Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2020 - 63

Staff Report

If you were entering a fine Italian restaurant,
you wouldn't want to hear the local rap radio
station playing.
4. Make sure it has a weenie! One day when
Walt came home from work, he realized how
easy it was to lead his dog, Lady, anywhere
he wanted her to go with a " weenie. " So he
thought, if a juicy piece of meat can motivate
and direct a dog, what if a different kind
of weenie could help guests reach specific
destinations within Disneyland? The original theme park weenie was the Main Street
train station, and to this day, it serves as an
enticement to draw guests into the park.
Since the very first time Walt described this
idea to the Imagineers who helped create
Disneyland, weenies have been planned as
the central features of all Disney theme parks
as ways to lead guests through their magical
adventures.
Personal Connection
5. Ask an employee to greet patients as they
arrive. Don't just say " hello " ; engage them,
ask if they need assistance, guide them to the
proper department or appropriate service line
or communicate specials. Have you ever had
the experience of standing in line for 10 minutes or more and finding out you are in the
wrong line? A greeter should not be viewed as
an added expense but rather as someone who
is setting the stage for an exceptional patient
experience.
6. Provide name badges that create engagement. All cast members (Disney's term for
employees) at Walt Disney World wear name
badges with their hometowns printed under
their first names. This tradition encourages
dialog or absorption. It may even create a
connection if the guest is from the same town
or region, and he or she may even know the
same people or local landmarks.
7. Avoid telling customers " No! " Try to get to
" Yes, " and solve a customer's problem whenever possible.

Fall 2020 PCSO Bulletin

8. Give something away: candy for children, a
free lottery ticket on large sales, or free coffee,
popcorn, or cookies. Always use this practice
as a way to further engage with customers.
Here is an example: " If your lottery ticket is a
big winner, I hope you will come back and buy
me a latte from Starbucks! "
9. Avoid clichés and " same old " phrases; look for
ways to increase your level of engagement.
Don't just say, " Have a nice day. " Think of
something your patient purchased and make
a sincere comment such as, " I just love that
brand of shoes. I have several pairs. My father
was a shoemaker, and we always treated our
shoes with silicone spray or a fresh coat of polish before we wore them. It made them last
a lot longer. Next time you're in, let me know
how you liked your shoes. "
10. Stay calm; don't let the " ankle biters " get
to you. If you had $86,400 in your savings
account and someone took $10, would you
spend $86,390 to find the $10? Of course not!
There are 86,400 seconds in a day. Why is it
that when we have a 10-second confrontation
with a patient, a manager, a spouse, or one
of our children, we often let it ruin the next
86,390 seconds in the day?
11. Spend energy on solutions, not emotions!
Solve the patients' problems and they will love
you forever.
12. Take the initiative to solve patient problems. It
is better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for
permission.
13. Follow the Golden Rule: treat your patients
the way you would like to be treated if you
were in their shoes.
Employee Connection
14. Engage each employee at least weekly (daily is
even better). If you're not engaging employees, how can you expect them to engage the
patients? Here is an alarming statistic: more
than 50% of US workers experience periods of
longer than 30 days without any job-related
feedback!

Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2020