Does Your Practice Wow?
Gerda Muller
Allied Health Private Practice Business Consultant. I help you build a Self-Running Practice, giving your more time and financial freedom, as you help more people in better and more effective ways.
I often speak to Practice Owners about how they can become THE psychological and or allied health provider of choice in their geographical area.
One of my first questions to them is: ......
"Tell me about your WOW Factor?"
Normally that is met with a quick counter question....
"What do you mean?"
What does this tell me???
It tells me that most allied health providers:
- - have no idea what a 'WOW factor' is
- - don't know how it could (and should) be used in private practice
- - don't think 'customer service' when they think about their clients
And when they finally come up with some suggestions regarding their WOW factor, I must admit I'm NOT WOWed AT ALL!!
Their attempt at listing WOW factors are really stuff that everyone does - nothing new - nothing different - i.e. no WOW.
Have YOU thought about your WOW?
Be different.
Stand out.
Be a positive experience to your clients - and referrers - despite the often painful emotional work that forms part of our work.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Senior Clinical Psychologist at the Centre for Human Potential Board of Psychology (Aus) Approved Clinical Supervisor
8 年Thanks Gerda! Very enlightening post for me!
Allied Health Private Practice Business Consultant. I help you build a Self-Running Practice, giving your more time and financial freedom, as you help more people in better and more effective ways.
8 年For me, I want my clients to walk in and 'fall' into a comfy chair (rather than the standard uncomfortable waiting room chairs); I want them to hear the sounds of soft, calming music playing; I want them to smell the soft scent of the candle burning in the corner; etc etc - it is really about making the experience of coming to therapy as pleasant as possible - what happens in the therapy room is hard enough. I want them to feel like they have found a space of calm the moment they walk into the practice. When all of these come together, it creates a WOW factor that provides an experience that makes you stand out - in an ethical way that you can be proud of.
Allied Health Private Practice Business Consultant. I help you build a Self-Running Practice, giving your more time and financial freedom, as you help more people in better and more effective ways.
8 年So if you are already looking after your client in terms of the therapeutic relationship and your clinical skills, how else can you add to their experience at your practice?? For example: #1) Offer free Wi-Fi to your clients whilst in the waiting room (we find parents are very appreciative of being able to do some work, whilst waiting for their kids to attend their counselling); #2) Offer a monthly Colouring-In Competition for the kids attending your practice with a small gift for the winner (chosen at random) at the end of the month; #3) Ensure your receptionist answers the phone within 4 rings; etc etc Another important strategy, is to really put yourself in your clients shoes when they enter the practice.
Allied Health Private Practice Business Consultant. I help you build a Self-Running Practice, giving your more time and financial freedom, as you help more people in better and more effective ways.
8 年Thanks for the comments everyone! Dr Jacqui Gore & Wee Hong Tan you are both so right. The relationship is absolutely THE most important thing. Having high quality clinical skills is of course also great. Thing is, I know lots and lots of helping professionals who are both great at engaging clients and building rapport; and they also have excellent clinical skills - getting that stuff right is almost a given (you really should not be allowed to register if you CAN'T tick those boxes - in my opinion). So if you and the other great clinicians practicing in your geographical area are great relationship buildings and highly skilled clinically... then how do you stand out? I'll post some ideas in the next comment (just for ease of reading).
Senior Clinical Psychologist at the Centre for Human Potential Board of Psychology (Aus) Approved Clinical Supervisor
8 年Hi Gerda, thanks for the post. How do we wow without being unethical and also coming across as gimicky. I agree with Dr Gore about the importance of the client relationship that is at the core of our work - how do we not compromise that when our clients become customers? Thanks!!