Building patient loyalty the easy way.

By: Kris Whitton, Account Executive, Legato Marketing & Communications

After spending 15 minutes in line at a coffee shop, I was greeted with a smile and a quick apology for the wait. Even though it seems like a simple thing, it had big impact on how I regarded the organization—thoughtful, caring about customers. The woman behind the counter  probably wasn’t making a lot of money; yet she still made the effort to ensure her customers were well taken care of. I’ll return to that coffee shop.

I’ve worked for companies in several different industries, and I’ve noticed one commonality: the simplest of gestures can result in customer loyalty. This realization (I hope) makes me better at my job as an account executive, a role that depends entirely on client satisfaction. In the healthcare industry this is especially important. After all, caring is their job.

There are few things more important than patient satisfaction to increase repeat patient visits. Sure, promoting sophisticated technology, physician expertise, and hospital capabilities are important. And patients do want to know their hospital has them. But if asked, patients will not talk about the new technology; they’ll tell others about well they were treated. Word of mouth has always been powerful, but in today’s world of social networking, news travels much quicker and more broadly, and has the power to make or break any relationship – whether it’s an ad agency/client relationship or a healthcare/patient relationship.

I have created the following guidelines for myself to ensure I’m keeping my clients happy. Perhaps you can use them or be inspired to create your own.

Make sure your customer realizes your value. You need to know if your patients understand the extent to which your hospital performs and exceeds their needs for each visit. If your ER has an average wait time of less than 30 minutes – tell your patients. Then be sure to make good on this promise. Nothing ruins credibility like offering something you can’t fulfill.

Think about how you can provide additional value and benefit to your customers.  Talk to hospital staff who have daily contact with patients. Being on the front lines, they have the best perspective of how patients feel about your organization. You might discover there is a healthcare need in the community you’ve not seen. Maybe there is a lack of nutritious meals in the community. You can make your hospital’s cafeteria the go-to destination for healthy meals in town, not just a snack during hospital visits. Find out what patients most often ask for, then be sure to have it available.

Reward loyalty. Often companies offer rewards to draw in first-time customers. But what about current, loyal customers? Reward them for their loyalty and they’ll spread the word about your organization’s thoughtfulness. For example, create preventive health campaigns and send out direct mail pieces specifically targeted to your current patient base. You can demonstrate your attention to your patients’ personal healthcare by sending reminders when it’s time for annual screenings or exams letting them know it’s time for their annual screening or exam, such as mammogram or cardiovascular test.

In the end, it doesn’t take much to show your patients you’re genuinely interested in their health and wellbeing. And it can go a long way in building loyal relationships.