RICHMOND, Ky. — Customer service is a top priority for many businesses processing linens for the healthcare industry. When providing this service, it is important to go “above and beyond the call of duty,” says April Palmquist, RLLD, business development manager at Angelica Corp.
Eva Granado, CLLM, RLLD, linen distribution manager for Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital, illustrates the importance of providing good customer service to hospitals and healthcare facilities, saying companies should “never fail to astonish the customer.”
Palmquist quotes Apple founder Steve Jobs, saying, “Get closer than ever to your customers—so close, in fact, that you tell them what they need well before they realize it themselves.”
She also points out that the healthcare linen industry is like many other industries from a customer service standpoint, and that being in tune with customer needs is important to all customer service efforts.
Palmquist and Granado elaborated on this topic in their Association for Linen Management (ALM) webinar titled Proactive Customer Service.
EVERYONE IS A CUSTOMER
According to Palmquist, there are many distinct customers to be aware of when providing linens for the healthcare industry.
There are the outsourced management customers, “who all have a stake in the laundry service, whether they directly manage the laundry service, make the beds, or manage the contacts.” These include laundry managers, housekeeping personnel, material managers and anyone who may be involved in any on-site laundry processing.
Clinicians and the infection control department deal with linens regularly and are considered to be customers as well.
Palmquist claims the most important customer is the patient.
“Pleasing these people is a must,” she says. “We often refer to these people as the ‘end-users.’”
Granado explains that a customer could be practically anyone who deals with the patients, including “those who transport the patients, serve them their meals, the folks that assist in the O.R. (operating room), and we can’t forget [that] the scrubs, [their] mops and rags are a part of their daily task.”
She adds that even “patients’ visitors who sleep over in the intensive care unit and are provided linens for their comfort” should be considered customers by those who process linens.
Granado further states that there are individual healthcare facilities monitoring the cleanliness of the workspace, and they are considered customers, too.
VALUE OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
Palmquist illustrates the value of exceptional service by comparing linen customer service to service at a restaurant. When they receive good service by restaurant staff, customers of that restaurant are more likely to return and pay more for the better experience.
Palmquist believes good service is key to customer retention. “Customers are more willing to renew contracts and continue using your services if you have good customer service. They will buy more or buy additional services, buy more often and be more apt to work with you when you try to reduce par levels or adjust delivery service.”
Part of Palmquist’s job description is to “cultivate relationships,” and she says it’s worth doing so because “that one relationship may be the one bond that means you keep the business over your competition.”
Providing good customer service is a great way to develop a solid reputation in the industry. This often means staying true to your word, which will help develop trust with your customers.
Palmquist says she’s learned through experience “never to burn a bridge” with a customer because “you never know when someone is going to show up again.”
She also finds marketing efforts are enhanced when a company provides exceptional service to clients. “Word-of-mouth advertising is the best kind of advertising you can get,” she says.
Check back Thursday for the conclusion!
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