The nature of the healthcare industry is changing, which means the way we market services also needs to change. At one time, patients got sick, went to the doctor, obtained a prescription and their health improved (hopefully). There was little choice in the matter, and people selected providers based on whether they had insurance or had to pay out of pocket.
Now, consumers carry a heavier load of the costs of healthcare, and they have far more options when it comes to picking providers. This makes it essential to focus on the patient’s experience with the services, and to allow feedback and intelligence to inform their marketing strategy. Here are some of the reasons why:
It Affects Profitability
A sound customer experience has an impact on several key financial indicators, such as:
- lowering the risk of malpractice suits
- reduced staff turnover through better employee satisfaction
- retention of clients
These directly affect the provider’s bottom line through legal fees, training costs and increased marketing expenses to attract new clients instead of retaining existing ones.
It Achieves Better Outcomes
An improved patient experience helps to motivate and encourage clients to show better self-management of their conditions. This leads to better treatment outcomes and a good record or reputation for the provider. A survey shows 86 percent of buyers are prepared to pay more to have a better experience with a brand, but only 1 percent feel that providers are successfully responding to this.
It Avoids Penalties
With Medicare now slashing reimbursements to healthcare institutions that produce low HCAHPS scores, it’s imperative to keep scores as high as possible. These scores are based directly on customer experience criteria, such as noise during the night, doctor’s bedside manner, and whether the patient would recommend the hospital to others.
It Helps Keep Up with the Joneses
Healthcare providers are increasingly competitive in cost and quality, which means the only differentiating factor in play is customer experience.
It Indicates Trust
Word of mouth is still the most coveted marketing form, based directly on the customer experience of the referrer. WOM indicates a degree of trust that is earned, not purchased, which gives it vastly better credibility.
Healthcare marketing according to customer experience enables you to create real, engaging and meaningful relationships with your clients, and to find creative ways to build on these relationships. Put your patient at the heart of your strategy, and you’ll find the results drive engagement exponentially.
For more information about building brand loyalty, please contact Wax Custom Communications at 305-350-5700 or visit waxcom.com.
