Is your organization going through some kind of major change? If so, what are the ramifications for your CUSTOMERS?

This may be a moment when you need to intentionally add resources and attention to being sure your customers get through the change with you.

I got to thinking about this the other day when I visted my usual Harris Teeter grocery store to buy about a dozen items. The store is in transition – they are enlarging the existing store by about 20%. And the store is staying open while they move entire sections from one side to another. Some areas are not well lit, and some of the floors are unfinished (raw concrete). Now, I can handle all that. But here’s the rub: I couldn’t find a number of the items I wanted to buy!

There were NO SIGNS hanging above the aisles. Worse, there were no store employees posted around the store to help me. And check-out took longer than normal (not sure why).

The net result was that I spent less than I would have, I’m dissatisfied, and I’m not going back – at least until I’m absolutely CERTAIN that the place is completely finished. I may even switch to a competitor.

True, I’m just one customer. But how many others are having the same experience?

So, if your organization is doing a major remodeling, or just making a significant shift to other things that “touch” your customers – like your phone system, billing system, etc. THINK long and hard about what disruption may mean for your customers – and take steps to OVER serve those customers, if you want to keep them.

Over the past two months, I’ve had the “privilege” of being a consumer of healthcare services, and let’s just say I’m underwhelmed. I’m left with the distinct impression that the two different urology specialists I saw are still living in the last century in terms of the total “customer experience” they provide to their patients.

Why? Let me illustrate -

Wait Time: F

With the specialist I’ll call “Dr. Adams,” I had to wait an average of 45 minutes in the waiting room past my scheduled appointment time, then another 15-20 minutes in the “little room” aka exam room. I went to see a second specialist whom I’ll call “Dr. Baxter,” and the length of time spent waiting was about the same, only worse. Worse because in that case I asked the receptionist how long th wait would be, and she said only about 20 minutes.

So, I’m left wondering – (1) Why can’t doctors function somewhat closer to schedule, (2) why can’t they call or text me ahead of time and tell me to come 15-30 minutes later if they are running late, and (3) why can’t the staff help manage my expectations by providing a more accurate answer when I ask about the waiting time?

Personal Communication by the Doctor: A

Both doctors were good at this. They sat down and made eye contact. They asked relevant questions and took notes. They conveyed medical information clearly and directly (as I would expect). They also asked if I had questions and answered with responses that sounded honest and were helpful. They laid out the alternatives and risks. I appreciated all of that.

Discharge Instructions: F

After a biopsy, which was done under general anesthesia, I was given no discharge instructions in writing and was only told verbally not to drive for the next few hours. There was no indication that there might be some unpleasant side effects or aftermath to the procedure, which, unfortunately, I had to find out on my own.

Follow-Up Communication: F

The doctor’s office where I went for my biopsy had me fill out a new sheet indicating whether I wanted follow-up phone calls made by their office to my business, home, or cell numbers, and whether or not they were permitted to leave a message on any of these numbers. Well, they must have lost the sheet. They did the opposite of what I requested!

Secondly, only some five days after my biopsy did someone from the doctor’s office call to say that I was supposed to get a prescription and start taking the meds right away! The person was gracious enough to say they would call in the prescription to a drug store of my choice, but asked me if I knew the number of the CVS pharmacy I mentioned!

Now, also consider the following:
– a waiting room that, in one case, was too cold and pretty sterile
– a check-in staffer who was not warm or welcoming
– websites that only provided the most minimal information about the quality of the doctors and their experience with my condition
– a bill that was larger than I expected (yes, I had asked a staff person about the costs since I’m paying for this out of my HSA)

Overall, I came away feeling disappointed and frustrated by the experience. I’m certainly not ready to recommend either of these well-respected physicians, and I may seek another one for future needs.

As a consumer, I’m left wondering: is there a urologist who “gets it” in terms of delivering the kind of 21st century customer experience I’m seeking?

I’ve long believed in the power of the checklist.

A checklist of “to do” items is a potent tool to help in managing my time, and for accomplishing the most important tasks I need to do in a given day while keeping an easy-reference “registery” of “yet-to-be-done” activities.

When I’m headed out on a long trip, I make up a checklist of what to pack increasing the odds that I end up with a shirt, slacks, and sweater that actually go together. And I’m always reassured when I see the pilot of my plane consulting his printed checklist, and marking off the pre-flight items just as he’s done (hopefully!) on hundreds of previous flights.

