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"It's
not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what's required." ~
Sir Winston Churchill |
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In This Issue:
Our Top Picks
LEGENDARY RESULTS: Managing Referrals & Increasing Admissions (Vol. 1 - Referral Management)
LEGENDARY RESULTS: Managing Referrals & Increasing Admissions (Vol. 2 - The Admissions Process)
Field Guide to Selling Hospice Services
Field Guide to Selling Home Care Services
Sit in on a class for FREE!
52 Week eSales Training Course
17 Proven Methods to Grow Referrals for Legendary Results in Home Care & Hospice (eBook)
Want More? Click Here
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Dear Friend,
March Madness is upon us! As you read this, there are 65 college
basketball teams who all share one dream -- cutting down the nets in Detroit on
April 6th as the new national champions. All have that chance, albeit some have
a better chance than others. They are all preparing for their next games,
watching game film and preparing their best strategies. Each team is faced with
one and done -- one more loss and they are eliminated from competition. Mike Ferris What Does
Customer Service Have to do with Sales and Marketing Anyway? It is our belief and contention that it has everything to do with marketing hospice. First, if you want to retain your clients, patients and referral sources you should make sure that your customer service delivery is not going to run them off. Next, if you want to convert your customers into evangelists for your agency, you will need to provide them with exceptional service. This is very true for all customers -- especially your own staff. Keep in mind the fact that happy customers are the only sources for testimonials. Finally, the quality of service provided will directly affect your reputation in the community and therefore will be a huge determinant in the effectiveness of your marketing efforts. (As a side note, for any that are thinking that they cannot afford to implement a strong customer service culture, you cannot afford not to! This includes both the agencies that either don't have the time, money or other resources to invest in customer service. Super service costs no more to deliver than adequate or poor service. And it can be shown that it is actually additive to financial performance.) Customer retention is a metric that should be monitored closely. Since customers include staff, patient, client, referral source, etc., then you will probably want to measure the retention within each category of customer as well. If you are not measuring the rates of turnover, then start today! Relationships are the key to strong marketing programs and one must agree that customer service has everything to do with relationship building and maintenance. From the way that your customer is treated on a regular basis, to the little things that are done to Wow them, to how you handle problems are all part of your customer service program. Industry in America has spent billions of dollars on customer relationship management (CRM) systems expecting them to magically make customer service better. Do not fall into this trap. "Bad customer service + a CRM system is still bad customer service." Expectations created by sales and marketing are central to delivering exceptional customer service. The simplest definition of customer service is that it is the difference between what a customer expected and what they received. So there must be total integration of the marketing team and the message they are delivering and the rest of the agency. The other aspect of expectations is that we must remember to communicate the expectations created with any specific customer. Incomplete communications will lead to unmet expectations and that means weaker relationships and less business. Just as there is a return on investment from your marketing program that is measurable, there is also a return on investment from your customer service program. Customer service in hospice is so closely intertwined with sales and marketing that to neglect one or the other is to accept diminished returns. Legendary Service is one of the best ways a hospice can
establish a distinct competitive advantage and real value added.
Join us in May for Square One Boot Camp! TWO DATES, TWO LOCATIONS! May 4 - 6, 2009 You have two registration options: For details, and to lock in a seat with a $500 deposit (balance due on April 4, 2009), click here. For details, and to lock in a seat with your full payment, click here. OR May 18 - 20, 2009 You have two registration options: For details, and to lock in a seat with a $500 deposit (balance due on April 18, 2009), click here. For details, and to lock in a seat with your full payment, click here. RESERVE YOUR SEAT NOW as we expect both locations to fill up quickly! To view a brief video of what makes the Square One Bootcamp experience so special, click here! Next AdmitRight™ Boot Camp Scheduled for June! June 9 - 10, 2009 Michael Ferris and Polly Rehnwall of Simione Consultants are the nation's leading experts on hospice sales, referral center management, and admission team best practices. Now you and your agency have the chance to attend two jam-packed days of skills learning and building, as well as never revealed before tips on how to supercharge your hospice referrals and admissions! Who Should Attend: Only the most progressive Hospice team members that are interested in increasing referrals, admissions, census, efficiency, profitability and beating the competition! (CEOs, COOs, Marketing, Sales, Referral Center, Clinical and Outreach) This is the first program of its kind, specifically created to empower you to blow your revenue goals out of the water for 2009 and beyond! Registration Options: Both Days, One Person, Tuition Only - Click Here Both Days, 2+ People, Same Organization - Click Here Both Days, One Person, Tuition + DVD - Click Here ATTENDANCE IS LIMITED -- THIS PROGRAM WILL SELL OUT! 52 Week eSales Training Course Our groundbreaking and highly-acclaimed 52 Week eSales Training Course is available for one to one hundred students. It provides a weekly lesson (takes about 30 minutes to complete) that will keep your sales team members' skills sharp. Students have said that the course supported them in becoming better at their profession, increased their referrals and forced them to review the basics. On average, our 52 Week eLearning participants have increased their referrals by over 31%! "With the help of the 52 Week eSales Training Course, I have been able to increase our accounts by approximately 20% and have increased referrals and admits by an even greater percent. Thank you, and my company also thanks you!" Special offer for Sales Leadership Letter subscribers: Enroll up to 10 students for one low price of $599 (does not include audio CDs)! Click here to take advantage of this offer. Sales Tip A few years ago, working with a client and their sales
