All the literature on customer service instructs you to see things through your clients’ eyes in order to provide the best experience to them. A colleague of mine told me a story that perfectly illustrates the wisdom of that instruction.
He was scheduled for a medical procedure that had to be performed twice. The first time was at an outpatient surgical center in Beverly Hills. He was flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling tiles. The office was professionally set up and was clean, except the ceiling tiles, which were broken and stained.
The procedure went OK, but a couple weeks later it had to be done again, and this time it was at a different center, in Orange County. The second office, just like the previous one, was professional and clean. But as my colleague looked up at the ceiling tiles in this office, he noticed they were immaculate – clean, straight and pure white.
The interesting thing was how this made him feel. The center with the clean tiles seemed to be better-run overall, and it made a difference in how he perceived the quality of care provided there. The center with the clean tiles is where he would prefer to return the next time he needs a medical procedure.
Most likely, anyone who has thought about patient comfort and satisfaction has not been lying where the patient has. So, when you are ready to see things through your clients’ eyes, remember to look in all directions. The view can make a real difference.
