Service, Service, Service

There is a key element that we have not discussed directly that will make or break the success of a marketing strategy. That element is customer service. It doesn’t matter what your clinic does to drive traffic to it, at the end of the day, if the customer doesn’t have a positive service experience, they are not going to return.

I am taking a class this semester on services marketing and I have learned so much about all of the elements that come together to create a strong service experience for the customer. Most of the businesses that we have studied are large corporations, but it is remarkable how applicable the concepts are to small businesses.

Our next post will discuss strategic planning, but first, I want to create a sense of urgency for delivering superior service. Truly, if your clinic can master this art, it will be the most valuable thing that you can do for your business. I could write an entire blog about the foundations of services marketing, but I’ll leave you with a few principles to dwell on.

The framework of service marketing begins with identifying the right service, which you have done by establishing your practice. The next level is focusing on delivering quality service. This includes learning how to perform the service right the first time, performing the service very right the second time, and managing and exceeding customer expectations. Truly, this level is where most businesses need to spend a majority of their time.

The next level is maximizing your marketing potential. Once your business is consistently delivering quality service, you can focus on marketing to new customers, marketing to existing customers, and also marketing to your own employees. I’d like to make a quick comment about how important internal marketing is. I’m sure you all know how valuable it is to have quality employees. Take a moment to think about your current staff. Can you confidently say that the vast majority are the very best people to have in your practice? If so, that’s wonderful, you are succeeding at internal marketing. If not, perhaps you should dig a little bit deeper into the concept of internal marketing.

 I’d like to direct you to a book, written by my professor, Dr. Leonard Berry, which explores the nine drivers of developing a sustainable service model within a business. It’s called Discovering the Soul of Service  and it’s available through Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/Discovering-Soul-Service-Sustainable-Business/dp/0684845113