representatives, they were talking about the big impact that Spring Break had
just had on their month. It seems that these sales people were highly dependent
upon some orthopedic surgeons for a big portion of their business. The surgeons,
albeit with multiple groups in town, had one thing in common: kids in school. So
they all ended up taking Spring Break at the same time and the number of
scheduled orthopedic procedures plummeted! This meant that the numbers for these
sales people fell dramatically. The are of sales management combines many of the following elements and factors: - Benefits of membership on the team are clearly defined - Recognition for achievements - Feeling of worth is fostered - Individuals and the team are adequately challenged - Freedom, authority and accountability for all - Realistic goals are set - Carrot and stick principles in place - Lead by example - Staff are encouraged to be self-motivated - Status - Respect - Consistency - Job security Questions & Answers Question: What do I do to compete with other hospice competitors who have big budgets and lots of giveaway items? Answer: Excellent question; it is one that I get quite frequently. How can we structure a bonus plan for our sales team that will
incent them to bring in more referrals? 1) Keep it simple. Make it easy to understand, easy to track and directly related to your goal: "get more referrals." I would measure based on admissions rather than referrals since that is the ultimate desired result. 2) Immediacy. The best plans for home care and hospice have monthly goals that trigger the bonus. There can be a quarterly component to keep the rep's eye on the ball, even if having a bad month. 3) Reflective of the sales person and their territory. The goals
should be set to represent great performance by the particular sales person and
their territory. Each person and territory is different and, as a result, their
goals should be different. Supercharge Your Referrals, Revenues and Profits! Headed by two industry powerhouses -- Michael Ferris and Polly Rehnwall -- Our Marketing, Sales and Customer Service Consulting Division is designed to give you the easiest experience possible by providing the most comprehensive solutions to supercharge your referrals, revenues and profits! If it only took one phone call to deal with all your marketing and sales needs, would you make it? In an environment of growing competition and shrinking margins, you have to increase volume and improve market share in order to be successful. That means having a skilled sales team, quality marketing strategies and a customer service model that improves your conversion of referrals to admissions. With every type of solution we provide, you won't just beat the competition -- you'll establish your competitive advantage for years to come! Our Proven Process: - Evaluate and assess talent, model and process Delivering optimal results begins with an evaluation of your sales, marketing and customer service program in order to design solutions custom tailored to your agency and your area. Our experts know home health and hospice, bringing years of marketing and sales experience and best practices to you. Customized Solutions: Have one or a few specific needs? We can guide you through creation and implementation quicker and with more success than anyone else. Below is just a small sample of our capabilities: - On-site Sales, Marketing, or Customer Service Consulting and Training With just one phone call, you can tap into all the resources and knowledge of the home care industry's touchstone consulting powerhouse -- Simione Consultants. We have an ability no other company can offer -- the only one-stop shop to handle all your marketing and sales needs. Simione Consultants, LLC was the first organization of its kind dedicated entirely to home care -- a commitment we continue to maintain today. For more than 40 years, we have demonstrated we understand and are responsive to the changing and diverse business needs of home care and hospice organizations. Value Driven, Success Outcomes More than 800 home care organizations have trusted the team of experts at
Simione Consultants, LLC to get them through the challenges of yesterday and
today, and to gain the leading edge for tomorrow. We provide expert assistance
to hospital-based and hospital-affiliated agencies, visiting nurse associations,
hospices, small proprietary agencies, and large national chains. The size,
capabilities and commitment of our uniquely qualified consulting staff offer
unparalleled industry insights and innovative yet practical solutions. Our track
record of engagements with successful client outcomes is unmatched. |
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This newsletter and all content and information contained herein are the property of Simione Consultants, LLC and may not be reproduced in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. 176 East Main Street, Unit 8 | Westborough, MA 01581 | (800) 653-4043 | (508) 366-7409 | Join our mailing list to receive new products, helpful hints, speaking dates, and more! |
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Happy
St. Patrick's Day!