Becoming Consumer-Centric

James Nick

Chief Revenue Offi cer

If I were to ask you to think of some companies that have exceeded your expectations, which ones come to mind? For me it would be the likes of Amazon, Uber, and Netfl ix. Each of these companies has seen phenomenal growth over the last several years, but even more importantly, they have changed the marketplace and expectations for all of us. And, more than anything else, the one thing they all share in common is a steadfast and intense focus on you (the consumer). They know things about you from your previous interactions with them and they use that to their advantage. They also use that to design the experience they give you… that is, they design it around you. They put the consumer in the middle of everything they do. companies that have exceeded your expectations, which ones come to mind? For me it would be the likes of Amazon, Uber, and Netfl ix. Each of these companies has seen phenomenal growth over the last several years, but even

A key distinction in this is that they make it easier for their customers, they do not necessarily make things easier for themselves. For example, if a company wanted to remove complexity for a customer, they might have to introduce more complexity for their internal workfl ow. they do not necessarily make things easier for themselves. For example, if a company wanted to remove complexity for a customer, they might have to introduce more complexity

This is part of the concept of consumerism that we have talked about extensively… seeing everything from the viewpoint of the customer. These companies that have harnessed the concept of consumerism to grow, have now conditioned all of us to expect easy, on-demand, and services tailored to each individual. This means we all need to step up our game, because healthcare is no longer immune from this expectation.

Due to this new world, DCA has set out on a journey to become truly consumer-centric. We deliberately think of prospective patients as consumers. Consumers have choice, and they have information. This is what the proliferation of Google reviews and WebMD (in our industry) and Amazon, Uber, and Netfl ix (in the broader market) have created. Consider the following statistics: 80% of patients say they’d switch healthcare providers for convenience factors alone (NRC Health, 2019)

Emotionally-engaged consumers spend up to 2X on brands to which they are loyal (Capgemini, 2017)

To learn more about this, we engaged with a market research fi rm (WD Partners) to conduct some research on our behalf. Our goal in this initiative was to determine what consumers were looking for in dental offi ces, and help structure and position our brands to meet those goals. While we are nearing the end of the initiative and look forward to receiving the fi ndings at the end of 2019, I wanted to share with you some early themes that came from patients (see graphic below).

The sentiments may not be a surprise to you, but the intensity behind these themes was compelling. As the initial phase of this important work comes to a close, we look forward to sharing more information and enhancing the consumercentric experience within all of our offi ces to exceed expectations and keep patients coming back.

WORRY- FREE

Explicit and implicit communications helped calm concerns and remove unwanted surprises.

Providing pricing transparency was pivotal in cementing long-term relationships, however, extremely rare.

HASSLE- FREE

Maintaining an efficient schedule with little to no wait was a quick way to consumers’ hearts.

PRESSURE- FREE

5

6

Consultation involving questions, active listening, and education reinforced customers as more than “just a number.”

Friendly conversation and nonverbal cues like smiles and handshakes went far to establish rapport.

PAIN-FREE

7

At a bare minimum, consumers looked to care providers to deliver empathy and respect their position of vulnerability.