April 2010

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The importance of 'touch points'

Critical interactions that impact patient loyalty and practice growth

By Bob Levoy

A “touch point” occurs every time a patient interacts with a member of your staff. It concerns not only what is said, but how it is said. The result can be favorable or unfavorable in terms of the impact it has on your practice.

The list of touch points varies with each practice, but some examples include:

• A patient’s first phone call to your office to inquire about services and fees and/or schedule an appointment;

• How long and under what circumstances patients are put “on hold” during phone calls;

• How patients are greeted when arriving at the office;

• How paperwork and new patient information forms are handled;

• How delays in seeing the doctor are dealt with — if at all;

• How home care instructions are given;

• How questions about insurance or other financial matters are handled;

• How the request for payment is made; and

• How follow-up collection calls if necessary, are handled.

Touch points provide opportunities to exhibit helpfulness, sensitivity, and a sense of friendliness or, conversely, the lack of these qualities. The warmth of a voice can speak volumes. Likewise, a cold, indifferent voice speaks louder than any words in a mission statement or on a practice's Web site.

Get the right people on board

Let’s start with the friendliness factor. An upbeat, friendly staff is a huge plus for any practice, especially in today’s high-volume, often impersonal healthcare environment. And it’s never an accident.

 Vincent Stabile, vice president of people at JetBlue Airways says, “We don’t train people to smile. We hire people who smile. I look at people and try to ascertain their default position. If their natural default is pleasant, courteous, smiling, that’s likely to be a person who will provide the customer service we want. If someone is unhappy or frowning, or has to put on a front to engage with people, that’s not going to be the right kind of person.”

Tested tip: Friendliness is usually easy to spot. One of the signs is the number of times a job applicant smiles during the interview.

It’s a team effort

Building patient loyalty involves everyone in

Not surprisingly, it starts at the top with you. You are ultimately responsible for creating a culture built on  kindness, courtesy,  friendliness, and respect for others — and where patient loyalty can flourish.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Action steps: On the agenda of upcoming staff meetings, include the subject of core values and how they should be incorporated during the touch points that occur in your practice.

Discuss past instances when the core values shined through and, more importantly, when they failed to and possibly caused a patient to defect. Reach a consensus on the ideal way to deal with each touch point. Then, review and reinforce the key points at future staff meetings — it will get everyone rowing in the same direction.

Some organizations famously understand this principle. Ritz-Carlton’s legendary mantra, “Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen,” is a simple encapsulation of its corporate core values. Disney has long referred to its park employees as “cast members” to ensure they understand they’re always on stage.

In his book, “A Brand New World,” Scott Bedbury posed this question to Starbuck’s chief coffee guru Dave Olsen. "What single thing," he asked, "was most important to Starbuck’s success? What was the brass ring? Was it the coffee? The store? The baristas working behind the counter?"

Olsen thought for a moment and answered, “Everything matters.”          

Bob Levoy’s newest book, 222 Secrets of Hiring, Managing, and Retaining Great Employees in Healthcare Practices, is published by Jones and Bartlett Publishers. He can be reached at b.levoy@att.net.

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