REMEMBER...Customer Passion! Some Doctors DON'T! One poorly ineffective Saint Charles Doctor!

Hi there in today's previous post you read about "REMEMBER Customer Passion! Some Doctors got it!" (If you didn't get to read it you should).

Well this post is a continuation of that one but it's about a Doctor that doesn't got it!


Just the other day I received poor service from a Saint Charles Primary Care Physican. It was reminiscent of some poor service I've received from Doctor's in the medical industry before. Especially those connected with the HMO organization (and I could rant a good day about that whole industries poor understanding of the customer and who pays them to be in business). But it's the first time I experienced it here in the affluent community of Saint Charles, Illinois and that's just the beginning.

So if you're from Stc IL, I hope I don't burst your bubble because there's a Saint Charles Doctor that really needs to clean up his poor customer service mannerisms.

Let this blog serve as a wake up call for any people in private practice that have forgotten why they went into medicine in the first place. Ten years worth of under studying medicine should include a lot of wisdom on how to give great customer service. And I've spoken to many of organizations about providing great customer service if you need a speaker.

While I'm not into tearing down the reputations of Doctors because some of my best friends are Doctors I do believe this lesson will serve as a way for all Saint Charles Doctors to think about the client/employee relationship. Now if you want to improve customer relations in the Medical Industry in Saint Charles and really make it number one follow my A-D prescription below and you'll improve the unhealthy relationships that some doctors have with their customers and that's not all.

So here's the story...
And I'm going to cut to the chase. I go into the Doctors office and it's the first time I've seen this physcian. Of course you know I've completed all the miscellaneous paper work. Yeah that paper work that gives them your history and assures that you will pay if the insurance company doesn't.

I'm waiting for him to come into the room. He enters, sits down and ask me "
Why are you here?". Not a bad start but I always ask my customers "What can I do for you today?" It sounds more personal and it's very soothing to the customers ears. It immediately let's the customer know you're going to do something and it's going to be personally for them.

I explain my eye specialist has had a few meetings with me (at their approval and referral) and for some reason his office won't allow me to see the specialist again until I've seen my primary care physcian (who does not have the expertise to resolve my eye problems).

So he starts off by telling me if I want him as my doctor I need to stop in more regulary so we can build a relationship. But if I'm just coming in for him to be my "paper work guy" to fill out my paper work in order to give me a referral to see another doctor he's not into that kind of client patient relationship.

Problem #1

Poor choice of words on his part, poor approach. He's the Service Provider...I'm the customer, I'm the one paying for the service.


Solution #1

A.) Don't talk too much about how you perceive the customer/company relationship. Avoid telling the customer what kind of relationships you're not into. This comes across harsh and very unprofessional. The customer's not really concerned about your philosophy. They're concerned about whether you have the capability (= know how), the product and the skill sets necessary to take care of their problem. This leads to part B of your solution if you want to be a great service provider and an excellent Customer Passion Evangelist.

B.) The rule in Sales is

"Customers don't care how much you know until they know how much YOU CARE".

In every line of business we're in we're all "Knowledge Workers". Customers will never get to see if you have the knowledge if they feel you don't care about them. The million dollar question is... "Do you care about your customers?", If you do then act like it. If you're not sure then fake it till you make it. If you know for sure you don't like your customers then get out of the business you're in.

C.) Find out "What are the customer NEEDS"? Then fill it.

D.) Finally know your role in the business relationship and understand what your job title means. If you forget in the business relationship that the only reason for a business to be in business is to

"Take CARE of a Customer"

then you're in real trouble! Now if you understand what your job title means and your capable of providing the level of service your title says you should be able to execute then you're on your way...in this case his title was "Primary Care Physician" which translates in the Customer Passion Evangelist Dictionary to mean...

"the number One Physician that CARES".

He's got a great title but he's not in alignment with what his title is communicating. Now if you've got what I've just communicated then you've just increased your customers and your customer retention by 500% regardless of what industry you're in. Thanks for your time...(to be continued)

Your Servant,

Deremiah, *CPE

PS

*CPE = Creating Physician Extraordinaire's

REMEMBER...Customer Passion! Some Doctors got it! (part 1)

Hey do you remember a couple months back I talked about a "Customer Passionate" Dentist by the name of Dr. John C. Mason. Well he's still doing a great job and I'd hate for you to confuse the next blog with him. As a matter of fact I mentioned Dr. John C. Mason's rare customer passionate approach to customer service in the blog below...

1 Brutally Effective Kickbutt Dentist: Dr. John C. Mason of St. Charles He's "Customer Passionate"

Read It! If you get a chance.

