Saturday, August 05, 2006
Mixed Reception
Ultrasounds, X-Rays, pathology centres for blood tests - I've had more than a few experiences at reception and beyond in the last few months. And while the technical side of things has been fine, many of the experiences could have been far more pleasant with just a little more care and client focus.
I believe that the purpose of every service experience should be to have the customer feeling better about him or herself as a result of coming into contact with the service provider. If service providers approach each interaction in this way, it will be a far more rewarding experience for them and their customers.
Here is just one of my recent experiences.
3 weeks after my operation, I attended the hospital for an x-ray. The result would have a bearing on whether or not my specialist removed the catheter. So, it was a big day for me.
Gwen dropped me at the main entrance. While she parked the car I shuffled along the corridors to the x-ray section. On arrival at reception I had a real feeling of accomplishment as I'd just walked further than I'd done in three weeks. Yet at reception there was no welcoming smile, no acknowledgement of my achievement. I was a task to be processed. The experience was cold and uncaring....and I was feeling fragile and in need of every positive vibe that was aimed in my direction.
Gwen joined me in the waiting room and remarked on how miserable one of the staff at reception appeared to be. We noticed her colleague also seemed to be going through the motions as she 'processed' an elderly gentleman.
Suddenly, as a lady walked up to reception, we witnessed a dramatic transformation in both staff behind the counter. They smiled and came alive. This is more like it we thought. They are waking up, taking notice and going out of their way to make a positive impression. Then we realised, this lady wasn't a 'patient'. She was a colleague who had just come on shift.
These service providers were ready and willing to be friendly to their favoured colleagues and to purposely deny that warmth and friendship to the people needing it most, the patients.
A couple of minutes later an x-ray technician arrived wearing a big smile and asked me to come with him to the x-ray area. From there the experience improved as the nurse and technician were warm and caring. Such a pity that the staff at reception didn't follow their example.
# posted by Jurek Leon @ 2:25 pm 
Comments:
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Jurek
sounds like you have another customer right in front of you. Maybe your hospital needs a workshop or two!!!
Hope you are well on the road to recovery!
Elaine and Team
SCRAPBOOK DESIGNS ALBANY WA
sounds like you have another customer right in front of you. Maybe your hospital needs a workshop or two!!!
Hope you are well on the road to recovery!
Elaine and Team
SCRAPBOOK DESIGNS ALBANY WA
# posted by 
: 8:30 pm
: 8:30 pm
Great blog, Jurek.
We hope your recovery is a speedy one!
Best wishes,
The Australian Retailer Magazine team.
We hope your recovery is a speedy one!
Best wishes,
The Australian Retailer Magazine team.
# posted by : 8:24 am
: 8:24 am
Hi Jurek
Yes, great blog, and of course I hope your recovery is speedy and comprehensive.
Why is it that medical receptionists in general are so darned awful? I do wish that someone senior enough would notice and do something about it. There are perfectly good on-site training programs available to help them professionalise, or alternatively they simply should not be in that role.
Best wishes
Christine Sutherland
Yes, great blog, and of course I hope your recovery is speedy and comprehensive.
Why is it that medical receptionists in general are so darned awful? I do wish that someone senior enough would notice and do something about it. There are perfectly good on-site training programs available to help them professionalise, or alternatively they simply should not be in that role.
Best wishes
Christine Sutherland
# posted by : 10:25 am
: 10:25 am
Hi Christine,
Thanks for your comments and your kind wishes for my recovery.
I have found some medical receptionists to be wonderful. For example, at my busy little doctor's surgery where they are likely to get people coughing and sneezing and feeling generally miserable, they are consistently superb. Full of warmth and care yet still efficient and effective.
Yet at many, while I'm sure they work hard, they lack warmth and empathy and fail to connect with the people who matter, their customers. Maybe, its because they have been led to believe that the people who matter most are their bosses, the specialists or the hospital administrators. And this may be part of the problem. If it is, the bosses are the ones who need to attend the training programs first.
Another cause may be that they understand their function but not their purpose. Theo Gilbert-Jamison, a senior executive at the Ritz-Carlton hotel group, put it well when he said of hotel receptions, "The front-desk's purpose is not to check people in. That's its function. The purpose is to welcome the customer."
Below is a link to an article I wrote, 'The Teddy Bear Secret', that includes more of his wisdom.
http://www.terrifictrading.com/The_Teddy_Bear_Secret.html
Regards
Jurek Leon
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Thanks for your comments and your kind wishes for my recovery.
I have found some medical receptionists to be wonderful. For example, at my busy little doctor's surgery where they are likely to get people coughing and sneezing and feeling generally miserable, they are consistently superb. Full of warmth and care yet still efficient and effective.
Yet at many, while I'm sure they work hard, they lack warmth and empathy and fail to connect with the people who matter, their customers. Maybe, its because they have been led to believe that the people who matter most are their bosses, the specialists or the hospital administrators. And this may be part of the problem. If it is, the bosses are the ones who need to attend the training programs first.
Another cause may be that they understand their function but not their purpose. Theo Gilbert-Jamison, a senior executive at the Ritz-Carlton hotel group, put it well when he said of hotel receptions, "The front-desk's purpose is not to check people in. That's its function. The purpose is to welcome the customer."
Below is a link to an article I wrote, 'The Teddy Bear Secret', that includes more of his wisdom.
http://www.terrifictrading.com/The_Teddy_Bear_Secret.html
Regards
Jurek Leon
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