Reputation management is the practice of using information to shape people’s perceptions about a certain entity. As an ENT, that means using information, both online and offline, to ensure people have a positive outlook on your practice and you as a doctor.
One approach stands as a sure-fire way to nip in the bud any negative information that could affect your practice’s reputation: Customer care.
Customer care works at ensuring all patients that visit your ENT practice are satisfied with their experience and leave your office in good spirits. If they do happen to have a poor experience, customer care should be able to manage the situation and find an amicable resolution before the patient leaves the building.
Suppose your patients have to wait for lengthy periods of time to see you. This can rub some the wrong way, especially if they called in advance to book an appointment. Through customer care monitoring, you could identify this as something that’s damaging your reputation.
Technology can also reduce the inefficiencies in your practice and improves the overall patient experience.
For example, by using an automated scheduling tool, patients can be able to book appointments and know exactly what time they should come in to be seen. You can consult the system to know the time of your next appointment and plan accordingly. If something arises, you can send out alerts to patients and notify them of any changes. With such a system, patients wait time will be reduced.
Download Physician’s Guide to Reputation Management
Another area customer care can help your overall reputation is in managing feedback from patients. If patients do not have any easy way to provide feedback to you, they may end up venting their issues online. If (and when) they do so, you’ll find yourself having to respond and manage an issue that has been broadcast for everyone to see online.
To avoid this, let your patients know that you have provided an easy and accessible way for them to provide feedback to the practice, even anonymously. Once you do this, patients will be more inclined to send any negative feedback directly to you and not publish it on the web. But you must effectively respond to any concerns raised, or else your patients will head online to express themselves.
Establishing effective customer care practices is an effective and proactive to manage your reputation. It can help handle potentially sensitive issues before they get out of control.
Either way, great customer care boosts the reputation of your ENT practice in the eyes of your patients – and to those whom they recommend your services.
