Issue 3 - March 2004

Light up your practice!
Give patients a total experience
By Marc Swerdlick, DC

You can’t help but notice the rapidly changing face of retail business. Consider, for example, oil change establishments, coffee shops and bookstores.

• Getting an oil change. Not too long ago, getting an oil change meant sitting in a dirty waiting area that offered burnt coffee and a limited selection of two-year-old magazines.

Today things are very different. Gourmet coffee, wireless internet access and large-screen televisions have replaced the burned coffee and dog-eared magazines.

• The new caffeine buzz. Even coffee isn’t just about ingesting caffeine anymore. Purchasing a cup of coffee is now a “flavorful” experience in an eclectic retail environment.

• Kicked-back bookstores. Bookstores have also gone through a similar metamorphosis. In the past, bookstores were small establishments with long, dark aisles. Often you asked the owner for help in finding the book you wanted; you bought it; and you went home to read.

When you head to a bookstore today, it’s a kick-back experience. Bookstores now include benches for perusing the titles, cafés, entertainment, music listening areas and armchairs for reading.

All of these examples share a common thread: Retailers have discovered that the secret to attracting new customers and keeping them goes far beyond discounted prices, gimmicks and coupons. Today, it’s more about the total customer experience.

We can learn from retailers. We can apply the same concept in our offices.

While the primary reason for the patient’s presence in your office is your care, you must realize that the total positive experience in your office is the catalyst for attracting new patients, improving retention and increasing referrals. Even if you’re the world’s greatest adjuster, you have to look beyond your chiropractic care and consider the patient’s perspective while in your practice.

A total experience

What is the total patient experience? A number of things:

• Physical environment. Is your office clean? Are your tables clean (including the spaces between the drops)? Do your picture frames match or do they look like a varied assortment of dated dust magnets? Is your carpet clean or is it soiled and worn?

How’s the lighting? Are you still using fluorescent lights or have you stepped up to the warmth of tungsten lighting or the benefits of full spectrum lighting?

And the air — is it fresh? Some people are sensitive to heavy perfumes and colognes as well as common air pollutants.

While the point here isn’t to convert your practice into a day spa, you must realize that your patients look at the whole picture.

• Your employees. It goes without saying that employees can make or break your practice. Are your employees truly pleasant? How’s their appearance? Is their apparel appropriate for your clinic? Is their clothing free of stains?

Perhaps you don’t consider these matters important. But how many times have you personally heard about other professionals who may be very good at what they do but are not able to attract or retain patients due to other existing factors, including personality. How many times have you heard about a restaurant that had great food but horrible service? Bad news travels much faster than good news.

• Personal hygiene. This brings us to another important but sensitive topic: personal hygiene.

While it may be difficult to control your patients’ personal habits, we have no excuse. A doctor’s (or employee’s) offensive odor and bad breath can quickly sour patient relationships. Because of the sensitivity of this subject, people are usually hesitant to say anything. Be proactive and stay on top of personal hygiene.

• Small amenities. Then, of course, there are the little amenities that can really make a big difference. Many offices offer bottled water (either individual bottles or from big 5-gallon hot/cold dispensers). Some offer a selection of herbal teas and juices.

• Extra services. The total experience also includes services offered in your clinic. If you’re a wellness-based practice, have you considered offering workshops on topics such as exercise and nutrition? Not only are these workshops a gesture of good will, they also stimulate nutritional supplement sales.

The presentation and layout of a grocery store doesn’t improve the quality of the products for sale. Neither do the design and amenities of a bookstore actually improve the quality of the books. But as a consumer, you are more likely to return to those retailers because the experience was memorable.

Look at your practice from your patients’ perspective. Will they have the memorable experience that will make them want to return?

A high correlation exists between attracting new patients, improving retention and increasing referrals, and a patient’s experience in your office. Your focus on these details will prove to be much more effective than high-pressure sales tactics and tacky giveaways. Improve your total patient experience and you will adjust your bottom line.

Dr. Marc Swerdlick has 20 years of education and experience in the areas of marketing and consumer psychology. He is the author of two marketing texts and the upcoming title Cash Practice Success and CEO of S Group, Inc, and is also the co-founder of a new chiropractic marketing resource, Structural Advantage, LLC (www.structuraladvantage.com). He can be reached at drmarc@structuraladvantage.com