As a service provider, I follow specific guidelines and factors that I’ve personally put on the forefront to promote client satisfaction. The fruitfulness of great services lie within certain factors that must be demonstrated by the respective service provider. Although I’m employed as a healthcare provider and deliver services for the physical betterment of clients, I believe these same guidelines can be applied for all businesses rendering any type of direct service to clientele. These factors are undoubtedly great for business because they are centered on the act of client retention and loyalty. Not only does this enhance profitability, but it also holds your services to a higher standard. These said factors will be highlighted in the upcoming paragraphs.

Communication

First and foremost, as we all know or should know, good communication serves as the foundation of ALL functional relationships. Clients and providers should have an open dialogue with interactive discussions centered around the service provided. This communication should be direct via face-to-face conversations, emails, text messages, and/or courtesy calls. Moreover, having great listening skills nowadays is somewhat of a lost art. Service providers should actively listen to their clients, and the clients should do the same in return. Let clients know what to expect, and listen to their subjective thoughts regarding services. In the realm of physical therapy, I introduce the plan of care from day one and continue to keep an open communication forum with my clients until they are discharged from my care. In addition, ascertain objective results and explain to the patient what’s going on based off concrete impartial evidence. Listen to their personal stories if offered and let them vent if needed. It helps put them at ease to talk things through with someone. Some of my clients refer to me as “hands and ears” due to the manual services that I provide and my attentive listening.

Accountability

Service providers should demonstrate a sense of liability with the result of their services. Services should meet the objectives that they’re expected to meet. Moreover, if the fruitfulness of the services is contingent upon certain compliancy factors from the client; then, the clients hold a sense of accountability as well. In the realm of physical therapy, clients MUST be compliant with their Home Exercise Programs (HEP) in order to augment the productivity of the care delivered by the physical therapist. To that end, clients must be performing their prescribed exercise routine to maximize the potential of the entire therapeutic program. Service providers and clients must be accountable for their respective roles to maximize potential.

Education

Education of clients should never be neglected. To better connect with the client and foster customer loyalty, clients must be informed of what they’re lacking. Moreover, providers must educate their clients as to what their services will provide to supplement whatever deficiencies present. Physical therapists should seek to educate clients on specific anatomy and physiology concerning the patient’s diagnosis, as well as, educate them on the present pathophysiology leading the clients to seek care. Physical therapists should also be giving health and wellness guidelines to patients who are approaching the end of their treatment regimen. I always educate patients on the benefits of exercise to prevent health-related illness, and to transition the client to a healthier lifestyle. Last but not least, providers should educate themselves with enough competence to educate their respective parties. No one respects the uninformed nor the uninitiated.

Care

It goes without say that providers should show great solicitude regarding their client’s success with the services provided. Physical therapists should care about client’s convalescence such as: the duration required for full recovery, the amount of ease/difficulty present, and any current limitations. In the event of any confusion, providers should seek second opinions from colleagues within the same field, or even from other healthcare providers involved in the case. Physical therapists should exercise due diligence in researching and problem solving. Collectively, providers should strive to make clients feel as though they are just as invested in their progress as the clients are.

Individualization

Don’t run a procession line where every client is doing remotely the same thing as another client. If you’re in a business where you can modify your services to bring about any sense of individualization to your market, then you better utilize that extra feature. Physical therapists have the ability to individualize sessions. Do so! Every client is NOT the same, even those with similar or same diagnoses. Therapists should create appropriate challenges without killing the client on one end of the spectrum, or without boring them on the other end. Personally, I create routines that will have patients working in the neighborhood of 60-75% of their individual maximal threshold. Humans tend to appreciate distinctiveness. Message to providers: show your distinctiveness by creating distinctiveness.

Creativity

Another closely related concept to individualization, creativity is a feature that providers must demonstrate. In order to individualize services, providers must show the ability to be resourceful and clever. Ingenious acts resonate in the minds of consumers. Therefore, one must showcase his/her personal style with innovation. Dare to be different. Don’t provide mundane service. Research everything to analyze why you’re doing something a particular way, and think abstractly about different ways to achieve the same goal using alternative routes.

Courtesy

This is by far my favorite concept. Question: What is a better way to create consumer loyalty other than courteous acts? I don’t think there is any more potent way. To that end, providers should be considerate to their clients in every sense of the word. Spend extra time making sure of the client’s comfortability. Providers should do their best to accept client tardiness here and there, just as long as it is not a continued practice. If the opportunity and means allow, I recommend performing periodic pro bono acts; or perhaps, giving certain products/services gratis. Quality service is immeasurable! People should always strive for quality over quantity. It is more ethical, and certain business research models advocate that it’s more profitable in the long run. Essentially, you can earn more through the retention of clients rather than the cycle of continuous gain/loss of new clients. Courteous acts increases overall gain for everyone.

Providers should seek all opportunities to go beyond the expectations of their clients. A provider’s ability to retain loyal consumers is indeed related to the actual service provided, but it is more so related to the way the services are provided. People always remember how you make them feel. Providers should aim to make an imprint. Imprints create loyalty. Don’t let yourself be just another provider. Change lives and make clients remember you. These factors are the foundation behind my frequently used hashtag, #ServiceBeyondService. I created this hashtag to illustrate that I provide service beyond just regular service. I invest in my clients and they, in turn, invest in me. I seek all opportunities to go the extra mile. All providers should do the same. Follow these guidelines, and rest assured your clients will always stay true to you.