Customer Service in Health Care

Research confirms that it is six times more costly to attract anew customer than it is to retain an existing one.

Creating a culture of service excellence requires planning,preparation, and persistence. Customer Service in HealthCare is designed to provide readers with the fundamentalinformation and skills to start or strengthen a customer serviceinitiative within a health care organization. This bookconcentrates on action as opposed to theory. It offers a practical,step-by-step process for creating a culture shift toward customerservice excellence at all levels of an organization, and presentsthe essentials to improving performance that will bring theindividuals closer to the mission, values, and standards.
* Chapters focus on:
* Tools for establishing and measuring customer service teamgoals
* Creating customer service standards unique to yourorganization
* Tips on training sessions
* Strategies for maintaining top-of-mind awareness of customerservice among employees
* Customer service techniques for physicians and nurses
* An overview of customer service as an essential component ofbusiness development and marketing List of Figures and Tables.

About the Author.

Preface.

Acknowledgements.

Why Customer Service.

Setting Your Course -
Senior Leadership that Takes theWheel.

Championing Buy-In and Ownership -
You Can't Do It Alone.

Where Are You Now? -
Establishing Your Baseline.

Creating Meaningful Standards to Live By.

The Training Sessions -
Getting Everyone on the Same Page.

Keeping the Effort Alive.

Customer Service Pointers for Physicians.

A Message for Nurses.

Measuring Results.

Index. "Cheerful, down-to-earth, and widely experienced, Baird has writtena well-organized, readable book with a can-do message..."(AORN Journal, 6/1/2004, Vol 70, No. 6)

"Read this book for an action-oriented approach..." (TheHealthcare Collaborator, August 2001)"A wonderful guide that every manager can use. Kristin Baird'sadvice helps health care leaders understand the need for greatcustomer satisfaction."
--Stephanie G. Sherman, author, Total CustomerSatisfaction

"Combines the inspiration of 'why to focus' on customer serviceswith the real-life 'how-tos'. An excellent road map for health careleaders that provides direction and milestones in the journeytoward a great customer service!"
--Quint Studer, president, Baptist Hospital, Inc., ofPensacola, FL

"The challenge of creating a thoroughly customer-orientatedculture in a health care organization is so more fundamental thansAnding a few people off to the 'Disneyfied'.... The challenge,however, can be met--as this book demonstrates--ifleadership appreciates the key role of middle managers and, as theauthor so wonderfully says, builds the culture 'from the groundup.' Filled with examples, techniques, and tips, the author comesfrom and speaks to the real world."
--Terrence J. Rynne, president, Rynne Marketing Group, authorof Healthcare Marketing in Transition

KRISTIN BAIRD's 20 years experience as a health care marketing and communications consultant, administrator, and registered nurse have shaped a keen understanding of customer service from a variety of perspectives. A facilitator, speaker, and writer, Ms. Baird conducts focus groups and management training sessions on a variety of health care issues.

Create Your Own Culture of Service Excellence

Customer Service in Health Care concentrates on action as opposed to theory. It offers a practical, step-by-step process for creating a culture shift toward customer service excellence at all levels of an organization, and presents the essentials to improving performance that will bring the individuals closer to the mission, values, and standards.

Praise for Customer Service in Health Care

"The challenge of creating a thoroughly customer-oriented culture in a health care organization is so much more fundamental than sending a few people off to be 'Disneyfied.'...The challenge, however, can be met—as this book demonstrates—if leadership appreciates the key role of middle managers and, as the author so wonderfully says, builds the culture 'from the ground up.' Filling this book with examples, techniques, and tips, the author comes from and speaks to the real world."
—Terrence J. Rynne, President,Rynne Marketing Group, and author of Healthcare Marketing in Transition

"A wonderful guide that every manager can use.... Kristin Baird's advice helps health care leaders understand the need for great customer satisfaction."
—Stephanie G. Sherman, Author of Total Customer Satisfaction: A Comprehensive Approach for Health Care Providers

"Combines the inspiration of 'why to focus' on customer service with the real-life 'how to's.' An excellent road map for health care leaders that provides direction and milestones in the journey toward great customer service!"
—Quint Studer, President, Baptist Hospital, Inc., of Pensacola, Florida

"A wonderful guide that every manager can use. Kristin Baird's advice helps health care leaders understand the need for great customer satisfaction."
—Stephanie G. Sherman, author, Total Customer Satisfaction

"Combines the inspiration of 'why to focus' on customer services with the real-life 'how-tos'. An excellent road map for health care leaders that provides direction and milestones in the journey toward a great customer service!"
—Quint Studer, president, Baptist Hospital, Inc., of Pensacola, FL

"The challenge of creating a thoroughly customer-orientated culture in a health care organization is so more fundamental than sAnding a few people off to the 'Disneyfied'.... The challenge, however, can be met—as this book demonstrates—if leadership appreciates the key role of middle managers and, as the author so wonderfully says, builds the culture 'from the ground up.' Filled with examples, techniques, and tips, the author comes from and speaks to the real world."
—Terrence J. Rynne, president, Rynne Marketing Group, author of Healthcare Marketing in Transition