Solo Practice Instructions?

This past week I had the misfortune to have a serpentine belt on my car disintegrate.  This belt is an inexpensive part, but connects and drives several systems within the car, and without it the car will not run.  Fortunately it happened just as I pulled into the driveway so it didn’t strand me on the roadside.  I knew it needed to be replaced, but hadn’t gotten to it.  I was lucky it happened where and when it did.

I called my son, Colin, and he assured me that it was something we could do together.  He came over on Saturday morning and we went to the parts store for the belt.  While there, he suggested that we replace the alternator belt and install new spark plugs while we were under the hood.  I was reluctant, but agreed to the additional repairs.

Colin knew I wasn’t comfortable with the repairs so he pulled up a step by step instruction sheet (for me), on the internet, that outlined exactly how to change the belts.  It was simple.  He proceeded to replace the belts and the plugs, and the car runs better than ever.  Later in the day, I couldn’t help but wonder how nice it would be if there was a step-by-step instruction sheet for managing and growing a solo practice.

Unfortunately, navigating a successful course for a solo practice isn’t as easy as 1-2-3.  Whether a medical doctor, dentist, chiropractor, optometrist, podiatrist, or attorney; no two solo practices are the same and no two professionals are the same.  There are many variables that have to be considered.  Location, personal strengths, motivators, skill set, and even the definition of success differentiates every solo practice in existence.

Fortunately, the instructions were exactly for my car, the parts store had a data base that identified exactly which parts I needed, and my son had the tools, knowledge, and confidence to successfully complete the job. As a solo practice owner, you need feedback, resources, and support that specifically focuses on identifying a successful course for your practice

The Practice to Business Report is a new source of feedback designed for the solo practice owner. This report provides an opportunity to participate in a short survey each month, receive results, and commentary designed to give useful information for realizing the success you work so hard for.

This resource is free and specifically for you, the solo practice owner.  Learn more about the Practice to Business Report.

It Never Happened

For years, the “results” of a study done with the graduating class of a certain Ivy League school has been circulating.  In the study, the success of the members was observed approximately twenty years after graduation.  Each member of the graduating class was evaluated and the study found those that set goals achieved significantly more than those that didn’t set goals.  The study went on to find that members of the graduating class (less than three percent) that wrote their goals down, far exceeded the graduates that just had goals but didn’t write them down.

You may have heard of the study.  I have, and I even used it in some presentations. The message is clear.  If you want to succeed, you must have goals and you must write them down.  Yes, goals are important and yes, writing goals down probably isn’t a bad idea, but there’s one big problem.  The study never happened.  It was probably made up by someone trying to emphasize the importance of setting goals.  The story takes a very simplistic approach to the solution for being successful by writing down your goals.

Stories like this do wonders for creating the myths of goal-setting and achievement.  The subject is far more complex, but fortunately there is research being done and there is dependable information to help us understand and make sense of the science of success.

Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D.  has just published her book, Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals. Halvorson is a social psychologist and member of the Board of Advisors for the Motivation Science Center, Columbia University Business School.  She draws from her research as well as the research of her colleagues to give us an understandable and sensible approach to setting goals, reaching our goals, and succeeding.

I would recommend you read the book, but until you can get your copy, here are some of the big take-aways for me:

Fundamental to the goal-setting process is knowing where you want to go.  Desires, dreams, and wishes are fine, but if you don’t know specifically where you want to go, you probably aren’t  setting a real goal.

All human beings seek relatedness, competence, and autonomy according to Edward Deci and Richard Ryan in their Self-Determination Theory.  When our goals are based on one or more of those three we are pursuing goals that can give us a lasting feeling of psychological well-being.

Goals that support becoming famous, seeking power over others or polishing your public image do not provide a sense of psychological well-being.

“Why” thinking gives us the bigger picture of our goals.  “Why” is the abstract that helps us understand the greater meaning of our behavior (goals). Losing weight will help me be healthy, feel better, and look better.

“What” thinking gives us the concrete specifics of our behavior (goals). To lose weight I will eliminate soft drinks and exercise 30 minutes each day.

Mental contrasting is the process of going back and forth between the “Why” and the “What” to more fully understand your goal, determine how committed you will be, and your likelihood of success.

