30 I Spring 2018 www.anjc.info Legislative Update Chiro Assist TECHNIQUE Council Legal Q&A S C H O L ARSHIP WI N N E R S Creating a Customer Service Culture Let’s visualize your practice as a puzzle, and all the elements that make up your practice are the pieces. Your services are pieces of the puzzle, one piece for chiropractic, one for massage, one for rehabilitation… you get the picture. There are also pieces for your products, supplements, equipment, and so on. There are pieces for your competitive and fair pricing and financing. Finally, you have pieces for the qualified, talented, and pleasant staff and providers that you have hired to care for your patients. When all of these pieces come together, you have the picture of your practice. Now that we have the picture together, let’s look and see what makes your picture unique. What piece do you have that no one else has? The products, services and prices are not unique to your practice; other practices could always try to match you. Other practices have qualified, talented, and friendly people. What can make your picture truly standout and shine? The answer isn’t in the pieces. The answer is in the frame. If you frame your picture in an exceptional customer service culture, it encompasses every piece. This frame sets you apart. So, what can you do to create this amazing culture of customer service excellence? It’s not as easy as simply hiring nice people. Exceptional customer service needs to be included in every aspect of your daily practice. You must actively listen to the needs and concerns of your patients. People want to be heard, and they want to know that their individual interests and needs are a priority to you and your practice. When your patients feel appreciated and valued, they not only continue care, they refer others to your practice as well. I know it can be overwhelming as you try to meet all the individual needs of your patients, but I assure you, by following a process designed to engage people and encourage proactive communication and problem solving, you can accomplish this in your practice. No matter the circumstance or the practice, there are eight golden rules of customer service that apply. These rules are to be kept in mind through every interaction. Golden Rules of Customer Service: 1.  Greet every patient with a smile. (In person AND on the telephone!) 2.  Call each patient by his or her name. 3. Respond to patients with speed. 4. Respond to patients with accuracy. 5. Never say or think, “It’s not my job.” 6. Be a good listener. 7.  Identify and anticipate the needs of each patient. 8.  Treat each patient as you would want to be treated. The 5 Forbidden Phrases: There are five forbidden phrases that can completely derail exceptional customer service. Let’s look at the correct way to handle these situations, and what to say instead. 1.  Instead of saying: “I don’t know,” say: “That is a good question. Let me find out for you.” 2. Instead of saying: “I/We can’t do that,” be positive and say: “This is what I/we can do.” 3.  Instead of putting the responsibility on the patient by saying: “You’ll have to…,” take initiative and say: “I/We will…” 4. When asking a patient to wait, don’t say: “Just a second.” Give a more honest estimate of time. 5. Instead of saying: “No,” find a way to state the situation positively. So now that we’ve covered the basics of what to do and what not to do, let’s address a very important, everyday customer service interaction: answering the telephone. By Lori W. Allen