Because I'm going to do a follow-up to this blog to talk about some of his other outstanding qualities. Hopefully he'll give me a personal interview so you can hear why his customers think his service is great!

You know he really stands out in the Saint Charles community among Doctors as a man of great character and more importantly wonderful office etiquette. No! AMAZING office etiquette and Compassion for his customers. If you're not in Illinois but can afford to fly in and meet him it's well worth the trip. Otherwise eat your heart out. The more I deal with Dr. Mason the more I realize how rare his office relations with his customers really are. If you're in Saint Charles and you don't get great denistry treatment come see Dr. Mason. If you don't get Great Service I'll treat you to lunch.

Well I'm just going to flip to the next blog so that you don't confuse today's blog with Dr. Mason. But please read the next one especially if you're a Doctor or a person who see's Doctor's.

Your Servant,

Deremiah

PS
Go read today's blog "One Poorly Ineffective Saint Charles Primary Care Physician" you'll cringe.

BEWARE!! Silent Customers

In New Years people make all kind of resolutions. Most of them are full of lies and half truths. So save yourself and your customer a new headache. Whatever you're willing to change this year just get on with it. Cut the procrastinating and go do it.

Go on! Don't wait...do it Now! Don't tell anybody...just do it!


While you're headed toward changing some things this year why not consider changing customers. You know the customers that aren't inviting their friends or family to your products. Just give them up! The ones that just seem like they won't tell anybody about what you do just need to move on. They need to go somewhere where somebody can make them happy or you need to do everything you can within your power to revamp how your customer see's your business.

You see there's only 2 types of customers in the world.

1.) The one's who need to move on
2.) The ones's who need to stay.

The one's who spend money on what you do or The ones's who like their money more than they like your product.

The one's who need to move on are the ones that won't tell anybody about what you do. Those are often the same one's that won't speak a word to anyone about your products or your service.

It seems the one's who need to stay are always letting everybody know about what you're doing annnnn-n-ddd the ones you hate just seem to never tell anyone.

Again, you see there are only 2 types of customers in your community.

1.) The one's with the "Big Mouth's" that tell everybody about how good you are or
2.) The one's with the "little mouth's" that won't tell anybody about how good you are.

You see it's not good when your customers aren't praising your terrific service. When they're not telling their friends about what you do. It's a crying shame. But if they aren't praising your terrific service maybe there's a reason why. By the way how is your service?

Could you use a few "Tell Everybody Customers"

...How about a few hundred of those?

I can hear you saying...yeah Deremiah, where do you order those Passionate Customers from anyway? You've been trying to get a few of those, haven't you?

Somebody asked me if they manufactured those kind of customers at the ---Customer Revival Service--- that's where the old dead beat customers are "Born Again" or somethin' like that.

No, you can't buy customers to tell lies about your service. You either got it honest or YOU DON'T "Got It"! Well don't worry about that...most companies don't got it.

They're so busy trying to cut budget and pinch pennies to show a profit that they don't have time to Serve a customer. Well it's time for you to stop the artificial profit statements and get on with really GREAT Customer Service.

By the way do you have any Servants? Now if you don't have any "Servants" just cancel the GREAT Customer Service you're hoping to find and you can just settle for the Silent Customer types. Seriously...I hope you don't have any "Silent Customers" because if you do here's the way it sounds when you've got "Silent Customers" buying your product.

(Silence)---------------------------------------------(Silence).


Did you hear that?

Cause I didn't...

but that's how it sounds when your customers are silent. Shhh! (it's like they don't exist).


But here's six Great ways to purge yourself of the "Silent Customer" types.

1.) Fire all "Silent Customers"

2.) Fire all employees that aren't Servant's

3.) Get rid of the rest of your "dead beat" staff members who aren't PASSIONATE about your product or service.

4.) Put a new Ad in your local paper saying

"We're Hiring" but ONLY SERVANTS need to apply.

5.) Recruit some Zealots that are
A.) Crazy about the Customer
B.) Crazy about your products
C.) Crazy about your Service

6.) If you can't get your customers exicited about the product consider getting out of the business.

Remember don't focus on resolutions BEWARE!! Silent Customers.


Is there anything else I can do for you?

Your Servant,

Deremiah, *CPE

Confessions of a Customer Passion Evangelist

Every now and then you've got to come clean. Put it all on the line.

Like a sinner at the altar, you know that G-d knows. So who yeah foolin? Yeah he saw you when you did it. So there's no sense in playin' games. Beatin' round the bush. Today's one of those day's. So will you listen closely? I know you're not G-d but try to act like it. And while I'm spillin' my soul please don't interrupt. Are you ready for this? Thanks for listening.

