I had a unique experience the other day. The perfect storm hit and we had multiple receptionists out sick for the day (and yes, they really were sick). Between our two locations, it was a must that I play the role of the client service representative for the day. Talk about a new and unique perspective. The staff, the clients, our systems, and even our technology looked different that day compared to a normal day in the safe confines of my office. I work hard on maintaining a pulse on our systems and processes, but being right in the middle of it certainly gave me a new viewpoint.
I learned a couple things that day.
- My staff is amazing and I do not give them enough credit. My job as a leader of the practice is to constantly push the organization to improve. I haven't taken enough time to reflect our team success.
- Little changes can make a BIG impact. There were small nuances I found throughout the day, little things like an electronic medical record template that would not auto-print correctly, an over itemized surgical grouping making phone shopping cumbersome, and even a faulty tape dispenser that had me using words I haven’t used since college. My staff has found work arounds for these small grievances but had I known I would have been able to provide a better solution to improve their work flow.
- Connecting with the clientele that day did have a profound impact on immediate and I now have future changes planned to improve their experience. It was extremely rewarding to get to speak with the clients first hand throughout the day and hear what they liked and disliked about the practices. A real-time focus group if you will.
While it is unrealistic to think I am able to spend a substantial time doing this on a regular basis it was a reminder that we often become narrowly focused trying to get through our day and obscene list of objectives and tasks it takes to successfully run a veterinary hospital. It was an incredible reminder that there are multiple viewpoints and we should take every opportunity to gather as much information as we can when opportunity presents itself. The practice will be stronger for it. YES, I am now in full agreement with our receptionists, THEY DO have the hardest job in the practice.
Brian C. Conrad
President