You are more likely to reach your goal if you see it as difficult as opposed to a goal that you will easily reach.  When your goal is difficult, you are more realistic about the work and commitment that will be needed to attain the goal.

Will power is like a muscle.  It can become tired and temporarily less reliable, but like a muscle, it can be strengthened over time.

It’s important to believe you have the ability to reach your goal, but it’s also important that you believe you can get the ability you need to reach your goal.

When we focus on proving ourselves we are adopting a mindset of “being good.” 

When we focus on “getting better” we adapt to difficulties and select goals that help us to improve.  People that adopt a “getting better” mindset often turn in better performances.

In most cases, we are better served adopting a mindset of “getting better” instead of “being good.”  It suggests that we are trying to become the best as opposed to proving that we are the best.

These are just a few of the concepts that I have taken from the book and as you can see, effective goal-setting, goal success, and achievement can be a very personal experience that leads to internal motivation that is much more fulfilling and effective.

I’ve only been able to touch on some of the concepts in Halvorson’s book Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals.  I hope you will put this one on your reading list.   

What do you think?  Share your comments.

 

Success – What’s Your Definition ?

Do you think about success?  I recently listened to an interview with Dr. Henry Kissinger in which he was asked about his success in diplomacy and it clearly struck me that there are two distinct dimensions to success.

The first dimension is the seeking out or pursuit of success.  Anticipation, enthusiasm, confusion, need, planning, action, and motivation would all likely be dynamics in this perspective of success.

The second dimension is looking back on success.   Success has already happened and summons reflection, analysis, interpretation, and even celebration.  I’ve been thinking about success lately as it refers to my clients and my business.  The focus has been on the first dimension. 

If I were to ask you and ninety-nine other people to define success; what do you think I would hear?  Would the majority say that success is making a lot of money, or being financially independent?  Would the responses suggest that success is determined by life satisfaction or happiness?  Perhaps success is reaching the goals we have set for ourselves.  Maybe success is living a life of authenticity and honesty or serving others.  Some might say that success is being recognized by others for our accomplishments.

I hope that I would get a different and unique response from each person participating. It’s natural to dwell on the success that society and the environment we live in would offer up as the default definition, but we can do better.

Defining success gets complicated when we watch the carefully crafted advertisements on television or in magazines, scan the self-help section at the local book store, or even pay attention to the emails and pop-up ads on our computers that offer the easy answers for a more successful life.

We are carefully conditioned in so many ways to focus on the “how-to” of success without really defining the “what” and “why” of success.  If we don’t know what the best definition of success looks like for us personally and why it is the best success, then what is the likelihood that we will actually implement how-to’s that will help us navigate a purposeful path to our success?

 Success is personal

 It is not what we have been told or instructed to believe, but instead a vision of what is uniquely right for us as individuals.

Success is the achievement of the things in life we are passionate about

 Our passions help to define the why of our success.

 Success is easier when we use our strengths

 Research confirms that understanding and using our strengths enhances our ability to reach our goals.  It may be the only true shortcut.

 Success means moving forward

 When we have a clear picture of what our success looks like, we take the actions that move us toward that success.

 Success feels great

 When we understand what we want our success to be, we know why it is the right success, and we take purposeful action; the journey and the destination are fulfilling.

 What + Why + How To = Your Path to Success

What 

This is your definition of success.  The best way for me to define success is to vision in great detail about every aspect of where I want to be at a specific point in the future and write it down.  Detail is important and so is writing it down.  I want to be able to see it in my mind’s eye.  When I do, the subconscious accepts it as real.

Why

Motivation and meaning are critically important to your definition of success.  We all find meaning and motivation in different ways.  This is why nobody can define your success for you.

Does the Dalai Lama, Donald Trump, Lady Gaga, or Dr. Henry Kissinger find meaning and motivation the same way? Are you motivated by money, knowledge, service, power, or perhaps duty?

How To

I think the how to might possibly be the easiest step when we truly understand the what and the why of our success vision.  The how to part of the equation is the goal setting and action that moves us forward.  Doesn’t it seem counter-intuitive to set goals and take action when we really don’t know where we are going or why we are going there?

What + Why + How To = Your Path to Success

Have you taken time lately to think about your personal vision of success?  Can you define it, can you see it in your mind’s eye?  Are all three ingredients in place? Why not take a few minutes today and see if the success equation is working for you.

