Know thy Customer
Posted by Mike Ferris on Monday, July 07, 2008 and posted in Home Health Care SalesTake a walk in your customer’s shoes. What do they like? What are their needs? How do they view your agency and the services it provides? These are things that you must know in order to accurately target your message to your intended market. This is accomplished through several activities designed to keep in touch with your customer.
Research! Research! Research! How many potential patients does your referral source serve? What is the typical referral (e.g., illnesses, companionship needed, Alzheimer’s or dementia, chronic vs. acute)? Which other agencies do they send referrals to and why? What do we do great? What needs work?
Have a system in place to trap the compliments as they are received and include them in your overall evaluation. Look not only at who is complimenting the agency but also why. What is important to this person and what made a big enough impact to motivate them to take the time to let your agency know what a great job it did? These are important elements to consider as you are updating your customer profile.
Whatever you do, do research regularly and consistently and use the data to improve your marketing and customer service initiatives. The best time to ask someone for a referral is when they are pleased with your services. Ask for referrals in the course of your research. Include a return form with your satisfaction surveys that asks for three referrals. Make sure your investment in satisfaction surveying and quality improvement has a positive impact on your image, relationships with customers and marketing program.
Excerpted from 101 Home Care Promotional Strategies That Deliver Legendary Results Without Busting Your Budget by Michael Ferris.