Now, there’s strong evidence that having checklist makes a difference in healthcare, too! A worldwide study recently reported in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine says that having – and following – a checklist can cut surgery deaths by 50% and complications by one-third!

The most dramatic gains occurred in developing countries, since many of the items on the checklist are common practice in U.S. hospitals — things like marking the spot for surgery with a bright magic marker, asking the patient their name and what they are in surgery for before administering anesthesia, counting the sponges before closing incisions, etc. All of us have heard horror stories about the occasional episode where the surgeon removes the wrong body part or leaves a small tool inside the body of a patient.

As one of the study authors, Dr. Alex Haynes of the Harvard Public School of Health, said: “Most of these things happen most of the time for most patients, but we need to make it so that all these things happen all the time for all patients, because each slip represents an opportunity for harm.” And in this new age of healthcare consumerism, these slips also represent a risk of reduced business. The proliferation of social networks and Internet data are a real and present danger for all healthcare organizations which I would think makes the checklist all that much more important.

Let’s face it – just because a doctor has done the same procedure many times before, there’s always a chance for a mess-up… they’re human. Once in a while, they may skip a critical step, or forget to do something that causes big problems downstream – is it possible that something as simple as a checklist could be the saving grace? – a critical point to consider as consumers make choices about which hospital and which doctor they will see based on quality data now readily available in our Information Age.

After years of “excess” consumption fueled by too much credit and never-ending rationalizations, we’ve finally hit the wall.

To me, it feels like pretty much the whole country is now on a diet. Given the amazingly-rapid decline of our national economy, we’re all pulling back, spending less, consuming less.

On the personal front: We’re eating out less. Spending less on Christmas gifts and parties this year. Reducing our travel. Buying fewer clothing items. Even holding off on some medical and health expenses.

And in the business world: Companies are cutting back on staff, travel, training, advertising, and maybe even some of that very valuable “marketing research.”

And while it has dampened our firm’s sales, to a limited degree, it has not diminished my spirits. I think this period of “American Dieting” is for the best.

It’s time for us–as a country, as citizens, and as businesses–to do a better job of living within our means. It’s a time to recognize that the stock market and home values can go rapidly down, as well as slowly up. It’s a sobering reminder that’s important to be saving for the future, not spending everything we take in, and then some. It’s time to get fit and trim.

Like a personal diet, our national “diet” will be truly effective if it leads us to adopt a healthier lifestyle and better habits, over the long-term. I’m hoping that it will…

Are your customers having experiences that enhance their perception of your brand, or is the opposite occurring?

I needed to get a new clip-on carrying case for my Blackberry. So, I stopped by my local Verizon Wireless store to see if I could just buy one and be down. No such luck! They carry some other brand, not an official Blackberry one, and the one they are offering does not have the hinged clip that has helped keep my PDA on my hip getting in and out of cars, etc. No thanks!

So, I went home and got online to order a replacement case directly from the Blackberry site – assuming this task would only take a moment. I found the correct model and proceeded to the “check-out.” I supplied all the necessary information, but wouldn’t you know – I got an error message saying I had failed to enter the type of credit card I was using. I went back and entered the info, pushed all the right buttons, and completed my purchase. What?! Same error message AGAIN! Tried a third time. Same result. Frustrated, I tried to call the Customer Support number shown on the screen and learned – via a recorded message – they close at 8 Eastern. Too late.

The next morning, I called from my office to explain my frustration over spending more than 20 minutes trying to complete what I thought should be a very simple task. I got “Kyle” on the phone, and he was pleasant enought. After hearing my story, he admitted that their software was having problems with certain web browsers. (Mine at home is Firefox which I thought was a pretty popular one!).

Kyle graciously took my order, then asked me about shipping. At that very moment, having heard my whole story, he had a chance to be a hero for his brand. But no. Instead, he wants to charge me the same $8 to ship the case to me, via regualr shipping. He could have (a) waived the shipping charge altogether, or (b) offered to upgrade the shipping and send it overnight for my $8 fee. But he did neither.

Being a person who is insanely curious (that’s my business, you know) – I asked him if he could do so. And what do you think he said? That’s right – “No, I don’t have the authority.” Hmmm…. I believe some hotel companies empower their maids to spend up to $2000 to address and solve a guest problem, and this poor guyy can’t even waive an $8 charge to make me feel a bit better?!

So, I’m left with a sour feeling about the brand called Blackberry… probably one of the most profitable companies in North America, but one that has offered me a poor online experience and a less-than-satisfying experience on the phone.

How’s that for “brand building” – in reverse!