A Great Idea For Your Successful Practice

Good Ideas

Where do good ideas come from?  Are they inspired by curiosity about the success of our colleagues, companies from other industries, a connection of random pieces of information into a light bulb moment, or perhaps a revelation that hits us when we least expect it.  Maybe good ideas are inspired by new and relevant information that changes the way we look at our particular situation.   We all want ideas to help us develop and maintain a successful practice.

Curiosity is a character strength according to the VIA Character Strength Survey.  While all individuals have some measure of curiosity; if it is a signature strength, that curiosity will differ from most in terms of the frequency, intensity, and duration of exploration.  I’m happy to say that curiosity is one of my top signature strengths and I know now that it is and always has been an important part of who I am.

I’m curious about what you, the legal and health care professionals, are thinking about your practice.  I want to know what excites you, what frustrates you, what gives you hope, and what you desperately need help with so you can transition your practice into the successful fulfilling business you want.

Attorneys, Dentists, Physicians, Optometrists, Veterinarians, Chiropractors, Podiatrist, Physical Therapists, and other small and solo practice owners in the helping professions can learn from one another.  The question is how do we collect this information and share it?

Here’s how I’m going to put my curiosity to work for you.  Each month I’m going to distribute a survey that is going to be short and specific about a particular aspect of building a successful practice.  The following month, in my newsletter, I will share the results of that information so that you know what other professionals are doing in their practices.  Other than some demographic information, you can remain anonymous on the survey.

Would you be interested in knowing what your colleagues are saying about the best practices for marketing, team development, staff retention, promotions, and growth strategies?  Would it help to know the biggest obstacles and concerns that your colleagues are facing?  Would you like new and relevant information to help you create new ideas, strategies, and goals to build your successful practice?

In the spirit of full disclosure, yes this is also going to help me gather new information, develop new programs, and be more connected to my perfect clients which I hope you see as another benefit for you.

The beautiful thing about this idea is it doesn’t cost you anything, except maybe three minutes a month to answer the survey.  If you think this might be something that would empower you to realize your success, I would like to hear your comments below or just subscribe to my newsletter and be a part of this.

The Game Has Changed When It Comes To Marketing Your Professional Practice

It’s probably no secret to you that professional practices have been affected by the economy the last few years just like most small businesses. Regardless of whether you are a physician, optometrist, dentist, attorney, chiropractor, veterinarian, podiatrist, physical therapist, or any number of other specialties in the legal and health care professions, the game has changed when it comes to marketing your professional practice and you may be asking yourself questions and getting few answers.

I’ve recently had several conversations with a variety of professionals who were experiencing the same frustration in their practice.  A question that continues to come up is “how do I market my professional practice effectively,” which really means:

How do I reach more people?

This is where we struggle to identify the vehicle for reaching those people.  I’ve heard practice professionals talk about television screens in restaurant bathrooms, mini-billboards, brochures, expensive ads in magazines, and newspapers.  There has to be a better answer to marketing your professional practice.

How do I attract more clients or patients?

The discussion turns to market share and maybe even attracting  clients or patients  from other practices.

How do I keep the patients or clients that I currently have?

After-all, if I’m attracting new clientele from other practices, what’s to keep them from doing the same to me?  I have to keep my patients or clients satisfied; maybe I need to offer discounts or specials to keep them happy.

How can I create more profitable revenue in my practice?

This is kind of hard to do when I’m discounting services to keep my patients or clients happy.  Do I dare raise prices or expect to get paid fairly when I’m trying to grow my practice?

Maybe the questions need to be changed.  If we ask different questions and take a new perspective the answers to marketing your professional practice might be more helpful.

What kind of patients or clients do I want to work with?

If you advertise on a billboard or in a restaurant bathroom you don’t have much control over the few prospects you will attract so why not decide who you really want to work with.  You already have clients or patients that you  like working with.  Who are they?

How do I describe my perfect client or patient?

Again, make a list of the perfect clients or patients you already have and start a list of characteristics that will help you define the perfect client.

What do I offer that is special, unique, and appreciated by my perfect clients or patients?

