“There hasn’t been a more important time for CEOs to be engaged in the healthcare supply chain than now. Balancing the need to be technologically advanced with the need to maintain solid financial footing means that leaders have to examine their supply chain as an integral part of system strategy. What I want to accomplish at the IDN Summit, and beyond, is to get the right kind of dialogue going with the right people."
Chuck Lauer Former Publisher Modern Healthcare
Join Chuck Lauer and four of the nation’s hospital leaders as they engage in a high impact, strategic discussion around current efforts regarding healthcare reform, the current state of healthcare delivery in the U.S. and future trends that will impact healthcare systems. Chuck’s CEO Forum will conclude the morning General Session at the 2010 Spring IDN Summit on April 21st. The Spring Summit will be held at the Walt Disney World Swan in Orlando, Florida on April 20-22. For more information concerning Chuck Lauer please visit www.chucklauer.com.
Wasps Nest
It doesn't happen often but when it does, attempting to get rid of a wasps nest in or on the outside of your home requires some thought and a certain amount of intestinal fortitude. Terry Mulligan, former head sales honcho at Baxter and now vice-chairman of MedAssets called to relate a great customer service story that occurred to he and his wife, Susan, a couple of weeks ago at their winter home in Florida.
The story goes like this, after discovering a wasps nest on the roof of their home both Terry and Susan tried to dislodge the nest but were not successful in doing so. That's when Susan called the local pest control company the Mulligan's had used over the years on other pests. Susan explained the problem to the lady answering the phone and was greeted with a rather terse reply from that person saying, “we don’t do wasps and nobody else does either.” When Susan told Terry what she had been told he decided to call another pest control company and asked them if they removed wasp nests? He was told by company X that they most certainly did remove wasp nests and that somebody would be out the next day at 10:30 am to remove the nest. He then called the company the Mulligan’s had been doing business with for some 13 years and asked to speak to the manager. That’s when things got interesting. Terry told the manager what the lady had said about his company not removing wasp nests and that Susan had been informed that no other company did either. He explained to the manager in most explicit terms that his company would lose their business not only because of the rudeness of the lady on the phone but the fact that she gave Mrs. Mulligan misinformation about other pest companies. Terry said the manager was most apologetic and said “I’ll be out to your place in five minutes to remove the wasp nest.” Within minutes Terry says the manager showed up dressed in a suit with shirt and tie as well as dress shoes and was up on the roof and removed the nest before ‘we even knew he was there’. Both Mulligans’ were very impressed.
After removing the nest, Terry and the manager spoke, “the guy’s attitude was terrific and he conducted himself in a very professional manner telling us how sorry he was we had initially been given the wrong information.” But the thing that impressed Terry the most was what the manager said as to why he came out so quickly. He told Terry he moved quickly because, “I did not want to lose your business.” Terry was so impressed with the attitude of the manager he called the owner of company to tell him the story. Not surprisingly the owner said they had over the years been given all kinds of kudos from customers about the manager's willingness to go the extra mile and make customers feel special. Mulligan assured the owner that because of the manager’s performance that in the future any time they needed pest control his company would continue to get the business.
We've all got stories about exceptional customer service, and, because so many of us are in sales we understand the importance of quality customer service. It starts right at the beginning of any customer contact. For instance, the Mulligan saga began with someone answering a customer phone call and not only being negative but also giving out incorrect information. It's what is called a ‘moment of truth.’ Actually, any contact with a customer is filled with moments of truth and if the customer is treated rudely or curtly it can cost the company the loss of an account. Unfortunately, even today when I call various service businesses the response I get is often less than satisfactory.
Frankly, until very recently, healthcare has been one industry which has not always embraced quality customer service practices. There are, however, some healthcare leaders who are doing something about quality customer service. These leaders have recognized the importance of treating patients well, making them feel wanted, treasured and valued. Customers (patients) whether in healthcare or in any business are what a business is all about and without customers, any business, whether for profit or non-for-profit, is destined for failure. It’s a lesson we should all keep in mind. Recognize also that most of the people who first greet a customer are many times way down the ladder in terms of their status in the corporate structure. They in turn, need to be treated exceptionally well by management so that when they talk to customers their morale is positive and they feel good about themselves and their organization they represent. Remember, always, how important your ‘moment of truth’ with a customer is and make sure everybody in your organization understands what’s at stake.
