The BridgeBlog

By Lorraine Schnelle, CPA

Flash forward to February 1, 2014, four months after your practice or organization has started using ICD-10 codes. As you review how well the transition went, what do you see?

Was your practice or organization successful in…maintaining coding accuracy and productivity; retaining a stable accounts receivable position; and sustaining a viable cash flow?

These three goals can’t be achieved without support from you and others during the implementation process. It’s the hard work and execution by many individuals in various roles that will lead to your organization’s successful transition to ICD-10.

It is imperative that everyone understand how they can influence financial outcomes and, more specifically, support workflow processes. To have a “This is very important to our success” attitude rather than a “This isn’t my problem” approach as it relates to the implementation of ICD-10 is crucial to a smooth transition. You must take ownership and personally commit to proactively preparing for this significant change. Otherwise, the view on February 1, 2014 may be disappointing and frustrating.

There are a lot of cogs in the ICD-10 wheel, focusing on only the coding aspect and skipping over the billing and technology outcomes; for example, you could see increased claims denials, declines in productivity, and other negative results. It will require hard work by many individuals in various roles to ensure your practice or organization successfully transitions to ICD-10.

By understanding the broad impact this change has on healthcare and, more specifically, your practice or organization, you can play a major role in minimizing potential negative outcomes, and begin to proactively work toward:

• Maintaining coding accuracy and productivity
• A stable accounts receivable position
• Sustaining cash flow

Over the next several weeks, we will creating additional blog posts focusing on the steps you can take within your organization to make this transition as smooth as possible. Ready, set, go!

By Lorraine Schnelle, Co-Founder & EVP of BridgeFront

Improving the total patient experience is on the agenda of most healthcare organizations today. A newly published whitepaper suggests that customer service—throughout the revenue cycle—plays a vital role in the patient experience.

According to the whitepaper, The Revenue Cycle: An Essential Component in Improving Patient Experience by The Beryl Institute, good customer service—at each step of the revenue cycle process—is often more recognized by patients than quality healthcare; and good customer service often leads to increased patient satisfaction.

A typical revenue cycle in healthcare includes coding, insurance verification, third-party payers, financial counseling, billing, payment, or follow-up and collection. The whitepaper suggests that every step of the revenue process impacts the patient experience—beginning with the patient’s first interaction with the organization in scheduling his/her appointment, to discharge and communications with the finance department.

Here are four suggestions, noted in the whitepaper, for healthcare organizations to improve customer service at every step of the revenue cycle process:

1. Establish patient loyalty as an organization-wide goal
2. Educate employees on the new initiative
3. Train employees on essential interpersonal and soft skills
4. Ensure outsourced business providers also understand the new goals

The whitepaper’s research stems from the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) annual survey. The HCAHPS survey is the first national, standardized, publicly reported survey of patients’ perspectives of hospital care.

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BridgeFront is a leading provider of revenue cycle and customer service online education. For more information on BridgeFront, go to www.bridgefront.com. If you have specific questions, please contact us directly. Send an email to info@bridgefront.com or call (866) 447-2211.

By Nancy Friedman, the Telephone Doctor

We hear what bugs people a lot in customer service – and often. One of the most common compliants we’ve heard recently is that we’re told “no problem” from those serving us on the phone or in-person. Instead of a genuine “thank you” or something else that might be more appropriate, some insist on saying “no problem.”

When a customer is asking for something, most would rather hear, “I’ll be happy to get that for you” instead of “no problem.”

Did you ever wonder where the expression “no problem” came from? Ever been on a cruise? Well if you have, you know that if you wanted six more desserts, the waiter will tell you, “No problem.” In fact, everyone seems to be saying “no problem” everywhere on the ship for just about everything.

And, when you come down to it, it’s not a terrible thing to say to someone. Now, there are those that don’t find it offensive; however, it seems as though there are many more who do! It’s not a dirty word. It’s not a swear word. It is, however, an inappropriate word. It started in the islands and made its way to our country.

So today, we’re concentrating on eliminating “no problem” and sharing a few other phrases that are more “customer friendly.” Try using words that turn people on instead of turning them off. Example: The other day in a restaurant, I asked for some water without ice. And I got the old, “No problem.” The person with me asked, “Why would requesting water without ice be a problem?” I was used to the expression so I didn’t give it too much thought.

A more appropriate answer to my request might have been, “Certainly. I will get that for you.” Or, even mirroring my request like, “Water with no ice? My pleasure.”

So, when you are tempted to offer up a “no problem,” it is best you remember the public would like a genuine and simple “thank you.” Now why is that a problem?