I know there’s something unique and special about you.  What is it?  Maybe it’s a special skill, a strength that you take for granted, or a staff that is extraordinary.  I work with all of my clients on this question and we always find something unique and special that no one delivers quite like you do.

How do I communicate with potential perfect clients or patients?

First of all, they’re looking for you. All you have to do is let them know where you are.  How do you communicate with your current perfect clients or patients?  If you’re not sure, ask them.  Understand that your perfect clients or patients appreciate you and want you to be successful.

How can I generate more profitable revenue?

Once again, your perfect clients or patients appreciate you and what you provide to them.  They don’t come to you just because you offer specials or discounts, they have other reasons and they probably won’t be shy about referring other people to you.  One of the big issues in professional practices today is the increase of direct pay customers without insurance coverage.  If they are perfect clients or patients, they aren’t going to debate your prices and you will be high on their priority list to get paid.  Perfect customers appreciate you.

Are you ready to change the questions and find a new set of solutions to marketing your professional practice?

What Are Your Professional Strengths?

If a client or patient asks you what your professional strengths are, can you answer them? Do your clients or patients really care what your strengths are?  Are your professional strengths relevant to building a successful practice and growing your business?

How would you answer the question?

Sounds like a simple question, but how would you answer it? Depending on what body of research and which definition you used, your strengths could be defined in several different ways. They could be specific tasks that you do near perfectly most of the time or perhaps character strengths that are strong recurring ways of seeing, interpreting, and responding to the world around you.

How would you answer the question?

Your combination of professional strengths creates a synergy that is unique to you and manifests in a way that only you can deliver.  That combination is the way you most effectively deliver your gifts to your clients, patients, and others around you.

How would you answer the question?

Your professional strengths contribute to various fulfillments that constitute the good life, for you and those around you. We all have times of adversity, but our strengths lead us toward fulfillment that is more than momentary pleasure or happiness.

How would you answer the question?

Your professional strengths give you a sense of ownership and authenticity (this is the real me). They create a feeling of excitement while displaying them, a rapid learning curve when attached to specific themes, and continuous learning of new ways to use the strength.

How would you answer the question?

Your professional strengths create a sense of yearning to use them. You experience invigoration rather than exhaustion when you are using your strengths.

How would you answer the question?

When you display your strengths you will not diminish other people around you. All are winners when you honor and act in accordance with your strengths.

How would you answer the question?

Your ability to think, feel, and act in accordance with your unique strengths should not be taken for granted. As natural and common as you might think they are, the fact is a high percentage of people don’t have the ability to act on the unique blend of strengths that you have. 

How would you answer the question?

Identifying, exploring, and developing your professional strengths will create a whole new perspective on how you approach your practice, your business,  your life, and your clients or patients.  The ability to name,  describe, and use your strengths empowers you to tap into the best of who you are.

So, how would you answer the question?

Super Bowls,Professional Practices, and Ice Storms

I don’t know if this has anything to do with your professional practice, but since I normally write about topics that do impact the pursuit of a successful professional practice I thought it should be in the title.

Clearly this is Super Bowl Week and the Dallas/Fort Worth area is immersed in the hype, glamour, and even the criticism of one of the biggest sports spectacles held.  No question that this week has not gone as intended.

The week started off with an ice storm Monday night that left at least a two-inch coating of solid ice on everything. The temperature fell below twenty degrees and has struggled to get much above that mark.  And if that wasn’t bad enough, the area received at least six inches of snow on Thursday night and Friday morning adding a weather-related insult to injury.  Only today, Saturday, are we expected to get above freezing and finally get some thaw, hopefully in time to be more pleasant for the Super Bowl fans and the schools and businesses on Monday.

Ice

I’ve never seen so many schools and businesses closed for a minimum of three to four days. I’m close to a number of professional practices and they were closed also.  If the patients, clients, and employees can’t or won’t get out, there isn’t much reason for opening.

Snow

This has been a strange and rare week for the Dallas/Fort Worth area. We’ve all been focused on The Game, bad roads, cold temperatures, and all of the discomforts of the week, yet one experience stands out for me over and above all of the other.

On Tuesday I was out and decided to take a break and get some lunch, so I stopped at a fast food restaurant.  It was actually packed and after I placed my order, I found a table in the corner with a good view of the whole restaurant.

