| Customer retention involves more than
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| | service and be able to correct problems
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| delivering great service, it impacts the
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| | when they occur. Apologizing is part of
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| bottom line. According to an article in
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| | this recovery process. However, in order
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| MedServ Medical News,a new coalition of
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| | to retain customers, a company has to
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| patients, attorneys, doctors and hospital
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| | prove it can provide good service on a
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| administrators across the nation have
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| | regular basis, with mistakes being the
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| come up with an idea to keep liability
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| | exception rather than the standard
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| costs and medical errors down at the same
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| | operating procedure. Having to apologize
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| time. The idea is working so well that it
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| | too much is an indication that there are
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| is reducing the number of lawsuits.
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| | larger problems that need correcting.
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| What's their great idea? It is simply an
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| | You can actually increase customer
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| apology.
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| | loyalty even with angry customers. Here's
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| The group is called the Sorry Works!
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| | what to do when a customer complains:
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| Coalition. Its members describe the idea
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| | - Make no excuses while you are listening
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| like this:
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| | to a customer complaint. Hear them out
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| -Hospitals and physicians review every
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| | and accept that their perception of the
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| adverse incident.
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| | event is very real.
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| -Hospital administrators and physicians
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| | -Address each and every issue and concern
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| sit down with patients and families to
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| | raised by your customers. Don't ignore a
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| explain what happened.
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| | complaint because you don't think it's
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| -The hospital and doctor apologize if a
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| | important or you think the customer is
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| mistake was made and offer the patient or
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| | wrong.
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| family fair compensation if the
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| | -Don't make amends by just providing the
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| investigation finds that there was a
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| | original product or service. Exceed
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| medical error. They also explain how the
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| | customer expectations by offering them
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| problem will be corrected.
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| | more. Starbucks has a policy that if a
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| When it comes to medical errors, patients
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| | customer is dissatisfied with their
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| consider some circumstances more
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| | coffee or has to wait too long, they get
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| forgivable than others. According to a
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| | a certificate for a free drink on their
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| survey in the January issue of The
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| | next visit.
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| American Journal of Managed Care, here is
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| | -If your email or voicemail says you will
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| what 958 people had to say about how
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| | get back to your customer within 24
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| likely they were to forgive a physician
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| | hours, do it, or change your message.
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| under these circumstances:
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| | When you make a promise-keep it.
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| Physician was tired or distracted:
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| | -Don't try to save money by arguing with
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| -6% Would forgive
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| | a customer. You'll save the company
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| -27% Might forgive
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| | considerably more by focusing on keeping
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| -68% Would not forgive
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| | existing customers and building positive,
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| Physician wasn't thorough in the
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| | long-term relationships with them.
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| examination or in talking with the
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| | Customers are fragile. Let one drop and
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| patient:
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| | you break a profitable relationship.
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| -3% Would forgive
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| | Great customer service starts with you.
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| -22% Might forgive
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| | Don't preach it to others-live it. Do
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| -76% Would not forgive
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| | what it takes to get your customers to
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| Apologizing to customers for mistakes is
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| | want to continue doing business with your
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| important and necessary, but apologies
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| | company. Apologies are easy when you
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| are not free passes for providing bad
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| | recognize their lasting value to your
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| service. A business needs to recognize
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| | customer, your company and your job
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| when it does deliver poor customer
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| | stability.
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