Reprinted with permission of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training, St. Louis, MO. Nancy Friedman, president, is a featured speaker at association and corporate meetings. She has appeared on OPRAH, The Today Show, CNN, FOX News, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning and many others and has written articles for USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. For more information, log on to www.telephonedoctor.com or call 314-291-1012.

For more customer service tips, explore BridgeFront’s Communication Skills e-learning. Visit our website at www.bridgefront.com, send an email to info@bridgefront.com or call 1-866-447-2211.

By Nancy Friedman, President of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training

• “Gee, I’m so sorry.”
• “Sorry ’bout that.”
• “My apologies, I didn’t mean to.”

There are probably dozens of ways to apologize and many more ways of accepting one. How important is an apology? Why do we apologize? And what words seem to work better than others?

You get the picture. When you look up the word APOLOGY, it reads:

To express or make an apology; acknowledging failings or faults.

And the words I’m sorry and I apologize are NOT always interchangeable. Example: A parent passes away and we normally say:

I’m so sorry to hear about your loss.

“I apologize your father passed away” just doesn’t seem right. However, both can be easily used in an apology; to acknowledge a failing or fault.

When you bump into someone at the mall, instinctively, most of us say, “Oh I’m so sorry” or you could say, “I apologize, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” In this case they’re interchangeable. Think for a moment what you’re thinking when someone does bump into you and they don’t apologize? Hmmmm?

On a recent bumpy flight the pilot came on and said: “I apologize for the bumpy flight.” He also could have said, “Sorry folks, for the bumpy flight.” Again, ‘interchangeable.’

Apologies in Business vs. Personal

Seems as though personal apologies might be a little easier than a business apology. In my opinion, that’s because we normally know the person fairly well in the personal setting and can figure out what to say and do a little easier. And often we can even send candy, flowers or something else in a bribery fashion so to speak.

However, when something happens in a business setting and the customer is IRATE and is in need of an apology, that’s a different story. In many cases we don’t get to meet all of our customers and if we do it’s normally on a pretty limited basis. Most of the time it’s a phone call. And then, of course, even if we are more familiar with the business customer, where is that line in the sand? Dare we cross over it?

For an apology in the business arena, we suggest using the word APOLOGIZE. It’s a classier word; raises the bar. To just be ’sorry’ for something can easily diminish the effectiveness of the apology.

“Mr. Smith, I apologize for sending the wrong invoice. That’s got to be very frustrating.”

To simply push it away with, “Sorry about sending the wrong invoice” takes the sensitivity and meaningfulness away.

And what if you’re not wrong and the customer still perceives you as wrong? Do you still need to apologize? Of course you do. It doesn’t matter if you’re right or wrong. When the customer perceives you’re wrong, you’re wrong.

And for those who say “the customer is always right,” we ask you to change that to the mentality we use, “the customer always thinks they’re right.” And that’s the perception we need to deal with.

Timing of Apology

The immediacy of an apology is key. Whichever you use, I’m sorry or I apologize, do not delay. The sooner those words are used, the closer they are to the happening, the more effective they are.

Don’t wait to say I’m sorry or I apologize. They’re like please and thank you. Important and very relevant.

Easy Rule of Thumb to Remember

You’re SORRY when you step on someone’s toes. (A human emotion)

We APOLOGIZE when the customer is unhappy. He perceives we have done something wrong; we failed. (An incident)

Ineffective Apologies

You hear it all the time, “Sorry ’bout that.” That’s a cliché;  not an apology. Lose it.  Say it fully: “I’m sorry I gave you the wrong change.” Sorry ’bout that doesn’t cut it.

Reprinted with permission of Telephone Doctor Customer Service Training, St. Louis, MO. Nancy Friedman, president, is a featured speaker at association and corporate meetings. She has appeared on OPRAH, The Today Show, CNN, FOX News, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning and many others and has written articles for USA Today and the Wall Street Journal. For more information, log on to www.telephonedoctor.com or call 314-291-1012.

For more customer service tips; explore BridgeFront’s Communication Skills e-learning courses. Visit our website at www.bridgefront.com, send an email to info@bridgefront.com or call 866-447-2211.

While there are numerous keys to success in the fast-paced world of customer support – it seems to me that multitasking should most certainly be at the top of that list. So, here’s an example of why.

After a recent visit to my local Verizon Wireless store, the chance of me ever switching to another carrier is now slim to none. This is not because of the product or coverage or advertising, but because of the level of service I received and observed.

Last week, it was time for a new phone for my son and I, so off to the Verizon store we went.  I had been emailing Kerry, the store manager, so when we arrived I asked for him personally.  He greeted us and listened intently to our needs, then made several recommendations in phones.  He reviewed the features, and then left us alone for a time to consider the options.

His timing was perfect, seemingly always there when we had questions, but never pushy.  He was attending to other customers, but we always felt we had his attention.  However, after we chose our phones … this is where the real magic happened.

During the check-out and activation time, Kerry was multitasking like nothing I’ve ever seen before. He was …

• Instructing us on phone features.
• Activating our phones.
• Ringing up the sale.
• Completing rebate paperwork.
• Answering questions from his employees.
• Giving approvals for discounts.
• He even recognized a client as being USA Military and offered a generous discount.

Kerry handled this situation like a true professional.  He made us feel like we were number one on is priority list, while taking care of 10-15 other issues at the same time.  He was multi-tasking between clients, employees and other duties, but at no time did he make us feel like we were number #2.

We left the store with two new phones, a renewed contract and a very, very good opinion of Verizon Wireless.

In today’s fast paced customer support environments, multi-tasking is most certainly the key to success!

Is your organization armed and ready with the right skills to offer the support your clients deserve?  BridgeFront’s new library of Customer Communication Skills courses will guide your staff – whether they are new to customer support or a veteran – in successfully communicating with customers, patients and even co-workers.

Click here for details on BridgeFront’s customer service and communication skills online course library. Or contact us directly by sending an email to info@bridgefront.com or call 866-447-2211.

What makes a customer interaction successful … the first 17 seconds.

I called a wireless phone company yesterday about my cell phone. Seems the phone is eating up battery life in about 8 hours, when it initially took 3-4 days to deplete it. When the support person took the call, they listened briefly, then said … “with the credits I see on your account and a rebate we could get you into a new phone right now for only $19.95, which one would you like?”

Did I ask for a new phone? No. Do I want a new phone? No.

I had asked to get my old one fixed. His response made me mad at him, mad at the company, mad at the phone and certainly mad at the people who drive while talking on their cell phones. Heck, I’m even looking at changing phone companies now.

… a prime example of not connecting to a client in the first 17 seconds of the call.

When it works right

Contrast that with a call where someone immediately hears your issue, empathizes with your problem, and then begins to probe exactly where they should? It doesn’t happen often, but when it does the feeling of good customer service is there, in an instant.

The magic is in the first 17 seconds. During that brief period frontline personnel need to listen to all the clues and then respond. Is the client upset? Are they technical? Is the problem a usage related one? Is the product able to do what they are asking of it? If we can listen for some or all of those clues, then the response will be aimed at the right level.

But if the client is misunderstood, then trouble is about to start.

It is hard … call after call

After your 89th call of the day it is hard to listen to the client with the right perspective. Calls get smeared together, details get lost, and the emotion from one call bleeds into another … try this … put a post-it note on your computer that says … “No matter the call volume, this is THEIR ONLY CALL – make it a good one.”

BridgeFront offers customer service communications training online. Visit our web site for more information. Contact us by sending an email to info@bridgefront.com or call 866.447.2211.

My favorite waiter is Sean Patrick Martin (a strong Irish name if I ever heard one) who works at a wonderful Italian restaurant here in Portland. He is so good, that I will even wait for a table that he is working…I hate to wait for things. What makes him better than the other waiters and waitresses?

Well, there are a number of things. He is there when you need him, gone in a flash, quick with suggestions and supports your discussions…all of which most good waiters do. But what really makes him the best is his behind the scenes control of the support staff – transparent service.

You see, Sean doesn’t do it all.  He directs people to fill water glasses, serve plates, pick up dishes and deliver a little something extra from the waiter. All that service is transparent, unless you look for it. Sean knows that he’s part of a team. Each member has a task and when played in unison it sounds like an orchestra.

Yes, the food is great and the restaurant extremely friendly, but it is the orchestration of services that bring us back time and time again. What Sean Martin does is hard work, but he creates beautiful music.

Does your support team play beautiful music together?

Most likely you have people on the front-lines interacting with your clients or patients. They can’t do everything that’s needed to satisfy all situations, so they escalate or delegate to others. But do those other people know the role they are playing?

Some support might be needed from a technical person, a billing person, or some other staff member. If they fulfill their part of the task, the front-line team member delivers excellent customer service to your client. However, one weak link in the chain and disaster strikes…in that case I hope your front-line team member has taken a course on how to handle the irate client.

Sounds easy, but transparent service is hard to deliver.

It is a team effort – so you need to create that culture. Each member of the team needs to have equal status and recognition. Each individual needs to know what their deliverables are to the effort, as well as what everyone else is responsible for. They need to share in the glory of the happy client and understand the failures as a team.

Most of this starts with training…and ends with training. You need to consider every scenario that could happen; have a plan of action; assign tasks; and then train, train, train. Of course it’s hard and time consuming. But your clients are worth it and if done right they will come back, tell others, and increase your brand equity considerably.

Do it right and you will see the same people back time and time again…thanks Sean.

Olympic Stars – Good Customer Communication Skills?

While thinking about my next post, I was reminded of the Winter Olympics…which is right around the corner. The first person that comes to mind is Bonnie Blair (1). I had the privilege of being a neighbor and a friend to Bonnie and her family…and being part of the “Blair Bunch.”

On several occasions a group of us would head out for dinner or sporting events, with Bonnie leading the charge.  Invariably while at the event, she would be stopped and asked for pictures, autographs and/or introductions.  In watching this unfold time and time again, I asked her if the attention bothered her or became monotonous.

In true Bonnie fashion, she smiled and simply said, “They are the reason that I exist.  They support me, encourage me and give me the focus I need to be the best.”

Let’s take that logic to the workplace.

Do our employees feel that way toward our customers?  Are they willing to accept interruptions and impositions with an attitude like Bonnie’s?  If not, then they certainly don’t understand the power that a personal connection has on our customers.

If our customers take the time to talk to us, we really need to listen.  We need to hear the words, the tone, and intention.  We need to consider the input as gold.  If we use that nugget to improve our companies, we can only win more customers.  However, if we ignore the feedback we will lose one client after another…until, well they are all gone.

It starts at the top.

This attitude does not happen on its own; it has to start from the top.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard executives speak poorly about their customer service people.  The worse case was at a Fortune 100 firm (that started in the radio business and whose logo looks like a bat) when an executive told me that their “Field Service personnel were just trained monkeys.”

Are you kidding me? That’s what you feel about your frontline personnel, who work every day face-to-face with your clients? I resigned from that firm shortly there-after.

We need to train and support our frontline personnel better than any other single group in the company. They are the face of our businesses. We need to give them the tools and empowerment they need to present the right image to our clients.  We need to treat them like the gold-handlers they are.

What does the face of your organization look like?

As noted in my last post, BridgeFront just announced its new customer service and communication skills online course library. Learn More >>>

By Kent Lane, 20-year customer service veteran. Please send questions or comments to kentl@bridgefront.com.

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(1)Bonnie Blair – One of the top female skaters of her time, and one of the most decorated female athletes in Olympic history, Blair competed for the United States in four Olympics, and in her Olympic career won five gold medals and one bronze medal.

Ever wonder why some businesses make it and others don’t?

Let’s look at one sector for a moment – restaurants. If you compare apples to apples, in most cases the food is good and the cost is about the same. There could be a difference in ambiance, but the real difference is in the service you receive. It starts with the host or hostess and runs clear through the wait-person.

Try this – next time you walk into an Asian restaurant, take note of the host or hostess. They will most likely meet you at the door with menus in hand, counting the number of people you are with, saying “table for 4, come right this way.”

Next, take notes at an American restaurant. As you walk in, the host or hostess will most likely look away or glance at their seating chart. I’ve even experienced a host or hostess walk away as I arrive, without saying a word. Then out of nowhere they will look up, as if surprised, and ask, “oh, ah, how many in your party?” What, they did not see you come in and cannot count up to 4?

After these experiences, how do you feel about their establishments? You have not eaten, nor have you been wowed by the wait-person, but your impression is different right from the start.

In today’s world frontline personnel ARE our companies.

They are what our clients think of our products and service, and they dictate client loyalty. But who are these people and what are we doing to create an image that creates loyalty.

Many times they are entry level. Some have college experience (which does little to promote verbal communications) and some do not.

There is a crisis coming and we don’t even see it coming.

It goes like this … as products become more and more similar, client communications becomes more and more the differentiator … all at a time when the workforce has fewer and fewer people who will accept entry level or frontline positions … and can actually speak to clients.

Outsourcing of call centers is short sighted and will in fact be rescinded. Executives will figure out that future sales are a direct result of clear and honest communication after the sale.

Time to wake up, folks.

Time to meet your clients at the door and deliver what they want. It is time to answer the phone, personally. It is time to put as much energy in your support services as you do your marketing brochures. It is time to ‘in-source’ your call center. It is time to care about your customer, because they are just a ‘click’ away from your competitor.

BridgeFront just announced a new online course library dedicated to customer service, communication and leadership skills. Learn More >>>

By Kent Lane, 20-year customer service executive. Send questions or comments to kentl@bridgefront.com.