As I was waiting for my food, I noticed a man sitting on the other side by himself. His head was on the table and I quickly realized he was living on the streets.  All of his possessions were in a bag at his side, there was no food in front of him, and he was asleep in the warm restaurant.  What happened next was, at the very least, a warming experience.

Two employees came over to him. One had a tray with some lunch and the other had a drink for him.  They talked with him for a moment and then left him to eat his lunch.  I don’t know how long it had been since he ate, but the look on his face strongly suggested that he was hungry and the he deeply appreciated the lunch.

Perhaps the manager, the employees, or one of the customers provided the lunch, but someone did and I wasn’t the only one to notice. From my vantage point in the corner, I saw several people witness this act of kindness.  It was clear this anonymous act touched them as well.  I’m pretty sure that several of us left with a new sense of appreciation and focus on more important things than the weather.

There’s actually a reason for the response that several of us had in the restaurant. It’s called a mirror neuron response.  Mark Goulston, in his book Just Listen, talks about some remarkable cells in our brain that form the basis for human empathy.

He says, “That’s because they transport us into another person’s mind, briefly making us feel what the person is feeling.” “In a 2007 article titled “The Neurology of Self-Awareness” V.S. Ramachandran, a pioneer in mirror neuron research, commented, “I call these “empathy neurons,” or “Dalai Lama neurons,” for they are dissolving the barrier between self and others.”  Goulston goes on to say,”in short, these cells may prove to be one way nature causes us to care about other people.”

We respond to acts of kindness to us and around us just as others respond to us when we perform an act of kindness or extend unselfish attention to another, even when it’s cold and icy outside.

Well, I said this probably didn’t have anything to do with your professional practice, or does it?

Does Your Professional Practice Have This?

There’s something uplifting, encouraging, even motivating to see a person or group of people successfully complete a big goal and realize a dream.  Everyone loves a good story that reassures us that it could happen to us.  We’ve all had goals at one time or another and most of you probably have goals for your professional practice right now.  There is however a difference in our goals and clear intention.

I recently watched a TV show that had a wonderful story about a dream that did come true. The television show is Texas Country Reporter with Bob Phillips. I recorded it several months ago and just got to it.  Many of you won’t recognize the show, but it has been a staple on local TV in the Dallas/Fort Worth area since 1972.  No, that’s not a mistake. It’s been on for thirty-nine years.

The story was about John Vardiman, a physician in Beaumont, Texas. John is no stranger to owning a professional practice, but this story has a unique twist. About twenty-five years ago Bob Phillips interviewed and aired a story about his mission to build a 42 foot schooner in his backyard barn.  He was building the boat from scratch with his own hands.  He harvested and milled the lumber from East Texas forests and was doing everything himself.  He told Bob the one thing he didn’t need was a deadline, but he would call Bob and take him sailing when it was completed.

Twenty-five years later he called and said “Bob, I’m finished.” Bob drove to Beaumont and did another show about him and his boat.  They showed the process of moving the boat to the ship channel, lowering it into the water, and preparing the boat to sail.  Unfortunately they weren’t as close to the inaugural trip around the harbor as they thought.  John had an accident that crushed his foot while launching the boat. It took three months of rehab and a prosthetic, but finally, on a warm fall afternoon, they launched the boat.

John shared these words with Bob as they were sitting on the boat. “I’ve dreamed this dream in my head so many times it’s almost anti-climactic, because even though it didn’t always go as planned, it’s just as I envisioned in my dreams so many, many times.  It’s a dream come true – truly you just savor the moment.”

John’s schooner was not just a goal, it was a clear intention. His intention was to build and sail his boat in open water.  He visualized the day he would do that and it was so clear in his mind down to the smallest detail, that it became reality.  No, his goal was not to build a boat. His clear intention was to build a 42 foot Alden Schooner and sail it.  The goals were all of the small steps he took to make that intention reality.

John’s intention teaches us a valuable lesson. We need to have clear intentions that we can visualize and be committed to. Goals are the tools we use to help us realize our clear intentions.  Reaching your personal version of success in your professional practice requires goals, but first you need a clear intention to give those goals a target or purpose for being.

