What to Do Now 2: First Mental Image, Keeping It Personal and Ending Off with A Positive Flourish

ROANOKE, TX, June 16, 2011

"Because that's the way it works with people."

Boy, forgetting "the way it works" is sure death- slow or fast- for a practice, a business, an individual.

When I called that night to check on my patient Ed, his wife answered first.

"Oh, hi Dr Martin. Aren't you nice to call! Thanks for that. Ed is doing fine. He's just being his male grumpy self. Of course, that's a good sign," she laughed.

You never really know how a patient or spouse will respond when you make a call. I wanted everything to be good. I wanted my patient to be happy, comfortable, certainly not have more than the usual soreness of tissue. I always hold my breath a little bit when that first answer comes out on the call. It is almost always good. Still, mild apprehension occurs within me when my patient first answers. Laughing is always good on a post -op call. I relaxed a bit.

"So he's doing well?" I asked expectantly to affirm what I understood from her. You can't always tell when those first words come out from a patient or spouse.

"Oh, yes. He's fine." She replied with a certain air of satisfaction.

I smiled. Yeah! was the mental shout I gave myself.

"Can I speak to him?" I asked in a way that said it would be a good idea to put Ed on the phone. Direct enough without being too much.

"Of course, let me get him." And before I could say anything else she had scurried away to get him.
Moments later, Ed picked up.

" Hello, Dr Martin. You didn't have to call, but you sure are nice to. I am doing well - a little sore, sure, but I expected that. I didn't mean to keep closing my mouth today. It was quite a day." He finished, awaiting my doctor reply.

Ed had been sedated and like many, he naturally closed as he drifted off in a semi-sleep.

"No problem, Ed. You did great. Thanks for being such a good patient." I reassured.

"Doc, you did all the work. Thanks for taking such good care of me. You are exceptional. Thanks for all your great work," Ed continued.

Ed was making sure I got how thankful he was. Moreover, I think the call gave him a chance to "payback" with some gratitude.

Everyone knows that the first impression when first meeting someone is important. Right? Well, how often do you get to make a first impression again? That answer can be a bit tricky. In many ways, the first impression can be renewed. In fact, some would say it is a necessity. But how?

How can you end your time with a client or patient so that she or he feels so good about having been with you? That is a key question that everyone needs to answer.

That answer has everything to do with the last mental image picture that you leave your client with upon departing from you. Moreover, there is more than one chance to deliver this last mental image picture. One leverage point is to surprise your client or customer with what you do - doing the unexpected, but appreciated.

In the radio ad world, there is a concept called first and last mental image picture. This literally means to start your ad with a positive, attracting mental image picture painted by the words, tone, timbre and inflection of the voice. There is more including speed of voice and background music. Dozens of things can affect this first mental image picture. The key with the concept is to make your message attractive enough that people want to pay attention.

While there is not a true second chance at a first impression, the positive first mental image is a close second. How much importance and intention you place on these moments of re-acquainting yourself with your client has plenty to do with how the interaction will go. Get this part right, get rapport going again and you once again have a chance to influence, guide, direct and persuade your client in the direction she should go. Mess it up, give it too little energy or required time and you will be disappointed. How much time is required? Enough time to re-establish rapport once again. That could take seconds or minutes or tens of minutes. It pays you to become an expert in friendliness with a purpose.

The reality is that we are in a personal service business. The less personal we make it, the more difficult the work with clients and patients. We simply can't use manufacturing concepts here. People are too important to treat like physical objects.

The truth is that all business is personal. The most effective businesses and practices never forget this. Moreover, a person as the symbol of that business is always more effective than an animal (despite what Madison Avenue would have you believe.) One clever use of a persona has been Betty Crocker. She is a totally fictitious character that has morphed over the decades to represent the woman who is baking the cakes, changing appearance and style with societal change.

One of the problems with all good customer service is that it loses it ability to impress the client when it comes to be expected. It is those unexpected positive surprises that help people feel particularly good.

On that post - op call to Ed I was re-acquainted yet again with the power of the second mental image picture to close off the experience of the day. That call gave Ed a chance to re-consider his experience and find the positive. In essence, Ed created his own final mental image picture of the day. His conclusion was positive. It was his conclusion that cemented the positive memory of the day.

That raises a question: what could have happened if I hadn't called?

The closing mental image picture of the radio ad world or the real experience closing with a positive mental image picture leave the listener and the patient with a memory that they like to have - a wanted mental image. Moreover, that positive image shapes the context for all future interactions with you.

By the way, a mental image picture is more than just visual. It is also sound, taste, feel, smell and all the associations one has with the topic or item or offering.

Even if an appointment doesn't end well, that post-operative call at night after the procedure gives you a second chance to help your patient have a positive mental image of you and the appointment. If everything went well already, then the call is like whipped cream with a cherry on top.

Starting well and ending well make a big difference emotionally for your clients and patients. And ultimately these do the same for you, too.

By the way, what is the caring equivalent of a post-op call at night with a business colleague or vendor? Think. Would a thank you note work? What else?

"The way it works" is the relationship that all of our clients and patients want, whether they say so or not. They want to be cared for, treated well and given respect for their opinions, ideas and thoughts. They want their personhood to be given proper reverence.


Best,
Charley


Copyright 2010 Charles W Martin

Dr. Martin has been a coach and consultant to some of the best dentists in the U.S. and Canada. He offers a variety of innovative solutions for the practicing dentist including private and group coaching. To learn more about his unique solutions visit http://www.AffluentPracticeSystems.com or call 804-320-6800.