I’ve been thinking about the reason why doctors and clinics switch to EMR / EHR. Of course, there is no single answer, but in all my interactions with people who have wanted to switch (Providers, Doctors, Administrators, Office Managers, Front Desk personnel, Billers), two things stand out.
1. Customer Service
2. Lack of Functionality
and – a few other reasons, such as – wanting to dump aging old computer servers and client-server EMR in favor of web-based EMR, web-based EHR, Cloud EMR, and other such technologies, etc.
By Far, customer service far outweighs other reasons for wanting to switch. So, as I read Seth Godin’s blog yesterday, it all came together.
Here are some of the cardinal customer service mistakes companies/people make:
- Making it difficult for clients to reach someone when they have an emergency.
- Once they reach a human being, failing to acknowledge the problem ‘Nothing wrong with the software, it is the way you’re using it you du#$a%@!’
- You acknowledge the problem, but then you just turn around and say, ‘Right now, I’m too busy – let’s talk in 29 days’.
- Company owners and employees treat customer service as a ‘cost center’, as a burden, as a necessary evil you need to have, unfortunately.
- Favoritism among clients. I hate that client – I’m not going to help them.
Customer Service is not a job, it is not a department, it is an attitude!
I could write a book, but let me just make a point and you’ll get the message. Put yourself in the shoes of a client – next time you have a problem with your CRM software, your Financial Software, your cell phone service, cable service, or internet provider, what are your expectations of the service provider?
Need not say more.
