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I have been in the market and finally settled on a new car. The brand and more importantly, the dealership I landed on is truly remarkable. At the dealership, everyone was of course very friendly but more importantly, they were all over every aspect of customer experience. For example, I was meandering around the Service area when I notice something interesting. Next to each Service Advisors computer, there were two rubber stamps, each with the word “Waiter” on it. One stamp was blue, and the other (in a much larger font) was red. Me being me, I had to ask. It was explained that they essentially get three types of customers in their service department. The ones who drop their car off and return when the work is done, the ones who bring it in and wait (blue “Waiters”) and finally the ones who bring it in and wait BUT the service advisor can tell they are really in a hurry (red “Waiters”). The blue or red stamp on the work order tells the assigned technical what is going on with the customer and when to expedite completion. Again, the color of the stamp is all based on the verbal and non-verbal cues of the customer when he or she is handing over the keys. The secret of the stamp does the rest. Everyone who sees the stamp knows, but the customer is completely unaware. A similar approach can be incorporated into your organization. When it comes to patient care, what clandestine activities can your team do to stealthy communicate important information. Typically, patients are passed along from person to person, yet we miss the opportunity to pass along vital information that can improve their experience. Get with your team, look for opportunities and come up with your own version of the blue or red “waiter” stamp. Without knowing how you are doing it, your patients and their families will appreciate it.
