30th July, 2008
Is the Customer Always Right?
Dr. Neil Gailmard (not pictured here) is an ECP practice management consultant and author of Optometric Management’s Tips of the Week. This week, Dr. Gailmard hits the nail on the head with his take on customer service and the ECP.
In my experience, this is where eye care practitioners (ECPs) just don’t get it. Most of us don’t think of ourselves as “retail” and we want nothing to do with the rules of good retail business. In fact, many ECPs try to distance themselves from any perception of retail by completely rejecting the mantra of the most successful retailers: let the customer win. By doing so, ECPs hope to teach the general public that they are health care professionals and the retail rules don’t apply. ECPs generally adopt an attitude that says the customer is not always right; we do things our way and you can take it or leave it.
The problem is that society is changing the rules fairly quickly and consumers today have little regard for the old standards. In my view, you can’t train the public; it’s simply too large and too powerful. Of course eye care is part of health care, but there are large differences among the various health care disciplines and we must accept eye care for what it is.
Adopting a customer is always right philosophy creates a practice culture that will guide your staff to the behavior you really want to see. The very difficult complaint cases that rise to the top and cause you stress are the ones that employees pay attention to and learn from. When you let the patient win, even when it’s clear that you didn’t have to, you send a valuable and positive message to your staff. Your action in such cases may make you feel like you were overly generous, but the resultant employee behavior, over time, will be excellent service and pleasant attitudes. Without occasional extreme examples of caring and giving from practice leadership, employees tend to be overly-protective of the practice and therefore too hard on patients.
The customer is always right culture results in extreme patient loyalty that will create great demand for products and services. Demand is the factor that is sorely missing in most practices. Oh, we get used to low demand and the ECP will likely rationalize the situation and say he or she doesn’t want a bigger practice, but great patient demand converts to great net income. It converts to higher fees, less dependence on vision plans, advanced equipment, better employees and a thriving optical. Patient demand is the key to the kind of practice you dream of owning.
Popularity: 9% [?]
Posted at 11:12 am | Comment (1)
17th July, 2008
Resistance is Futile?
On the heels of the announcement of their intention to assimilate acquire Satisloh, Essilor announces the assim acquisition of two more U.S labs; Oregon based Deschutes Optical and Alabama based Optimatrix. With recent VSP acquisitions/venture agreements with Tri-City, Ultra Lens, Perfect Optics, and Legends, make you wonder how many independent labs are left. Anyone keeping count?
Popularity: 12% [?]
Posted at 11:59 am | Comment (0)
4th July, 2008
How Not to Run Your Optical Practice
I drove an hour yesterday to have my eyes examined by an OMD for whom I have good deal of respect. The OMD has a well-decorated office with beautiful stone work, a 250 gallon tropical fish tank, an extremely courteous and knowledgeable staff, and a nice little dispensary that carries ProDesign and EyeDC among others; everything you might think necessary to deliver a “wow” experience.
In fact, I was delivered a “wow” experience. I was impressed with the technicians’ friendliness, knowledge, and professionalism. The fancy new autorefractor resulted in the quickest and probably most effective refraction I’d ever received. And of course, I always love a cool fish tank. Sadly, however, I walked out the office two hours later feeling disrespected. Before my appointment had ended it became clear my time and consequently, my value to the practice meant very little.
It began as soon as I walked in the door. I received no “hello”, no smile, not even a glance. I had been through the drill before, so I walked up and searched the counter for what appeared to be a sign-in sheet. I dutifully filled in my name and check-in time then sat down and began to wait. After awhile, I was called to fill out the requisite forms then directed to sit back down and wait some more. Typical.
Twenty minutes had passed before I began to think (as I often do in doctor’s office waiting rooms), “What is the point of having an appointment, if I am not going to be seen reasonably close to my appointment time?” Of course the answer is: the doctor’s time is more important than my own; the doctor is a “Doctor” and I am merely a patient not a customer. Customers aren’t made to wait, if they are, they usually just get up and leave.
So, an hour passed before I was finally called in for a refraction, perhaps the first I’d ever actually enjoyed. The tech had some fun with my son, who was amazed by this machine with its flashing lights, resembling something from his new favorite movie, Wall*E. Soon, however we were directed back to the waiting room to wait… again.
Fifteen minutes later I was called in to have my pressures checked and pupils dilated (never much fun), after which, of course, I knew I would have to wait… again.
Twenty minutes later, I was called in to see the Doc – a cordial and pleasant experience. Predictably, after the exam, I had to wait another 10 minutes for the privilege of paying the bill! Incredibly, in the two hours I spent in the office, I was never asked to look at frames.
Waiting in doctors’ offices is such common place it is usually expected as part of the routine. Fortunately, lowered expectations make it easier for willing practices to exceed expectations. Unfortunately, all the effort this practice staff and management had put into exceeding expectations only served to highlight the oversight. If only I had half the wait or had someone acknowledge my time, perhaps even <gasp>
Popularity: 15% [?]
Posted at 3:07 pm | Comment (0)
