Earlier today I had someone come to do work at my house. I had gotten the name through a referral partner and I already knew that the person was a good cost. My expectations were moderately high going into the visit based on both cost and the fact that he was a recommendation. After he left, I sat back and thought about the visit. I thought that he basically “met” my expectations and that was it. I was by no means disappointed, he answered all my questions, and I felt he gave me the information I was looking for and the solution I expected.
That being said, I didn’t see myself jumping up and down to refer anyone to him nor to sing his praises to the internet. Then I had the thought, “I want to exceed my patients’ treatment expectations.” Working in other offices and for other people rarely let me exceed expectations. In fact, looking back, it was part of the reason that I felt I needed to start my own practice. Maybe I hadn’t thought those exact words, but it was the feeling I was chasing. I rarely felt that I was able to “wow” patients in the other offices. Either I couldn’t use the full extent of my knowledge based on time constraints or I was required to follow certain payment options and payment plans, and specific ways to “sell” the patient on their treatment I felt they needed. All of these factors strangled my creativity and my ability to connect with the person in front of me.
I want to exceed expectations. I want my patients to come in expecting great things and then receiving not only great things, but being excited and wanting to share their experience. I want to be Instagramable. You know what I mean. Picture the last time you went to dinner at a new restaurant and your food came out and it was presented beautifully. your mouth started watering and you thought, “I NEED to share this moment with everyone I know right now!”
That is the reaction I want. I want you to leave my office and think, “I need to share this experience with EVERYONE!”
I don’t have any pre-fabricated treatment plans before you come into the office. I don’t have a certain treatment protocol for each injury and I don’t have any kind of guarantee of a wellness plan. I want your concerns to be my concerns and I want your goals to be my goals. I want you to tell me your expectations and I want to be able to exceed them. If I personally cannot exceed your expectations, I want to help you find the place where those expectations are exceeded.
Please don’t hesitate to call or email to get answers to your questions.
As always, keep moving.
Dr Cate