How can you use customer service to retain hospital clients?

The needs to be identified for 2 types, one for thr the prospects & other for the existing clients. It us important not to club the needs of prospects and existing clients. The needs of the prospects or future clients will depend on their dissatisfaction factor of their current hospital. The needs of existing clients are ever changing. the needs at the time when clients use hospital services for first few times are no longer the same at nth visit. Its important to keep track of ever changing needs. Plus existing clients are also aware about services of other /competitor hospital and are pro at weinghing the comparable services & benefits.

Create frequent WOW Moments of customers by your Service/ Smiles/ Behaviour/ courtsey/ Promptness/ Listening. Rememember Hospital customers need all above on priority.

Customer service exists within a complex ecosystem of client and supplier stakeholders. It is essential that you simplify the 'face to the customer' of your organization - one aligned plan and approach, shared intelligence/communication and planning (CRM as a key enabler here - make sure you use it properly) and seemless order to cash from prospecting through to negotiating, contracting and selling (including exception management). The hospital client is too busy to manage your complexity, so make sure your entire customer facing operation sings one song and sings it in unison!

The whole premise of gaining the new client is based on delivering promises- the advantage the client sees over dissatisfaction from the previous hospital services they used. "Under promise & over deliver' is the principle important in services. In other words: say what you do and then do what you say. At any point in time, falling short of promises dents the credibility and dissatisfied client is likely to cause more damage than other causes. Delivering promises should not be considered as anything extra-ordinary. Its simple professionalism which can retain the client for long time.

The most important factor for adding value is the attitude of "I care for you" displayed by client facing staff of the hospital. Although client pays for the services, the value is perceived by brand, quality of the services and client's experience. The staff needs to be trained and sensitized to add value in these terms.

Positive feedback is encouraging to all concerned , however its the lacunas & loopholes to be addressed on priority. Feedback mechanisms should be set in at all critical stages right from entry to exit points. All formats of feedback to be used, verbal, written, online methods without disturbing the sevices and ensure smooth running. Future strategies should be based on the periodic review of the feedback.

A large percentage of business comes from satisfied clients. Nurturing relations with the existing clients is the key for this. All methods to nurture relationship should be devised during the visit & post-visit that can develop bond and result in repeat visit and referrals.

Make customers "feel home" relaxed and comfortable. Creating an atmosphere where clients may feel pampered, prioritize comfort, add indoor plants, hang art and comfort areas and above all create more positivity showing appreciation.

In my experience we often over-estimate how data and technology savvy our hospital customers are. Their business is so complex it is a mistake to assume they fully understand it (or that they have all available data and insight on hand). Your ability to process data about their business and generate meaningful insight may be useful to the customer. Your organization may well have invested in better technologies, platforms and expertise than a state funded payer can afford - data and insight partnerships will be the biggest game changer over the next 10 years, and the ability to use this as a relationship and business lever will differentiate you from the competition.

The hospital should make sure to announce its code of conduct and encourage the safe environment where if any body does any mistake to come and announce it as it is people's life at stake, I never forgot the sign I have seen on one of the university hospitals in nurses treatment room telling the nurses if you make any mistake please imform and you are safe, I can not hide how much of safty that brougt to me as I felt I am in the hands of honest people and safe environment.