Dos and don'ts for practice management: Customer-driven

Creating superior customer service

When patients come through the front door looking for treatment, a practice should remember that they are also customers. They deserve a level of customer service equal to the doctor's clinical standards. Every patient and potential patient is a customer. Every interaction, in any way, is an opportunity to make a favorable -- or negative -- impression.

Make patients feel special. Superior customer service is about developing relationships with patients to the point where they cannot imagine going to any other office. They are happy to refer their friends and neighbors to your practice. Remember, word-of-mouth advertising is the best kind of marketing.

Don't just be "nice." Customer service is much more than merely "being nice" to patients. It should be subject to the same stringent standards as any system, because superior customer service is absolutely essential to gain new patients, retain existing patients, and increase production. Assessing and improving customer service is a wise investment for any practice.