Customer experience can be a catalyst for change in the health care industry. It is essentially what the customer perceives the company provider to be. A customer’s perception can be moulded by various experiences at all the levels of their interaction with your organisation. Ranging from a customer’s interaction with an employee to seeking information online, a customer can experience various emotions like satisfaction from a service or product, and even downright frustration if the promised outputs have not been delivered. These can define their perception of the company to a great extent.
The healthcare sector affects the majority of the population. Yet, norms for its customer service have been loosely translated and don’t have a definite set up. Different perspectives, new approaches aided by technology, ways to leverage tools, relevant content, surveys, and feedback mechanisms have the power to transform customer experiences in the sector.
In a hyper-connected world where customer voices are louder than ever, customer experience has never been more relevant.
Digital Experiences
Majority of the consumers are using technology in every aspect of their lives. And it is not surprising that technology is increasingly being incorporated into patient care. Technology assists in accessing patient data, storing existing data and analysing it to foresee potential ailment, their health history, allergies, previous medication etc. Leveraging patient data for convenience, in an attempt to know the patient better not only makes for good customer experience but also empowers doctors to serve patients’ needs in a better manner. Health care technology also allows doctors to attend more patients, be time savvy and provide treatment options via digitised platforms if the patient has common symptoms. The face of treatment is undergoing a drastic change as patients are virtually in touch with doctors, in a way that accommodates their busy schedules, all of these factors boost customer experience.
Online Presence Matters
The scale usually tips in favour of those with a stronger online presence. An online presence can set a provider apart from the others in terms of what services are provided, popularity amongst customers, and even creating content that really helps and engages their audience. According to Intrepy 47% of internet users look up for information on their doctors online. This shows that digital marketing influences customers decision making. Providing relevant content, making it easy to access a doctor’s profile, building credibility and online appointment bookings add to the overall customer experience.
Patient Personalisation
Medical treatments aren’t necessarily a one size fits all concept, every individual leads a different lifestyle and comes with an even varied medical history. Overtime, influencers in the healthcare sector have had to navigate their way to balance standardisation and personalisation, depending on what suits a patient the best.
Health is personal and so is healthcare. Personalisation is all about tailoring treatments and methods to suit the patients’ individual needs rather than a uniform approach. In an era that’s leaning more towards personalisation than standardisation, it is vital for customers to feel inclusive and taken care of. With patients so heavily relying on a healthcare provider to nurse them back to health through medication, the need for affirmation, being understood are on an all-time high. Being attentive to the needs of a patient builds a connection to enhance the customer experience.
Businesses, irrelevant of their size, strive to attain and retain customers. While attaining customers could be a solid short-term goal, retention works well for the big picture. And every business owner knows, the equation to the perfect customer experience is a tricky one, to say the least. It’s necessary to provide efficient and effective solutions with just the right amount of technology, service and personalisation to overtime build credible customer experiences.