The majority of successful businesses put a great deal of time, attention and resources into the recruitment process. These organizations realize that the key to building and maintaining a profitable business is highly competent, efficient, and focused staff. In order to create a harmonious, productive, and efficient workforce however, you must consider more than just which individuals are to constitute the staff. There are a number of factors which have a direct influence upon productivity and general workforce positivity which are easily addressed.
The Office
It is absolutely imperative that your office promotes productivity. This means that it must not only be equipped with fully functioning, up-to-date equipment to facilitate the performance of all tasks required but also be a pleasant environment in which to be based. Although the aesthetics may not necessarily have a direct impact upon profits, they will have a serious bearing upon employee satisfaction. Natural light is a bonus and can go a long way towards minimizing instances of depression or Seasonal Affective Disorder. Equally important is that the furniture you choose ensures that employees are comfortable and all health and safety stipulations are adhered to. If space is at a premium it is advisable to consider office furniture which is tailored to such environments in order to prevent the office space from being cramped or cluttered.
Managerial Prowess
Discrimination on any basis is now subject to government legislation that does not, however, mean that it is not still something which occurs in poorly organized businesses. Fair treatment of all staff is imperative to the development of a healthy 'team' ethos amongst staff. A solid managerial structure is crucial to harmony amongst all employees as well, ensuring that each individual is not only treated as an individual but also pushed to achieve their maximum potential.
Motivation
A well motivated workforce is a focused workforce. Praise and reward can make a world of difference to productivity and efficiency, even if the rewards are just token gestures for good work or hitting a target. Any form of motivation is likely to elicit positive results. A performance based bonus program is an effective way to motivate staff. For more information on implementing such a program, contact Dr. Gay or visit our online members’ site.
These factors amongst others are at the foundation of any successful business and allow for growth and internal career development by nurturing the interests and strengths of all employees. By motivating staff such that they share their aims with the organization as a whole, the chances of all-round success are greatly improved.
Do you have a referral based business? Most doctors would say yes. But realize there is a huge difference between a Word of Mouth Business and a Referral Based Business. Referrals are generated proactively where Word of Mouth is a passive method. Below you will find 5 ways you can generate referrals proactively. Remember, when implementing a system you must be CONSISTENT!
Calls
Have your CA call through your database once per quarter to keep in touch with your patients. A simple “Hey, how is life? We just wanted to check in on you and make sure things are going well. Oh, before I forget… if you run into anyone who is in pain or could benefit from seeing Dr. ________ have them give us a call. We are never too busy for your friends and family.”
Hand Written Cards
There is power in writing cards. It is the only piece of mail that gets opened every time! It is also the only piece of mail people like to receive, short of receiving money for their birthday. Make a lasting impression and take time out of your day to write your patients a note of gratitude.
Business Lunch Meetings
Do you know who your top referring patients are? If so, take them to lunch. You need to acknowledge those who help your business. Imagine if everyone that you referred business took you out to lunch. Would you refer them more business? I know I would.
Quarterly Gatherings
Schedule Quarterly Gatherings for the remainder of this year. This should be an easy task as there are numerous opportunities to “Get Together”. Put them on the calendar, have your CA create an invitation, and start letting your patients know when you’ll be holding them. Create community in your database of patients. Have them invite family and friends. You will be astonished by how many new patients you generate.
Monthly Newsletters
Open up your Marketing Manual! You have an entire years worth of newsletters sitting there asking to be sent out. Remember “Knowledge does not equal power. Knowledge is worthless unless put into application.” So send those letters out and generate some new patients!
In this tip of the week I will share with you how to effectively use your time to market your practice on Facebook to local residents in your area, without getting sidetracked by all of the flashy objects and distractions.
Step 1. Be productive, not distracted.
Many Doctors spend hours upon hours on Facebook answering questions, checking out flashy objects, and wasting time. Facebook is designed to be distracting so more people will spend more time on their site, but in the end, all of the flashy time wasting objects can actually hurt your practice. So understanding what's productive, verses distractive, will help you take the first step to utilizing Facebook in a way that will help you generate more brand exposure and potentially pull in more new patients.
Step 2. Setup your business page for your practice, and don't mix business with personal.
Not everyone knows that Facebook allows you to have a personal profile and a separate business page. In your personal profile, you can talk about personal things like vacations, ideals, and events, but try not to get too personal. You have to remember that your prospective patients, and current patients, will see your personal profile along with your business page, and if you are talking about personal issues that in no way bring value to your prospective patients, then the overall perception of you as a Doctor could be diminished. Keep it light, and focus on adding value. You can setup your business page by going to Facebook.com, and then clicking the small blue link at the bottom that says "Pages." In your business page you want to input as much information about your practice as possible, and offer a subscription to your newsletter or an attractive offer to entice your prospective clients to come into your office and meet you and your staff.
Step 3. Market your business page, not your personal profile
The goal of the business page is to get prospective patients in your local area to go to your page and click the "like" button. The more people who click the "like" button, means the more opportunity you have to spread your message about your practice further out into the community. One way to get people to click your "like" button is to offer them something valuable for clicking the "like" button, and then market your business page on Facebook using the Facebook Ads, which can be found at Facebook.com, and then clicking the "Advertising" button at the bottom of the page. With Facebook Ads you can geo-target your ads to a specific city so you know you are investing your marketing budget in your local area.
Remember, Facebook can be distracting and take you away from what you should be doing to help more patients. The good ol' speaking engagement or patient orientation class will produce more results in a shorter period of time, than a facebook campaign will, but if you spend a maximum of 10 minutes per day on Facebook, you can build up your brand and web presence over time, ultimately reaching out and potentially helping more new patients get better through chiropractic care.
The CA plays a part in the chain of public relations that starts as soon as a patient opens the door to the office. First impressions made on the patient as a result of office appearance and staff behavior are lasting impressions to others.
You represent the office to patients. Since you are building an image every minute of every day, your duty to yourself and to your profession is to build an image of friendliness, sincerity, professional “know-how,” and respect. Your image should be one of pride in accepting a responsibility and fulfilling a need. You should be recognized as a community-minded citizen who aids in the health and welfare of human beings.
Your every act, your every statement, your every conversation, your attitude, your every contact with the public should demonstrate prestige, restraint, good manners, and professionalism. This is the image you should want to build and carry out. It starts in the morning; it stops when you go to bed at night. You represent all Chiropractic Assistants, the chiropractic profession, and especially your office at work or in your leisure time. You have a responsibility to be a positive image in public relations.
Methods to Achieve Good Public Relations:
- Know people and show an interest in them. Try to learn their interests, hobbies, likes, and dislikes; find out what motivates them. One of the best ways to do this is to become a good listener. By seeking to understand others, others will understand you.
- Treat people with respect. Be courteous; be understanding; try to be patient. Acknowledge and respect the rights and opinions of others. Treat people as you would like to be treated, and you have every right to expect the same in return.
- Use a giving, instead of a taking, approach. Build respect by becoming a contributor of your time, effort, ideas, and understanding. Don’t become burdensome with your conversations or requests. People should be happy to see you when you call knowing that your visit has purpose and meaning. If you accept a job or a project, do it. Don’t expect someone else to carry you.
- Welcome the visitor. Make them feel welcome, be cheerful and to the point unless you are meeting socially. Be friendly and conversational. Be down-to-earth and practical in your conversation. Give other people a chance to voice their views. Develop the ability to know when to terminate a conversation and leave.
- Don’t force yourself on people. Whenever possible, try to be professional in your approach and not “pushy.” Aggressive social behavior does not fit the dignified image of a professional person.
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