First impressions; perceptions which, valid or not, we all make no matter how objective and fair we believe we are, any time we come into contact with a new organization or individual, no matter where that interaction occurs (by phone, internet, social media profile or in person).
Experts on the topic have suggested that a patient’s first impression is formed within the first seven seconds (incidentally, this is also about the length of time that you have to capture someone’s attention).
Seven seconds.
Not even enough time to say your name and the name of your business, let alone enough time to tell a prospective new client what it is that you can do to improve their appearance and well-being. And certainly not enough time to talk about the specialties and care provided in your practice. In fact,business etiquette expert Lydia Ramsey suggests that 93% of someone’s first impression of you or your business is based on non-verbal data anyway.
What it is that you or your staff say verbally (or which is stated on your website, brochure or business card) may be taken in, but it will be measured for accuracy, critically, against the first impressions and subsequent perceptions a patient forms in their mind about you and your business over time.
Reinforcing the point, a 2012 ClickFox customer loyalty survey revealed that the moment of first impression – the first impression formed about your practice by a new patient, or about you or a member of your team, or the first impression formed when someone lands on your website – those first impressions contribute more than any other factor named when it comes to patient loyalty.
More than how you deal with a customer service or patient billing error, more than moments before they even come into contact with your practice (such as when receiving a referral from a friend or viewing reviews about your practice online). Survey respondents said that the single most critical moment for potential customer loyalty was the first impression.
Given the brief period of time in which first impressions are made, and the critical tie between first impressions and patient loyalty, analyzing and strategically engineering the first impression a patient has with your practice is essential!
While many first impressions will be formed by your patients when calling to book an appointment or coming in for the first time, remember that there are other points of contact where a patient’s first impressions will be formed, and which will, therefore, contribute to how they feel about becoming a patient, remaining a loyal patient over time or referring friends and family to your practice. Other potential first points of patient contact include:
- Your website
- Your social media profiles
- Your email or print newsletter
- Your advertisements
- Business networking groups in which your business is represented
- Civic organizations in which your business is represented
- Other professionals in your general field who refer patients to your practice
Those points of contact (such as your business entrance, lobby and waiting area, reception, check in process, etc.) where you know the majority of patients will form first impressions about your practice (and, by extension, you and your team members) should receive special attention, analysis and strategic planning.
Some of the ways that you can assess the first impressions being made by your business include:
- Hiring a professional or even to ask a trusted friend or peer to ‘secret shop’ your practice and give you feedback on their experience.
- Asking staff to demonstrate and practice the scripts currently being used when patients call to book appointments or prospective clients call to ask questions about your practice, insurance, outcomes or other frequently asked questions.
- Surveying your own patients for areas of the patient experience which could be improved, or specifically (and routinely) surveying new patients relative to their first experience with your practice.
As you revitalize your patient’s first points of contacts, think about how you can strategically craft a patient’s experience in terms of the words and impressions that you want to leave. How do you want them to feel after interacting with you or your staff? How do you want them to feel while waiting for an appointment? How would you want them to describe their experience as your patient to their family and friends? The answers to these questions should guide the way you structure the initial points of contact a patient has with your practice.
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