After watching this story, I reflected back on a number of work experiences I’ve had.  Over the years, I was privileged to work with and for some very successful people and each of them had clear intentions that kept them moving forward every day.   This is what I learned from them about clear intentions:

Your intention is important to you – Your intention comes from within and motivates you to do whatever you need to do to make it happen.  It isn’t always comfortable or fun; it’s just what needs to happen when it needs to happen.

Your intention is consistent with your values – You can’t maintain your focus and energy on your intention if it isn’t consistent with the values that help you navigate life.  Your values validate your intention.

Your clear intention requires your best - This means you have to understand your strengths and how you deliver the best of who you are.  You are unique and talented. Your best is exactly what’s needed to make your intention reality.

Your clear intention requires time and energy – If you aren’t willing to invest the time and the energy it probably isn’t a real intention for you – it’s just a wish.

Your clear intention needs to be reinforced - You reinforce your clear intention by visualizing regularly to the smallest detail how your intention will look, feel, taste, and sound when it becomes reality.  This is how you fight against the negativity and self-doubt that creeps into your thinking.  It’s impossible to think negatively when you are visualizing your intention as reality.  Your subconscious doesn’t know the difference and will believe what you feed it.

Your clear intention requires more than “try” – Your clear intention requires commitment for as long as it takes to make it reality. (John’s example shows us that)

You can have more than one clear intention - Your clear intentions mirror your purpose in life both professionally and personally.

The discussion of goals and goal setting has commanded more than its fair share of attention over the years. I’ve noticed that people actually get bored and sometimes even turned off at the thought of setting goals.  If you don’t have a clear intention to focus your goals on, it’s pretty difficult to stay committed to a goal.

Do you have clear intentions for your professional practice?

Dr. Wayne Dyer said it so well, “Our intention creates our reality.”

Are You Doing This to Grow Your Practice?

2010 is winding down and soon we will be counting the receipts and writing the post mortem for this year. How was your year?  Are you going to hit your targets for revenue, new patients, and profitability? In 2010,  did you grow your practice?

At best, this past year has been challenging. Clients now scrutinize their expenditures and are more reluctant to spend money.  On Black Friday, where were you on their priority list?  I thought so.  Whether you like it or not, you are competing with Target, Best Buy, shopping malls, restaurants, and travel agents.

Stand out from the crowd!

The chain distributors of professional services are furiously working to siphon off potential patients.There are new dentists, attorneys, veterinarians, optometrists, and chiropractors graduating every year from schools all over the country.  You feel stuck and the level of frustration continues to build as you look for the answers to carve out a share of your market and grow your practice.

As legal and health care professionals, just like small business owners, you struggle every day to grow your practice by differentiating yourself and your practice so that you stand out and have a fighting chance to attract and retain your clients.

The bad news is that there isn’t a quick fix, silver bullet, or magic pill that solves all of this by tomorrow. I know that there are self professed experts and gurus out there that claim to have the quick answer to grow your practice, but their promises don’t deliver.  It takes time and it takes work.

Now, how about some good news? You can begin to differentiate yourself and your practice so that you stand out.  You can move up on your patients’ priority lists, and you can attract new clients.  You are unique and special and the gifts you bring to your profession may have been forgotten in the frustration of the battle you fight every day.

A simple but powerful strategy for reconnecting with your uniqueness, the reason you are different from everyone else is the practice of:

Paying Attention to Your Success Stories

You know they are there, you’ve just forgotten to recognize them. You’re so busy fighting the battle of success that you don’t pay attention to the success stories that are responsible for you being who you are.

This may be difficult at first, we seem to have a bias against tooting our own horn, but we have to identify how we bring our uniqueness to our clients and we have to know how those patients experience that uniqueness so that we can duplicate it and use it for the good of our practice and our clients or patients.

Here are some tips for identifying your success stories:

Make a list of your favorite clients or patients – They are your favorites for a reason.

Have someone on your staff, or better still, someone outside of your office call and interview your favorite clients or patients.

Use scripted questions that will help your clients or patients talk about their experience with you and your staff.

Keep a journal of your success stories

Brainstorm with your staff where the success stories are – You may not see all of the success stories – let your staff help you with this.

Don’t take your success stories for granted.  They’re not as common as you think.

Continue to build your list of success stories – This is an ongoing strategy.

