Blog #2- Wild Card

The past couple of years, I have come to the realization that customer service within many of the place I visit has become terrible. When I first came to noticed how customer service had declined, I was hoping that it was a bad day with some of the employees that I was dealing with, but I realized this trend is spreading and something needs to be done. Bad customer service will make a business go down. Customers are not going to want to give a business their hard earned money when they feel the business customer service is not where it should be.

For example, when I go to a restaurant and the waiter/waitress is being rude I do not give them a generous tip in comparison to a waiter/waitress who is being friendly. Waiters/waitress are the "first impressions" customers get from the restaurant. Before the food is even served, there is in interaction between the waiter/waitress and customer. I am the type of person who hates terrible customer service and I will not continue to return to a restaurant when the customer service is bad.

I believe that customer service within any field has a large input on patient satisfaction, which also has an impact on the quality of service. The ability of the healthcare facility to provide "high quality, patient- centered care to their members and patients depends in part of their understanding of basic customer service principles, and their ability to integrate these principles into clinical settings." (Ransom)

The following principles should be adopted to help provide superior customer services: (Ransom)

1. Hire service-savvy people. Aptitude is everything; people can be taught technical
skills.

2. Establish high standards of customer service.

3. Help staff hear the voice the customer.

4. Remove barriers so staff can serve customers.

5. Design processes of care to reduce patient and family anxiety and thus increase satisfaction.

6. Help staff cope better in a stressful atmosphere.

7. Maintain a focus on service.

It is important for customer service within a healthcare organization to be superb. When customers feel like they were treated in a great way, they will return and this also allows for customers to refer others to the facility.

Sources:

Ransom, E. R., Joshi, M. S., Nash, D. B., & Ransom, S. B. (2008). The Healthcare Quality Book (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Health Administration Press.