May 1st, 2009 | 
Author: Little Things
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Little Things Mean a Lot and First Impressions Last - Get Off on the Right Foot With Your Clients
Cast your mind back to the last time you experienced what you considered to be excellent customer service. Think about it: what were the standout elements for you? Why?
Before you began reading this article, when was the last time you considered the fact that your paying clients are your customers. Or wondered what their customer experience is like when they come to see you? If you have not given this much thought, then it is time that you started, because when your clients have a good customer experience with you, they will tell others about it (yes, even if they have been to see you for therapy!), and quite simply, word-of-mouth recommendations are the most valuable promotional tools you could wish for.
The First Contact: Customer service starts from the very first contact your potential clients have with your service. When they phone your number, how are they greeted? If you are starting out and do not have a dedicated business line or mobile (yet, but soon, hopefully, yes?), is there a danger that they will get a casual "Hiya" from you, as you answer expecting to hear a friend or family member on the other end? You see the point of a dedicated line now, right?
Your client needs to be greeted professionally, with the name of your business or your title and name. If you have a receptionist or a call service answering on your behalf, they need to make sure that the caller is welcomed to your service properly and that their questions are handled empathetically and competently. Make sure, if it is not you answering the phone, that whoever does can take all the details required and leave the caller feeling heard, reassured and confident that their needs will be met through your service. Think about what training your frontline person needs and support them to ensure that they present you in the best possible professional light.
If you are not available to speak to a potential client when they call, or you pick up a message from them on your ansaphone or email, make every effort to respond to their message the day they left it (or at least within 24 hours). Think how you feel when you leave a message asking for someone to return your call -- you feel much more positive about a service if they call back quickly, don't you, so apply that thinking to your enquiries too.
Your Therapy Space: Whether or not you have your own therapy rooms, ask yourself how do the rooms you use represent your professionalism? If you were the client walking into your space, would you feel you were coming into a secure, caring environment, dedicated to ensuring that your (possibly fragile) mental health needs are going to be thoughtfully attended to.
Is the area clean and tidy? Is it well-lit and nicely decorated? What condition are the chairs in? Does it smell fresh? Are the magazines in the reception area torn and out of date? If the space is not your own (for example, if you are renting from someone and/or you share the reception area), are there suggestions you can make to bring it more towards how you would like it to look?
Finishing Touches: How else can you make the experience a positive one for your client? Little things make a difference.
- So, do you remember to turn your phone off during sessions, and if your phone does ring in the session, do you make sure you ignore it or turn it off? Remember, the client you are working with expects that they will be the focus of the session, so don't take calls unless they are absolutely essential. If I have occasionally forgotten to turn my phone off and it rings, I make a point of telling my client that I am there to work with them, and the caller will call back if they need to speak to me, but this is their time. They always appreciate this attentive service.
- Do you ask clients to complete and return assessment questionnaires? If so, make sure that you give them a prepaid or stamped envelope so that they can return them easily and without further costs to them.
- Could you offer drinks or install a water cooler for clients?
- Does the heating need attention, or the air conditioning in the summer?
All these things add up to relatively minor costs to you, but the little things can and do mean a lot to your clients/customers. First impressions are important, so do all you can to maximise the likelihood that your clients get the best first impression you can give them of you and your services; it will serve you and your business very well indeed.
Dr Colin Clerkin is a psychologist and coach in the UK. He expands some more on setting up a private therapy practice in a Special Report he has written, available through his website, http://www.mirrorcoaching.co.uk, where you can also access his newsletter "Building and Maintaining a Successful Private Practice." If you would like the opportunity to work with Colin to develop the ideas contained in this article further so that you can progress your practice more efficiently, don't hesitate to contact him directly through his Mirror Coaching website.
About the Author
What are the little things a fan should do when watching Australia World Cup qualifiers?
Tomorrow is the day where Australia lines up against Japan in MCG. As I am accompanying with a group of friends to watch the game, what song will fans be singing on that day? What kind of reaction might fans have if an Australian player has been harshly tackled?
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