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Perspectives on Client Service From ABC Senior Staff

Introduction

Susan Petitt
Manager, Operations and Client Support, ABC

Customer service is a reflection on an organization’s values and behaviors, as well as on each individual who works there. Anesthesia Business Consultants (ABC) embraces the practice and culture of providing high quality service to its clients. Effective communications and interactions are critical to continue to foster the successful relationships we have with the more than 8,000 anesthesia and pain providers we do business with. Our Western Region staff offer the following thoughts that can apply to us all:

Effective Listening

Annie Jaouak
Supervisor, Customer Service, ABC

Do you really listen? Although we may interchange one for the other in our daily communication, there are crucial differences between listening and hearing. Hearing requires two ears whereas listening requires both ears and mind. Listening is work; brain work, and it requires both sustained and honest effort. “Frustrated”, “devalued” and “disrespected” are all terms used to express feelings when we believe that we have been heard but not listened to. When we listen we hear with thoughtful intention to act upon what we have heard. Additionally, when we actively listen; we pay close attention to the speaker’s verbal and non verbal messages. It is this kind of listening that results in successful and growing relationships.

Let’s look at some of the most common causes of non-effective listening.

Those who have acquired the talent of effective listening have advanced a long way toward more successful relationships.

Expectations

KD Lowe
Senior Vice President, ABC

Having worked in hospitals for 19 years and with physicians for 12 years, and having raised six children with my wife of 36 years, I have come to appreciate both the danger and value of expectations. Years ago as I raised my children, I came to the realization that the majority of times I felt anger in my life, it was caused by unmet expectations. I also realized much of the time those expectations were vague and undefined, or at least not communicated clearly to the other party.

We all have expectations of others. Let me suggest two principles of success tied to expectations that we should all come to know.

As we work to more clearly define our expectations and communicate them adequately to others, we may find ourselves reducing our expectations, and operating more in the realm of identifying specific responsibility and requiring the associated accountability. When we think of things in this way, we go a long way towards eliminating the frustration and anger associated with unmet expectations.

Use of Technology

Karen Gehne
Manager, Scanning Department, ABC

Technology allows us to communicate almost instantly from any location. Whether using email to send information; a cellular phone/Blackberry to text, talk or email, or creating or leaving a voicemail, or paging, these are all forms of communication. In all these cases, we are attempting to connect with another human being. It is important that we learn to apply some of the etiquette used in face-to-face conversations to find balance between technology and effective communication. A few tips:

Honesty In Customer Service

Kathy Payne
Vice President of Operations, ABC

Customer service is about developing relationships and the ability to connect with others. Most successful relationships are based on honesty and integrity. The true art and skill in a relationship revolve around how to be honest in every encounter while preserving the other party’s sense of self. In simple terms, it’s how to be tactfully honest.

The art and skill to communicate honestly come into play in holding conversations even when the news is bad or unpleasant. Few, if any of us shy away from, agonize over or gloss over delivering good news. If the news is good we welcome the opportunity to share. It’s when there is a perception that the message may cause a negative reaction, such as anger or disappointment, that it becomes uncomfortable. There is a tendency to keep the message brief and perhaps not be completely honest. Let’s face it, at some point in time you will be faced with delivering bad news. If the relationship is strong and built on a foundation of mutual honesty and respect, the conversation will serve to strengthen the relationship, if handled properly.

What are the keys to honest communication when the news is bad?

The concepts of effective listening, managing expectations, use of technology and tactful honesty in all situations are quality skills that build relationships. Customer service is measured by the extent to which each partner is willing to invest into the future in the relationship. Work hard to develop these skills; you will find they don’t always come easily, but when effectively utilized, the rewards are significant.