It's 3:09 pm and I'm sittin here in my chair in front of the computer. Thinking about all the times I forgot to really geniunely listen to my customers. You know with the kinda heart felt listening that's required when you're really paying attention. Can't you see the worst thing you can ever do in Sales (or any business where you've got customers that have the potential to purchase something new or additional) is forget how valuable listening to them really is. Well that's what I forgot to do.

I can't ever remember a customer yet that has been so impressed with what I value that they sign up and buy into what I'm selling immediately. Even the worst customer wants to feel valuable in the eyes of those who are trying to do business with them.

Simply put

"I've sinned!"

By failing to show my client I really cared.

All the customer wanted was a little love. But I must have been too busy thinking about what I needed. So neither one of us got anything out of the experience except for disappointing moment. Hopefully that'll be the last time that Happens. Has this ever happened to you? If it has just repent to your customer and never do it again. I've found most customers have forgiving hearts.

So I'm not going to be long on this post...as a matter of fact this is where it ends. That's all I needed to say...I just wanted to confess. I think I feel a little better now that I've got that off of my chest. Hi Mr. Customer! It's me your Customer Passion Evangelist, Deremiah, *CPE.

Is there anything else I can do for you?

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE

PS
True Confessions good for the soul.

THINKING Like Leonardo about Your Customers

Yeah I'm reading this great book by Michael J. Gelb. It's called "How to Think like Leonardo da Vinci. It's really good. So good that I'd like to share with you some principles from the book. Do you have a minute? So glad you do. Thanks for coming over today. Don't forget to stop by the fridge to get you something wonderful to drink before you read the rest. I'm drinking Mango Ice tea my favorite.

LEONARDO HAD MULTIPLE TALENTS & AMAZING OBJECTIVES...
To begin Leonardo was extremely multi-talented and amazingly objective. In this day and age managing your multiple intelligences is key to your success and especially with your customers. Why? Because your customers are coming from many different backgrounds, cultures, and hemispheres of the earth. Here's a good principle to remember...

"With external differences come internal differences".


BECOME A MAESTRO OF MANAGING DIFFERENCES...
We need to consider how to manage these differences from day to day. Many small business owners and major corporations have the same problem except for in the large corporation it's magnifide. The problem? mastering the ability to manage differences. This becomes crucial to the survival of any organization that's focused on building customer relationships. People from different backgrounds think differently about why they trade and do business.

FIND COMMON GROUND IN ORDER TO HAVE UNCOMMON CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIPS...
Most people lose site of finding the common ground with in their customer relationships and find it much easier to notice external differences. Leonardo saw these differences as an expression of the nature of a thing. The part that makes us unique. So be sensitive to these differences but let them lead you to the areas where you have common ground with your customers and clients. That's where you really want to begin establishing the foundation of your relationships. Managing your customer relationships towards finding common ground is the true North part that incompasses good feelings in an uncommon setting. The more you understand your customers differences and build your products and services around that...the more you will anchor the relationship and the more you will have common ground.


NO FOLLOWSHIP WITHOUT FELLOWSHIP...
If your customers are not following you around excited like Leonardo's apprentices (wondering what they're going to see you do next) then you're not creating enough excitement in the fellowship. Fellowshipping with your customers and clients should be exciting and is a great way of spending quality time with them. Often times people fail in the area of customer relationships by trying to get a customer to buy what they're selling. As if all the focus is on the products and services. But real Customer Passion Evangelist include the customer in the communication even when having dialogue about the product.

LEONARDO DIGS DEEPER AND ASK THE OBVIOUS QUESTION...WHY?
So why not find out why a customer is searching for what you have to offer? What really is at the root of why your customer is searching for a solution? When you take the time to find this out and dewell with the customer on the ideas that have lead them to you they will appreciate the relationship at a much deeper level. It's like feelings of love...the deeper they are the more wonderful we feel and the more connected we are in oneness. Your customer should feel the love and feel connected. When there's deep meaningful fellowship you naturally get followship and everybody wants their customers in a position of following them around like Leonardo's apprentices. Plus wouldn't you enjoy having dialogue with them in a more meaningful conversation that says I'm concerned about you? Sure you would. So think like Leonardo and you will have customers eating out of your hand and loving it.

Is there anything else I can do for you?

Your Servant,

Deremiah, *CPE

Protect your customers and improve customer relationships by changing your attitude filter every 12,000 smiles!

CHECK YOUR ATTITUDE FILTER...

