CBS Sunday Morning Show story called: How artificial intelligence is revamping customer call centers. The journalist described how artificial intelligence is being used in customer service, and he noted the millions of pieces of information that can be processed in a matter of seconds. There are clear Read more

Making the Computer the Patient’s Friend

Posted on in Business Advice, Healthcare Please leave a comment

I had migraines – bad ones. It got to the point where I was taking aspirin almost daily, temporarily getting rid of the headache but also having painful effects on my stomach.

So my wife “encouraged” me to see a migraine specialist (or – as I put it – my headache doctor). And – over time – it worked; I haven’t taken an aspirin since that first visit 5-6 years ago, and my headaches rarely come back. But the reason I’m sharing this is that I read a study recently that reminded me of my headache doctor.

In 2012, the American Medical Association came out with a report on the use and impact of computers in exam room interactions between physicians and patients. The first time I ever had a physician appointment where a doctor utilized a computer in the room during my appointment was with my headache doctor. She used it to document notes, write prescriptions, review my history, and do many other tasks while I was with her – but it was never an issue. She used it well…

  • She positioned the computer where I could see what she was doing (so I didn’t have concerns about what she was documenting)
  • She didn’t complain about the computer (so there was no negativity added to the conversation)
  • She explained what she was doing (so I knew the reason she was documenting while I was present)
  • She was effective at navigating the application (so that the process didn’t delay treatment)
  • And she balanced her viewing of the computer with her eye contact with me as she typed (so I continued to feel important to her).

These are good lessons for anyone using the technology in front of the customer. The computer (or tablet or smart phone) doesn’t have to be a barrier to great customer service. It just needs to be used correctly.

Make the computer the patient’s friend.

Listen to our latest customer service podcast episode of “Stepping Up Service” on The MESH Network at http://themesh.tv/stepping-up-service/


Patient Satisfaction Issues? They’ve Got Your Back

Posted on in Business Advice, Healthcare Please leave a comment

Patient care is a huge driver of patient satisfaction in any healthcare business. The patient and family want you to alleviate their pain, address their malady, and fix their broken bones.

But what also drives patient satisfaction is what surrounds the patient care. It’s the person, the process, the facility, and communications. In the article 6 Ways Spine Surgery Centers Can Increase Patient Satisfaction, many of these types of factors are addressed. Here are their 6 key recommendations with our interpretations:

  • Communicate with patients throughout the process – Manage perceptions during those wait times; help to relieve anxiety through communication.
  • Pick the right support staff – It’s easier to train on a skill than on an attitude; make sure employees with great attitudes, organizational skills, and communication skills are the ones that are customer-facing.
  • Cater to caregivers – Realize the link between employee satisfaction and the experience those employees provide to their customers.
  • Follow up – Confirm satisfaction, identify issues, and expedite issue resolution.
  • Take feedback seriously – Use the feedback not just to address that one situation, but also use it to implement permanent solutions to recurring issues.
  • Only work with likeminded third parties – Realize that partners’ performance reflects on you; partner with those that share your customer service philosophy.

To satisfy the patient, create strategies that go well beyond the patient care.

Interested in improving your patient satisfaction? Check out: http://cssamerica.com/csshealth.htm


Patients Say “Call Me…Definitely”

Posted on in Business Advice, Healthcare Please leave a comment

Improve patient satisfaction by calling the patient after they’ve left. That’s the conclusion of a study referenced in Becker’s Hospital Review. Emergency Department patients noted an average satisfaction rating 8.3% higher if the E.D. physician called or e-mailed the patient after the visit, and the scores were actually higher for the e-mail follow-up!

Many people say that customer service is about the service you provide when the customer is right in front of you, when the transaction is occurring, in that “moment of truth.” But this study shows that you can create your own moments of truth. You can be proactive, reaching out to the customer, and engaging them after the visit or the sale or the encounter.

Remember that customers make their decisions to go back to your business, to call you and place an order, or to renew a contract with your business when they’re at home or work or somewhere other than your business. So by reaching out to the customer, you are impacting their opinion where they make their decision.

Don’t limit your perspective of customer service to focus purely on what to do while the patient’s with you.

Contact the patient after the visit to impact their satisfaction.

Listen to our latest podcast episode of “Stepping Up Service” on The MESH Network at http://themesh.tv/stepping-up-service/