PracticalDermatology

Sustainable excellence is achieved only by consistently delivering an extraordinary patient experience with impeccable service at every touch point. That can be a tall order, considering that the “experience” bar is set high by most aesthetic patients. However, it is a necessity for practices that want to enjoy an exceptional reputation and the success of consistently high conversion and retention rates.

Practices that recognize the importance of the patient experience generally pay strict attention to feedback in patient surveys and online reviews (e.g., Yelp, Real Patient Ratings). While this is helpful, it is even more important to stay ahead of negative feedback by consistently monitoring common problem areas. By doing so, practices can repair any glitches before unhappy patients feel the need to sound off in surveys and reviews. Here, we outline common trouble areas and provide basic solutions that can be implemented through provider education and staff training.

Common Trouble Areas

Avoiding or acting on the most common trouble areas upfront is a winning strategy. The trouble spots (and likely practice improvement areas) frequently identified in patient feedback include:

Patient expectations. An underlying reason why some practices receive negative feedback is because patients are not advised of the details (the who, what, where, when, and why) of an appointment before it begins. Visiting an aesthetic practice under these circumstances can be disorienting to patients and can lead to disengagement and a feeling of dissatisfaction. Train staff members to help patients understand what to expect in order to help avoid giving patients a negative perception. When patients are aware of each staff member and provider they will be seeing and understand exactly why they will see each one, they will feel more comfortable and satisfied with their experience.

Staff courtesy. Sixty-eight percent of customers who said they would not return to a business said the reason was a perceived staff discourtesy, according to the Bob Livingston book, “How You Do … What You Do: Create Service Excellence That Wins Clients for Life”. When asked for details, many responded that they felt indifference from one staff member during the visit. For aesthetic practices where the personal experience bar is especially high this means every touch point matters. Avoid losing the loyalty of a potential lifetime customer by ensuring all aesthetic team members are knowledgeable and trained to be consistently helpful, pleasant, and appropriately warm and friendly during each patient encounter. Additionally, hire employees who can gently manage an unhappy patient with poise and calm. Role-playing training methods can help.

Wait times. Long wait times can have a huge impact on practice success and are the source of many negative patient comments and reviews. Have an appropriate scheduling system in place to minimize wait times. Additionally, staff members should be trained to know how long each appointment should take based on the consultation or procedure needs of each patient. Many practices use scheduling software to maximize efficiency. When longer-than-normal wait times occur, be sure staff members regularly update patients on progress and offer courtesies like water, coffee, and reading material to make the patient feel at home.

Sales approach. An overly aggressive sales approach can result in a negative review or comment, so train staff members accordingly. This can be tricky because patients are often unaware of additional products and services that a practice offers that could benefit them. Patients come to the office to feel better about themselves and understand there will be a cost involved, yet nobody wants to feel cornered by a pushy “salesperson.” Have processes in place to appropriately help educate patients on additional products. One simple tool is the cosmetic interest questionnaire (CIQ), which allows patients to confidentially ask for further information.

Office décor and cleanliness. First impressions matter and a practice’s look and feel speak volumes. This is evidenced by common comments and reviews about practices having a messy, cluttered feel or outdated, drab décor. A clean, organized, and modern office sends the message that the practice pays attention to every detail. Contemporary décor and a comfortable, clutter-free environment allow patients to feel confident about their choice to join the practice. Remember, many patients are apprehensive about cosmetic procedures, especially patients who are new to the aesthetic world, and they make judgments about the experience they will have with the provider based on the environment in which the provider practices. The better the impression, the more likely a provider is to meet a happy patient.

Hours of operation. Inconvenient hours is another reason why patients may voice negative feedback. Offering convenient and varied hours for appointments is an important way to show patients that their needs are a top priority. Many patients work during normal business hours or have family responsibilities that prevent them from coming to a practice at certain times. Have a consistent schedule, but allow flexibility for patients by regularly offering evening or Saturday hours. This allows the accommodation of more potential patients in the schedule while further personalizing the patient experience.

Amount of time with provider. Patients can be vocal about their dissatisfaction when they feel rushed or minimized by shorter-than-expected provider visits. This is because many patients judge the level of practice commitment to their personal needs by the amount of quality time they spend with the provider. The visit with the provider should be informative and approached from the perspective of patient needs. Be prepared to spend an appropriate amount of time to address all of the patients’ needs as well as determine if there are further needs (e.g., by reviewing the patient’s CIQ). By showing value and personalized attention to each patient, the provider gives the impression of caring, which results in higher levels of patient satisfaction.

Product/procedure selection. Poor ratings and satisfaction survey results are common for practices that fail to offer products and procedures that meet the standards of a discerning patient population. Patients return to practices because of the overall experience they have from start to finish. That said, it is important to understand that even if a practice does everything right at every touch point, patients are not going to return if they end up with less-than-optimal outcomes. Cosmetic patients have high expectations and are often willing to pay more for a better overall experience that does not end when they walk out the door. Be sure the quality of products and procedures match the quality of the complete experience of your practice to maximize the patient experience and build a loyal patient base.

Ahead of the Game

Offering an impeccable patient experience at every touch point is what separates great practices from average practices. While listening and learning from patient reviews and surveys is critical for success, do not need to wait to read a negative survey comment or online review to take action. Get ahead of the game and begin working toward consistently providing that impeccable patient experience today by paying close attention to the common trouble areas outlined in this article. n

Matt Moskowitz is a management consultant with the Allergan Practice Consulting Group, of Allergan, Inc., Irvine, CA. Mr. Moskowitz consults with dermatology and plastic surgery practices in areas of financial analysis, practice valuations, human resource issues, internal and external marketing, leadership training and team building, sales training, compensation, and aesthetic practice development. He has more than 15 years of successful field-based sales, sales training, and sales management experience across the entire Western region of the United States. Prior to joining the Allergan Practice Consulting Group, he served as an area sales manager in the Eye Care Division of Allergan. He has participated in several corporate sales and marketing initiatives including building high-performing sales teams, training and development of new and existing salespeople, and strategic planning for product initiatives and market development.