Is your attitude filter past its intended life? If you're not sure you might want to get your annual check up before your attitude filter wears out. Yes, damaging attitudes have been known to enter into many of your Customer Relationships causing you to lose valuable friendships and strong geniune client relationships. This causes increased Customer wear and tear like nothing you've ever seen. But most people ignore this and tend not to wake up before it's too late.

Now most of your companies employees are unaware of the attitudes they possess when they're in the presence of their customers. Or maybe I should say they're just not aware of the attitudes that possess them. Often times we're controlled by our attitudes when our attitudes should be controlled by us.

DON'T GET *BAC GET CONTROL OF YOUR ATTITUDE FILTER...
Remember in order to be extremely successful we all need "Attitude Filters". And those filters can only hold a limited amount of *BAC...Bad Attitude Contaminants before they become so filled that there is potential for negative attitudes to seep through and bypass the filter seal on your mouth releasing poisonus words into the atmosphere. *BAC is an ancronym I've created that tells us exactly what happens when we have Bad Attitude Contaminants...our customers get *BAC (back), afraid of what's about to develop in the customer relationship. When this occurs contaminated attitudes can enter the heart of your relationship and cause severe damage. This is dangerous and becomese very important for you to get *BAC out of your life.

CHANGE YOUR FILTER EVERY 12,000 SMILES :-)
The ingestion of *BAC into your customer relationships occurs through their ears. When ingestion of negative attitudes happens there is scientific proof that the customers leave in droves without ever notifing the company. That's right they never come back. And all this occurs because you didn't change your attitude filter every 12,000 Smiles.

THE VALUE OF SMILES...YOU'VE GOT INFLUENCE...
The first indication you might notice when your attitude filter becomes clogged is a reduction in the use of facial muscles that cause you to smile. The human smile :-) is the first line of resistence against all negative attitudes. My mentor Brian Tracy says "your outer world is a reflection of your inner world". So when your smiles per hour decrease on the outside that's just a reflection. But that reflection is communicating something to the outside world that something with in you is down :-( and not working properly. But don't worry...this can be instantly corrected if you immediatley go to a mirror and cause your outer world to project what you want your inner world to reflect. Just smile at yourself. Yeah I know it sounds silly but smile anyway! For quicker and more longer lasting but more powerful results just smile at someone else. Again don't wait just do it.

If you began to immediately notice a decrease in your *SPH...Smiles Per Hour then doing what I told you above will increase and accelerate you back to rapid recovery. So if you're not smiling when you're with your customers "That's the first clue" that your negative attitude inhibitors aren't firing. The only way to overcome this decrease in performance is to boost your inner spirits. Additionally you need to remember your attitude filter restricts Relationship-Flow (this is the ability of your customers to flow smoothly in a relationship with you.)

DEVELOP YOUR "R-FLOW"...
Most people invest all of their time and energy into developing cash-flow. But the quickest way to increase ALL opportunity in your life including cash-flow and business opportunities is to develop your Relationship-Flow. Relationship-Flow is the newest wave of the mellinium. When your attitude filter is working properly you will see an increase and expansion in your relationship-flow. The number of customers you attract and increase on an annual basis will soon began to soar into the Thousands and eventually the Tens of Thousands. That is why the experts at *CPE recommend changing your attitude filter every 12,000 smiles. It just pays to do it!

Is there anything I can do for you?

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)

1 Brutally Effective Kickbutt Dentist: Dr. John C. Mason of St. Charles He's "Customer Passionate"

First off, for the next several months I'm going to be sharing with you secrets from my "Customer Passionate" series. This will include highlights and even real up close and personal interviews with experts ...women and men who are really "Customer Passionate" toward the client.

Dr. John C. Mason = "Customer Passionate"

Today we'll highlight none other than Dr. John C. Mason of St. Charles. He's an amazing Dentist who really reveres his customers and you can tell with every smile. While there are some Dr.'s in the dental and medical field who have great manners with their customers there are many who could definitely learn so much more from Dr. Mason. Dentist like him are very rare.

You see he has great patience and tenderness to go beyond normal expectations. You know the kind of experience you normally don't receive in the dentist chair. I know this first hand since I've seen him in action. And even when he works you can see the gentleness in the way he communicates with his patients.

You can tell that he loves his work.

All the way down to the way he handles procedures like giving shots and going over X-rays or problem areas. You never sense that he focuses on you as a dollar sign even though you know they'll be money exchanging at the end of the transaction. But I've also seen Dr. Mason work with his most financially challenged patients in a way that brings dignity and integrity to the process. In the end you walk away feeling endeared and respected. I could say so much more about Dr. Mason but you don't have all day so I'll let it end here. Thanks so much for the opportunity.

