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Ever get thrown the equivalent of a customer experience curveball? Where you are expecting one thing, good or bad, and get another? That recently happened to me.

There is a local restaurant I really like. Great atmosphere, excellent food, but most importantly, it always has exceptional customer service. So imagine my surprise when I walked in and the usual cheery hostess was not quite herself. The same with the server. When I asked if they were ok, they both just sort of shrugged. Clearly something was going on, but I did not press. I simply finished my meal, paid the bill and left. It was all a bit surreal. Upon reflection, I realized the food and atmosphere had not changed a bit, but the simple tweak in the approach of the staff had completely changed my experience – for the worse. The same is true of patient care. Patients will never be happier than your staff.
 
Recently I was speaking to an administrator who was bragging about how much her department’s employee satisfaction (ENPS) had improved. Every three months, she surveys her team and asks them to rate their overall satisfaction on a scale of 1-10. She compares the scores to previous quarters to see if, in the staff’s eyes, things have gotten better or worse. She then uses employee feedback sessions to determine ways to improve. Ultimately this person gets it. She knows that by focusing on internal satisfaction, the outside scores will take care of themselves. Too often we obsess over outside issues when the actual key to success is engaging our internal team.
 
So quick gut check. How happy is your team? Do you even objectively know? If they are not happy or you have no real way of knowing, develop an internal measurement and a game plan to improve. This will reduce the chance of surprises and your patients and their families will appreciate it.