30 Seconds to Leave a Lasting Impression

By Michelle Matura Hentzell

Did you know that impressions are made within 30 seconds of an interaction? Your front office staff is the first to interact with your patients or potential patients. That is why it is so important that your staff always projects a positive image whether in person or on the phone.
There are two forms of communication that could leave a positive or negative impression - verbal and non-verbal. Can you guess which is the most powerful? Believe it or not, it is the non-verbal communication. Let me break it down for you.

• 7% of the words we say have an effect on our communication
• 38% is the tone of voice that we use
• 55% in non-verbal communication – it is our body language that people notice not what they hear.

So, what is non-verbal communication? Non-verbal communication can be anything from facial expressions to body language. It is also important to know that gestures, signs and use of space may exhibit elements of non-verbal communication. This leaves the door open to misinterpretation especially when multicultural beliefs come into play.
There is a simple way to share important guidelines for better verbal and non-verbal communication….using your senses.

Sight

• When speaking to a patient, look them in the eye. Be sure not to stare.
• If you are listening, your eyes wandering around the room sends the non-verbal message that you are not interested in what the patient is saying.

Touch

• When you have people greet you with a hand shake or hug, pat you on the shoulder or back or nudge you, this gesture shows that the person that touches you accepts you. It also shows that you are interested to listen to what they are going to say.

Taste

• You will not be eating anything but when you are in social settings, you can practice your communication skills. Typically, these environments are more relaxed and you will be prepared when you are in a formal situation. Some things to think about:
  o Am I speaking to fast?
  o Do they understand I am listening?
  o Do they understand what I am saying?

Hear/Listen

• You need to listen to what the speaker is saying and sometimes you have to “hear” what they may not be saying.
• If you are not sure what they are saying, don’t be afraid to rephrase back and ask the question.

Additional tips will be shared in the coming weeks about the power of verbal and non-verbal communication. By integrating these tips into your office, you will have happier patients who may go out and refer you because they had such a positive experience.

Patients Make the Best Referrals - Weekly Tip, Week 1

Your patients are your best source for building referrals. Here’s are some simple tips for this week to help you get the most out of the relationships you have with your patients:

1- Ask your patients to rate their overall experience at your office. Remember, people want to feel included. By taking a proactive approach and requesting feedback from your patients, you will be able to make minor adjustments to better serve your customers. Also, when your patients feel more engaged, they are more likely to refer business to you. Remember, when somebody takes the time to fill out a survey or tell you how they are feeling, do not discount their opinions. Even if it is something simple, make sure that your patient knows you care enough to do acknowledge their concerns.

2- Get to know their names. It’s the simple truth that people love to hear their names. This does not just apply to you knowing the names of your patients but also to your staff. Have a policy that every person who walks into your front door is to be greeted (hopefully by name) within 15 seconds. You know how you feel when you walk into a restaurant and nobody greets you. Worse yet, especially when there is somebody standing behind the counter that refuses to make eye contact. Make a point of NOT being like this. Get to know your patients, make them feel special and remember to address them by name.

3- Thank your patients. Sounds easy enough but when was the last time you thanked your patients for their business and/or their referrals. One idea is to have a box of thank you cards printed and ready at all times. Have your staff place a thank you card with your patient’s chart. Every person that touches the chart signs the card. All cards get dropped in the mail at the end of every day.

These are just a few quick, easy and extremely inexpensive tips for you to build better patient relationships. Remember, you would not have a practice if you didn’t have patients.