Your Servant,

Deremiah, *CPE

TARGET Misses the Bullseye but their Customer Got IT!

Have you ever been in search of batteries? Then all of a sudden you became overwhelmed. So many different types. So many different brands. I thought this is crazy. Don't get me wrong more is better! But more is also a lot MORE confusing. I learned from sales more choices doesn't always make your customer more happy to buy. Just the direct opposite. Most of the time it just creates more internal confussion. Has that been your experience too?

Well today as I was becoming even more confused over what batteries to choose. Should I buy Alkaline? Or should I buy Nickel batteries? Would the Lithium batteries be what I need? Or would the slick little, neat little, silver & green batteries that are rechargeable work better for me? Yeah those were the Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. I'd pay close to $3.00 more for the rechargeable battery kit with 4 batteries included. I'm thinking... would the 4 batteries be far more worth it to me than to buy batteries I'll end up throwing away?

As the many brands, types, colors and designs were swimming in my head as I squatted in the store crouched in front of the battery display case, a young teenager asked me "Are you finding everything okay?" I told him no! What's the difference between all these batteries and why should I choose the NMH batteries over the throw away Alkaline? He stood there explaining to me the differences and why he felt that my best choice would be the Lithium rechargeable batteries. Well after searching for another five minutes we did not find any! Only the NMH batteries were there.

Then he and I began to talk a whole bunch about computer related things when out of the blue a man walked up to him and said "were about to leave now". This older man was actually his father. Now I'm really blowed away because all the time a young kid has been taking care of me as if he were a TARGET clerk. He said I love the challenge of learning anything about technical information.

So the next time you're confused about your next purchase don't get frustrated or even thrown off guard. Just pray for a guardian angel in the form of a technically intellectual young kid who knows more about providing great customer service than the workers in the store. Well TARGET missed the bullseye today but their customer got it!

Coretta Scott King a real Customer Servant. A Real woman of Influence!

When I think of Coretta Scott King I think what a great woman! You see she devoted so much of her life to her husband, her children but at the same time she brought such wonderful new meaning to the word service. She was wise, patient and willing to serve the world. Besides that she was a Great Customer Servant.

What do I mean by that? I mean her devotion to others is more than self sacrificing...It was what every employee for every corporation should strive to maintain. The heart of her work rest in what all companies should reveal to every customer they have the power to influence. Great service is not hidden but like a beacon it pours forth across cultures and civilizations.

And Coretta Scott King was an amazing influencer. A wonderful light for other women and children but also for men. She was a lighthouse for corporations who have lost the passion to continously repeatedly provide consistent service. She will be greatly missed and I believe she was a real Customer Servant.

Simultaneously mastering the ability to be a great servant of the world and at the same time a great servant of hundereds of small communities everywhere. Mrs. Coretta Scott King gave up her own hopes and dreams to remain committed to the dream of a King.

Your Servant,

Deremiah, *CPE

Seth Godin serves Customers by repenting...What?

Seth Godin is a pretty interesting guy in that he serves his customers passionately even to the point of repenting. You heard me right. Great Customer Passion Evangelist do repent. His input on the state of marketing and his concepts at least from his blog are very interesting. I spent a few minutes reading a number of his post today and was quite impressed to find him admitting he was wrong about the "Windy City" (Chicago) not being so Windy (see January 11, 2006 Seth Godin . Well I was so glad to see him do a turn about with this remark.

THE WINDY CITY IS WINDY
Not only does he admit his error but he also linked you to the website that corrects the earlier position he took on his blog. I'm so glad he did because I know first hand that the Windy City is windy. First because I lived right off of Chicago's lake front community. For nearly a decade I racked up a large number of miles jogging on the lake and if you think Chicago isn't Windy you need to try this!

I'm not sure where Seth is from but I challenge him to come to Chicago and run off the lake for one year and he'll learn first hand why they named Chicago the Windy City. As children we even gave the invisible force of blazing wind a nick-name...we called it "The Hulk".

THE SIGN OF A GREAT CUSTOMER SERVANT IS Repentance...ADMITTING THEY'RE WRONG
Seth shows a wonderful character trait in how he admits to making this error about the Windy City. He very gracefully bows out, apologizes and creates another post.

The moral of this story is customers Love knowing you're human, you make mistakes but most of all you're so down to earth that you're willing to repent and move on. The quicker you admit you're wrong the quicker the customer will forgive you. I hope you have a great day!

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE