Posted by Kristin Baird
We are such creatures of habit. It is that tendency that causes us to look past the things that can diminish a positive customer experience. Often times as a result of habituation.
Habituation, defined as the diminishing of physiological or emotional response to frequently repeated stimulus. In layman’s terms, it is the process where we simply get used to our surroundings. That helps us feel comfortable, which is a good thing. But that comfort isn’t good when it comes to looking past things that affect the patient experience.
Why We Miss Clues
I’ll never forget the time when we presented a mystery shopping report where several patients commented, “They only care about the money.” The doctors and administrators were shocked by these comments until we flashed up a photo of their registration area. The patient’s first encounter at the registration desk included seven signs posted about payment responsibilities, co-pays and credit cards acceptance. Seven.
What had started as a simple, well-intentioned reminder, had morphed into a visual assault to the patients approaching the desk. Everyone behind the desk became so used to the the signs that they no longer saw the images.
Until you see through your patients’ eyes, you are missing important elements of their experiences. These elements speak volumes about your organization. Mystery shopping can help you spot the things that send the wrong impression.
- A Sign Doesn’t Replace Interaction in Shaping the Patient Experience
- Quality Assurance for Patient Experience
- Walk a New Path to a Better Patient Experience
- Tweets = Rankings
- How are you keeping values front and center?
