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Is your practice consistently consistent?

Lately it seems the topic of customer experience has been on everyone’s mind.

This makes sense, considering the newfound influence of review sites, as well as industry evolution to what has basically become a level playing field in terms of technology, price and experience as points of differentiation.

The result has become a renewed focus on the importance of providing a superior customer experience as a way to make your practice stand out.

Now we couldn’t cover all the essentials of great customer service in a year’s worth of newsletters. So we’ll just talk about the most important one: CONSISTENCY.

How important is consistency in your practice? I like to use the analogy of fine dining. Think about your favorite restaurant. Why do you frequent the establishment? Is it a particular meal? Is it the service? Yes those things matter, but the real reason is because you trust in their ability to consistently deliver the same dining experience every time you walk through the door.

When you recommend this restaurant – to a friend, on Yelp – you’re doing so because you fully expect the next patron to experience the same exact level of service you received. That’s the foundation for their success – consistency.

Is your practice built for consistency?

Just as every patron will experience the same atmosphere, level of service and exquisitely prepared meal each time they enter the restaurant, the same should be expected from your patients.

The best practices control the customer experience from the very first point of contact – the first phone call, the first email, the first post, tweet or chat. They have software and documented protocol in place that makes their service repeatable. They have staff and vendors trained and prepared at every touch point, so that nothing falls through the cracks.

They have implemented a repeatable process, set to the highest standards.

There is a direct correlation between practices that tinker – the ones that change software, alter procedures, manipulate staff roles and responsibilities – and the ones that tread water.

Every practice is different, and contrary to the advice just given, some may need to invest in service, staff and support. But the point is this: understand how important consistency is, and work towards establishing yours. And once you find your groove, work just as hard, if not harder, to maintain it.

Part 2: In the next newsletter we’ll expand on the topics of consistency and customer service, and the analogy, as we take management cues from fine dining and apply them to experience management in your practice.