Customer Engagement

For most practices, ongoing client engagement is key to retaining them. Most practices have several different touch points with clients that can be utilized to increase their engagement. In a recent project for a small animal hospital in Michigan, we focused on three touch points to help in this area. First, we trained the staff on how to forward book clients before they left the exam room. We also added a call touch point to clients who had gone a year without a visit encouraging them to come in for their annual appointment. Finally, we added a quarterly mailer to clients whom we had not seen in 18 months with an incentive to come back for a check up. For each touch point we provided the processes, key metrics, and training needed to make them effective. We were able to double our forward booking rates through the project, and reengage 90 clients through the calls and mailer over the first year.

Performance Management System

Every practice has several Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that can be used to quickly see how different sections of the practice are performing. The power of KPIs comes when you identify the 6-12 key measures that can be reviewed on a monthly basis to see how new initiatives and changes in the market are effecting the business. In a recent project we set up a Performance Management System with 8 KPIs showing results over the last twelve months relating to areas like revenue, staff expenses, client activity, and appointment cancellations as graphs. Over the next few months we were able to watch the direction of the business and the impact of the projects we were implementing. This led us to continue some initiatives and adjust others to get the results we were looking for.

Customer Communication Channels

There are many ways to communicate to clients, and it is important for a practice to build multiple channels for communication. This allows the practice to reach its customers in ways the customers prefer. In a recent project we began building these channels so that we could use them to effectively reach clients. Part of this required spreading out the duties of maintaining the channels between several employees and setting up ongoing maintenance of the channels. We quickly put the infrastructure in place, and we can now communicate about monthly specials, or other important information, through social media, the website, signs, email, and employee interactions with ease.