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42 Dental Tribune Middle East & Africa Edition | July-August 2015practice management PRINT DIGITAL EDUCATION EVENTS The DTI publishing group is composed of the world’s leading dental trade publishers that reach more than 650,000 dentists in more than 90 countries. The Ten Commandments of Customer Service By Ehab Heikal T he People aspect of busi- ness is really what it is all about. Rule #1: Think of customers as individuals. Once we think that way, we realize our business is our customer, not our product or services. Putting all the focus on the merchandise in the services our clinic offers, leaves out the most important component: each individual cus- tomer. Keeping those individual cus- tomers in mind, here are some easy customer service tips to keep them coming back! 1. Remember there is no way that the quality of customer service can exceed the quality of the people who provide it. Think you can get by paying the lowest wage, giving the fewest of benefits, doing the least training for your employees? It will show. Clinics don’t help customers... people do. 2. Realize that your people will treat your customer the way they are treated. Employees take their cue from manage- ment. Do you greet your em- ployees enthusiastically each day; are you polite in your deal- ings with them; do you try to ac- commodate their requests; do you listen to them when they speak? Consistent rude cus- tomer service is a reflection not as much on the employee as on management. 3. Do you know who your cus- tomers are? If a regular custom- er came in to your facility, would you recognize them? Could you call them by name? All of us like to feel important; calling some- one by name is a simple way to do it and lets them know you value them as customers. Few years back, I was the cus- tomer of a travel agent. I had been thinking about changing, to another nearer my home and with more benefits such as hav- ing an employee responsible for handling my required visas through different consulates. Was I contacted by the first trav- el agent and asked why I did not call for a while? (I travel at least twice a month). Did anyone tel- ephone me to find out why an established customer was no longer a customer or to tell me they missed me? No and No. My guess is they don’t even know they lost a long-time customer, and apparently wouldn’t care. 4. Do your customers know who you are? If they see you, would they recognize you? Could they call you by name? A visible management is an asset. At some clinics, the picture of the entire clinic team is placed near the reception stand or in the waiting area, in full view of the customers. The manager is easily accessible and there is no doubt about “who’s in charge here”. You have only to beckon to get a manager to talk with you. 5. For good customer service, go the extra mile. Include a thank-you note in a customer’s Rx or invoice; send a birthday card; clip the article when you see their name or photo in mag- azine or newspaper; write a con- gratulatory note when they get a promotion. There are all sorts of ways for you to keep in touch with your customers and bring them closer to you. 6. Are your customers greeted when they walk in the door or at least within 30-40 sec- onds upon entering? Is it pos- sible they could come in, look around, and sit down without ever having their presence ac- knowledged? Could it be that’s because Sam Walton (CEO, Wal- Mart) knew this simple but im- portant gesture is a matter of re- spect, of saying “we appreciate your coming in,” having nothing to do with the amount you pay? 7. Give customers the benefit of the doubt. Proving to him why he’s wrong and you’re right isn’t worth losing a customer over. You will never win an ar- gument with a customer, and you should never, ever put a cus- tomer in that position. 8. If a customer makes a re- quest for something special, do everything you can to say yes. The fact that a customer cared enough to ask is all you need to know in trying to accommodate him/her. It may be an exception from your customer service pol- icy, but (if it isn’t illegal) try to do it. Remember you are just mak- ing one exception for one cus- tomer, not making new policy. Mr. Marshall Field was right-on in his famous statement: “Give the lady what she wants.” 9. Are your customer service associates properly trained in how to handle a customer complaint or an irate person? Give them guidelines for what to say and do in every conceivable case. People on the frontline of a situation play the most criti- cal role in your customer’s ex- perience. Make sure they know what to do and say to make that customer’s experience a posi- tive, pleasant one. 10. Want to know what your customers think of your clinic? Ask them! Compose a “How’re We Doing?” card and leave it at the reception or waiting area, or include it in their Rx or invoice. Keep it short and simple. Ask things like: what it is they like; what they don’t like; what they would change; what you could do better; about their latest ex- perience there, etc. And if the customer has given their name and address, be sure to acknowl- edge receipt of the card. Remember that the big money isn’t as much in winning cus- tomers as in keeping custom- ers. Each individual customer’s perception of your company will determine how well you do this and that perception will depend on the level of customer service you provide.