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My wife had a medical procedure early in December. “Procedure” is one of those terms used in the medical field to distract you from the fact that somebody is going to slice into your body and mess around with your innards. Clearly, their terminology is more attractive than mine. The point is that it is possible to ease into the unpleasant, rather than bludgeon people into awareness. Lesson #1 is that how you say things matters. Lesson #2 is more important. Lesson #3 is key.
Following surgery there have been several follow up visits with the surgeon, as well as a late night plea to the doc on-call for help with the significant pain my wife was having. He jumped on it, advising of a change in protocol, phoned the 24 hour pharmacy with a prescription and called us back to confirm. Impressive service. Lesson #2 is about doing the little extras, like the confirming phone call. That kind of thing has huge value to those served and costs almost nothing to deliver.
At the conclusion of the next follow up visit with the primary doc I commented on the unusual level of service his office delivers, mentioning specifically the doc-on-call experience and the fact that we never have to cool heels in his waiting room (what a terrible concept – “waiting room”) for an appointment. We’re always ushered in on time. Likely, that’s not your experience when you visit your doc. Clearly, this medical practice is a well oiled machine and my wife’s doc had an interesting response to my comments.
He said that he had personally brought that doc-on-call guy into the practice, as well as nearly all the other docs. He had made sure that each of them understood his patients (for you, read: clients or customers), their concerns, expectations and the rest. He had schooled each of them to perform patient services in a way that exceeds expectations.
Okay, he was a bit self-effacing, too, saying that they don’t always hit the on-time mark for office appointments. They’re working on that.
The point for leaders is about the rigor of employee selection and training that must be applied in order to create the desired culture and thereby get the desired results. Successories posters are nice, but it’s all about what the leader actually does that counts. That’s Lesson #3.
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