As your list of success stories grow, look for the common threads. Look for the magic moments where you or your staff created defining experiences for your clients or patients.  This is where you begin to focus and differentiate.  If it created magic moments for these clients, there are many more out there looking for that same experience.

As for competition, it doesn’t seem to be as important when you are focusing on your successes and tapping what is special about you.

What are your thoughts on this?  I would like to hear from you.

Building The Successful Practice: Is your customer service helping or hurting?

In the book Raving Fans, authors Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles tell a wonderful little story to emphasize the importance of customer service. I won’t give the story away, in case you haven’t read it, and I recommend you do, but clearly customer service is not a luxury, it’s mandatory.  Mandatory that is, if you want to build a successful practice or business.

Results of excellent customer service

Over the years I learned many valuable lessons in business. One of the most important of those lessons was the impact of making it easy for your customers/patients/clients to do business with you.  Sounds simple, but how many businesses have you spent money in lately that didn’t particularly make it easy for you?  Making it easy for your patients/clients to do business with you, to want to do business with you, is the foundation of customer service.  A successful practice, regardless of size, must understand customer service.

I have communicated with a large number of legal and health care practices and I am amazed at how poorly many of them communicate over the phone. Finding one that excels is special.  Let me give you an example.  I have been with the same dentist for about 20 years. She does a great job and I trust her (another topic for another day). There hasn’t been much turnover in the team members and the office is still in the same location.  What makes this successful practice so special?  Whenever I call the office, I feel special.  It’s that simple.

Regardless who answers the phone, they know me. Now maybe they don’t, but they sure treat me like they do.  They are genuinely glad to hear my voice and are eager to help me with whatever I call about.  It’s like they are saying “Of all the people that could call, I’m so glad it’s you.”

They also speak in a clear understandable voice. That sounds pretty unimportant, but have you ever talked to someone that spoke too softly, loudly, or so fast that the words run together and sound like gibberish?

And then, they get me an answer. If they don’t have the answer they find the answer and follow up promptly.  They make it so easy to call for whatever I need.  Building a successful practice starts with phone skills that give our patients/clients no reason to go anywhere else.

If improving your phone skills seems to be a bit nit-picky or too far down the priority list compared to other important tasks, consider that your team members are the face of your practice and communicate with far more people in a day than you do.  There are several areas of focus that can make it easy for your patients/clients to do business with you:

Listen carefully for the people’s names and the reason they are calling.

Use their name as you repeat back to them the reason for their call.  You honor them by using their name and letting them know that you are truly listening to what they are saying.  Listening, really hearing is a powerful communication strategy. On a more practical note, listening and repeating back what you heard saves time and makes you more effective.

Use the appropriate volume for effective communication.

Have you ever talked with someone on the phone and had to hold the phone away from your ear because they’re so loud, or had to ask them to repeat because you can barely hear what they are saying?  If you aren’t sure what the right volume for you is, ask a friend or someone in your office to give you some feedback.  This sounds simple and it is, but so important to good communication.

Speak clearly and at a pace where you are heard and understood.

I really have a problem with people practicing their auctioneer voice while trying to give me some important information, like a phone number, date, time, or address.  They probably don’t even know they are doing it.  If someone on your team has a tendency to talk this way, let them know and see if they can focus on speaking more clearly.

Find the right balance of enthusiasm and sincerity in your phone conversations.

Think back to some of the phone conversations you’ve had with other businesses.  Were the people lethargic, uninterested, and just there, or were they energetic, helpful, and appreciative of the opportunity to talk with you?  Critique your phone calls to understand what your patients/clients are hearing.

Follow Up to impress your patients/clients.

Your patient or client has called for a reason.  You want to give them the information they need, but sometimes that isn’t possible while on the call.  Let the customer know that you are going to get them an answer, let them know that you are going to follow up with them, and let them know when you will follow up – then do it.  Not only will you make it easier for your patients/clients to do business with you, your efforts will stand out.

One last thought on making it easier to do business with you. I know that the phone companies build in features for virtual directories and routing of calls, but can anyone truly say they would rather speak to a recording than a real person?

A real person answers the phone every time at my dentist’s office and that makes it easier for me to do business with her. I also feel like I’m appreciated.  That’s how I feel; how do you feel about it?  I would like to hear your comments.