Stellar customer relationship management (CRM) has always been the cornerstone of any successful medical practice.
This is still true, but the variables and tools have changed quite a bit.
Today’s customers want to be heard, not managed. Customers want to connect with a real brand ambassador and they want to do it … yesterday. This means no more automated answering systems involving a maze of voice mails, robotic voices, seemingly endless muzak and complete and utter frustration.
All businesses need to keep the human component in customer relationships. Social messaging apps make this fairly easy to do. They provide almost instant access to representatives who can solve problems and create customer loyalty. Facebook Messenger, WeChat in China, and WhatsApp are leading the pack totday. Messaging is all about relationships. Global trends are showing that messaging is poised to take over email and call centers, and may play a crucial role in the way we do business. The key is to generate timely replies to customer complaints and inquiries, and build hyper-personal relationships.
This type of communication is often seamless, which is what today’s customer craves. Why talk if you can text and why text if you can message? Time Warner recently launched a television ad campaign that has reinvented the brand by addressing customer complaints head on. The series of ads show friendly service reps arriving at a customer’s home at a specific appointment time, confirmation email being sent with the reps’ name and photo akin to Uber, thereby humanizing the entire experience of the former cable man visit.
Here’s a cheat sheet on old vs new crm:
| Landline | Mobile Phone |
| Text | |
| Snail Mail | |
| Text | Messaging |
| Complaint Form | Facebook/Twitter |
| Toll-Free Number | Customerservice@xyz.com |
Out with the old?
None of this means that there is no place for the more traditional methods of communication such as phone, mail, and email. Many brands and practices do very well with these tactics, but the field has expanded. Don’t be left out in the cold.
Need help with your practice marketing? Have a question we can answer? Reach out Anne@wendylewisco.com
