AskNicely has a lot of clients in the specialty medical arena and I recently met with one of our leading dental clients to talk shop and share insights. We covered a lot throughout our conversation but kept coming back to the links between patient satisfaction, the role of the clinical team, and growth.
Operational leaders are typically familiar with NPS – but may not make the direct connection between their brand’s score and business success.
NPS measures customer loyalty and satisfaction and asks: "How likely are you to recommend our service to a friend or colleague?" Respondents are categorized as promoters, passives, or detractors, and the score is derived by subtracting the percentage of detractors from the percentage of promoters.
When looking at AskNicely customers our data shows that NPS is particularly high in the dental and dermatology industries, likely due to their similarities as medical practices geared more at prevention and quality of life than emergency needs. The average provider in dental or dermatology scores in the low 70s and top providers achieve scores over 85. Research shows that every 7-point increase in NPS can yield a 1% uplift in revenue, according research from to the London School of Economics. So if teams can drive an improvement in patient experience, increasing NPS, then their day-to-day interactions can have a real impact on the bottom line.
Notably, the brands I’m referencing are all AskNicely customers, and their investment in the right tools to improve suggests they are already pretty committed to great CX. Considering that 72% of patients consult online reviews when choosing a provider, you can’t afford to undervalue the power of these scores.
Customer satisfaction in dental and dermatology practices hinges on several factors, but consistent across all providers the number one factor driving NPS is the clinician themselves. Using AI to parse through data from numerous providers and hundreds of practices, we determined that the top two of three satisfaction drivers lie with the doctors, physician assistants, and hygienists.
Too often, I hear that clinicians leave much of the patient experience and communication up to their office staff. They assume they have no responsibility beyond the clinical standard of care. But the reality is that clinical care is the bare minimum that patients expect.
In fact, as non-experts, patients assume their clinical team is doing the right things from a medical perspective and are judging the rest of their overall experience on the softer side of medicine. Clinical teams that forget to create a personal connection may accidentally give their competitors a leg up. After all, patients are human and want to be treated with care and kindness.
Improving CX through insights from NPS and customer feedback doesn’t need to be complicated, but it does need to be a consistent part of your practice’s operating rhythm. That’s why it’s a great idea to come up with an NPS action plan.
Knowing where you stand with patients and seeking to improve daily is the foundation. Closing the loop with customers and empowering every member of your team to act on customer feedback is where the magic happens.
Tracking and continuously improving NPS across your entire team is essential for driving customer satisfaction and revenue growth in dental and dermatology practices. By focusing on clinician friendliness, punctuality, transparency, and clear communication about finances, providers can create positive experiences that foster loyalty and promote business growth.
Investing in customer experience is not just about making patients happy—it's a strategic move that can yield tangible financial benefits. Here’s to elevating patient experience!
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