Recently my dentist recommended that I see an orthodontist for a consultation. I learned a little about having my teeth straightened, and a lot about excellent customer service! I witnessed the absolutely brilliant care offered by this outstanding local business! If you own a business that offers a service to your clients, these six tips for providing excellent customer service may be helpful in expanding your client or customer base.
My dentist gave me two recommendations for orthodontists. The first one had a business card; the second one had a quarter page flyer with directions to the office and a website address where I could learn more about the doctor and his services. Which one do you think I chose? Hands down, the doctor had me. Without even needing to pick up the phone, I got all my questions answered in five minutes.
Dr. Gobeille's website offered helpful information answering all the questions a new patient may have, such as office location, costs, pictures of 'before' and 'after' treatments, length of treatments, photos of the doctor, staff and office, and an "about us" section that included the doctor's credentials. They also included information addressing patient concerns such as the sterilization of equipment, and fun photos that created a personal touch. They even offered a section where you can download the new patient information sheets, to save you time. When I read on their site that they have a commitment to seeing their patients within 10 minutes of their arrival, I was sold!
I called to make an appointment, and the office staff were friendly and helpful. They offered a free evaluation to see if their treatment would benefit me. A week before the appointment they sent me an information packet, designed with the same logo and colors as the website, that included new patent information sheets, a letter that spoke about the values that they run their business by, and also a DVD! The DVD was a lot of fun to watch; it was 10 minutes long and gave me an introduction to the office. It included patient testimonials and information about orthodontic treatment, and even showed some clips of the doctor at his ranch with his horses! I was impressed.
The night before my appointment, I almost fell out of my chair when the doctor himself called me! He asked if I had any questions, and said he was looking forward to meeting me. In all my five decades on the planet, a doctor has never called me personally to welcome me. :-) I guarantee if you are a practitioner or offer any kind of personal service or treatment to your clients, that a thoughtful gesture like this will not go unnoticed!
The day of the appointment arrived, and because the doctor and staff had done such a great job of preparing me, I was not nervous. The atmosphere at the office was professional and friendly, and they gave me a short tour of the office before taking photos of my teeth and beginning the evaluation. During a brief time when I needed to wait, I was shown a film about new developments in orthodontic treatment. In addition to the usual magazines in the waiting room, they offered tea, coffee, bottled water and cookies.
By the time the doctor came in to see me, I was completely relaxed. My evaluation was completed quickly and we discovered that, my teeth are not candidates for orthodontic treatment. I was genuinely disappointed that I would not have the opportunity to enjoy the care of this outstanding doctor and his staff!
Now how can your service business take a lesson from Dr. Gobeille's office? By providing thoughtful, outstanding care from the moment your client inquires about your service, and by anticipating their questions and needs, you will gain their trust, loyalty, and appreciation. Best of all, a happy client or customer will refer others, thereby expanding your business with no additional marketing costs on your part.
Six Tips for Excellent Customer Service
- Anticipate the needs of your clients or customers before they arrive. How are they feeling when they contact you? What are their concerns, questions, fears and desires?
- Map out ahead of time the exact sequence of steps your customer or clients goes through when they contact you, and think about how you can meet their needs and create a good experience for them.
- Address every one of your client's needs at every stage of their process through your service from beginning to end. This will communicate caring and build trust and confidence.
- Use tools and technology to communicate information as well as your values. Offer photos, video on your site or a DVD to create the personal touch. Don't be afraid to share warmth and be a real person.
- Freely share information, take the time to educate your clients about what they will experience and what they can expect through coming to your business.
- Create a warm, inviting, and comfortable office. This will benefit both your clients and staff, who will be more relaxed and also be more productive. Care for your clients and customers, offer them excellent customer service, and they will come back and bring their friends!
About the Author:
Tamara Esgoode is a business consultant, coach, and writer for http://www.HomeBizWomen.com which offers free training and mentoring for women in business, and features the latest womens home business news, information and assistance.
