2017: 20 tips for independent hearing professionals

Many people feel under pressurefrom the changes within themarket place and I know thatmany independent hearingprofessionals feel the National’sprice combativeness creates aparticularly difficult situation. While I know that thistype of pricing does have an effect, the markets andofferings are different. People who visit independentbusinesses do so for a host of reasons, primary amongthem being that they feel they will get better care. Itis your job as an independent hearing professionalto deliver that. It is your job to ensure that you aredifferentiated in brand, brand offering and care andservice. That means everything from how your practicelooks to how you deliver your products and services.

Pretty practices

I have had the pleasure of working with manypractices that would be seen as premier independenthearing healthcare practices. One of the things thatis ubiquitous across these disparate practices is theirsense of brand and differentiation.

They think clearly about and jealously guard theirbrand. They have a clear idea of who they are and howthey will ensure that comes across. Every single detailfrom the décor of the waiting room and the seating,down to the display elements, is carefully considered.While each of these practices has different styles, eachone strives to ensure that their practices are welcoming,comfortable, classy and warm places. They ensure thattheir staff understand the brand and have designedprocesses to ensure that the brand ideals are delivered.

Good décor isn’t expensive

I once saw a practice that had a wall paper designedto include its brand colour and logo. It was tasteful andexceptionally well done. The wall paper was used ona feature wall in the waiting room with the other wallspainted in sympathetic colours.

The carpet laid was in line with the décor as were thefurnishings used in the room. The room, indeed the entirepractice was a welcoming place, a classy place to be.The surprising thing was that the paper didn’t cost aridiculous amount of money. Everything else in theroom was also picked carefully with a clear eye onspend. The point here is simple, good décor, doesn’tneed to be hugely expensive. The right match ofcolours can transform a space, matched with the rightfurnishings and you are on a whole new level.

Furnishings don’t need to cost the earth either, that iswhat eBay and second hand shops are for. There ismuch more to brand than just décor, however, décor isa good place to start.

Excel or die

It has become clear to me over the last few years thatthere is a polarisation within the independent sector.There has been an increase in the premier independentoutlets, they are establishing themselves exceptionallywell and are doing relatively well within the turmoil ofthe market. Others within the independent sector arestaying static, or their positioning and offering is similarto the nationals. I think that this positioning will killthem. I don’t believe it is possible to compete within thatmarket without volume and big business behind you.

My question would also be why would you wantto compete there? The customer that gravitates toindependent hearing care does so because they wantsomething different from the national, not a poorlyexecuted ersatz copy.

Come with me if you want to live!

Hahahaha I always wanted to type that, seriouslythough, your future lays in offering a differentproposition. Think premier, think brand, and thinkindependent positioning.

What should you do in 2017?

I wrote an article several years ago detailing what youneeded to do to change your practice. The list startedat ten things but then just kept growing. I had a lookat them lately and you know what, they are still mostlyvalid. So I thought I would go over them again for youwith new eyes.

Some of these tips may not apply to everybody. In factyou may already have instituted most of the things, butI hope that everybody will at least find one tip that ishelpful to them. So what twenty things do you need todo in order that your practice sees growth next year?

• Look at your KPIs from 2016 and decide what areasyou need to focus on for 2017. If you do not have KPIs,why not? Then the first thing to do is set some KPIs.

• If you do not have Practice Management software,not talking Noah here, get one. There are lotsavailable and I know more than a few who swear byBlueprint.

• Ensure all your patient data is entered into yourPractice Management software. Remember,garbage in garbage out.

• Put in place a clear and in-depth Patient Retention &Referral Strategy. You got them, why don’t you makesure that you keep them? They already like you, or atleast they did, ask them to send you someone else.

• Put in place a clear Patient Journey, you need to seethose people in order to ensure they are getting onwell and they still think that you rock.

• Put in place a corresponding clear and rigid PatientCommunication Strategy. What letters when? Whatabout Christmas cards and newsletters?

• Ensure the buy in of all your stakeholders, thatmeans your staff, but don’t forget your patients. Ifyou are changing, let them know you are and askthem for feedback.

• In your new or old Practice Management software,automate service call-backs as per your PatientJourney.

• Write some clear, medico legal grade, precise andhuman letters to be used in your new automaticmail-merges for Call Back letters, Hearing TestReports, Test No Sales one month contact letter,Test No Sales Annual Test Call Back Letter etc..etc…

• Re-paint your practice, unless you have done it inthe last ten months.

• Replace your waiting room chairs unless you havedone so within the last three years.

• Make a New Year’s Resolution that between everyappointment you will take five minutes to cleanyour consultation room, tidying away cables, tubingboxes, cleaning equipment etc. from view.

• Replace your posters and point of sales (POS)displays if they are any more than three months old.

• Actually leverage your shop window if you haveone, with well thought-out and deployed POS.

• Review your practice environs critically with theconcept of brand presentation in mind, be honestand ruthless.

• Ensure your web presence does not let youdown. You have a beautiful practice, your staffis outstanding, you exude confidence andprofessionalism, and then they look at yourwebsite. The one that looks like it was done by asixteen year old in 1984, enough said?

• Leverage your website for campaign offers,educational uses and introduce a regularly updatednews section. Your news section will allow you totarget search as it changes and keep your site freshin the eyes of the search engines.

• Remember your web presence is not static; itneeds to be dynamic and constantly evolving.

• Think clearly and carefully about a social mediapresence and how it can affect your web presence.Be careful about social media presence, beresponsive and be ready for Mister or Mrs awkwardto pop up with some irritating comment or painfulquestion. Be ready to answer them clearly andquickly.

• This list is not exhaustive, think up ten more thingsyou need to do, why should I do it all!