Developing and strengthening relationships with your patients is one of the most important aspects of a successful business. Customer engagement involves using a variety of channels — social media, web chats, and marketing campaigns, for instance — to build relationships and trust with patients and also foster brand awareness and loyalty. “Most companies must realize that they are no longer competing against the guy down the street or the brand that sells similar products,” said Dan Hingis’s, an author and customer-experience expert. “Instead, they’re competing with every other experience a customer has. This presents an opportunity for forward-thinking brands to create positive experiences that customers want to talk about to others.”
Making sure your patients have a great experience with your practice — from start to finish — is critical. Getting to know your patients on a deep, personal level is rewarding for many reasons, not the least of which is that building trusting relationships increases loyalty. Engagement improves patients’ experiences and also encourages their feedback and insight, which, in turn, helps you model and tweak your practice’s patient experience.
Engaging with customers should be fun, energetic, and creative!
Let’s take a look at some various ways your practice can engage with patients and customers online:
Social media
The benefits of engaging with patients through social media platforms cannot be overstated. In fact, studies show that 79 percent of customers expect social-media responses from businesses within 24 hours. Facebook allows the option to poll followers for feedback and ideas, which can prove invaluable for social-media marketing ideas and strategies. Engaging with current and prospective patients in comments — getting to know them and building authentic relationships with them — builds trust and sets your brand apart from the competition. Post photos and fun stories to Instagram. And if you have a younger following, start a TikTok page!
Webchat
Many people will develop their first impression of your practice before ever stepping foot through the door. More often than not, your online presence will give them their first impression. During a time when information is literally at our fingertips, people want answers to their questions, and they want them to be delivered quickly and conveniently. Research suggests that businesses that don’t use live web chat are missing an opportunity to drive sales, create trust, and build customer loyalty. Potential patients like the reassurance of knowing live web chat is available for near-immediate assistance, and offering the service shows your practice is committed to customer service and satisfaction.
Customer engagement includes every way you interact with your patients, both in-office and online. Strong, efficient customer engagement makes a practice stand out. It attracts new patients and retains existing ones. Some of the best marketing and advertising for your practice is word-of-mouth. Providing a positive experience for your patients — from the time they find you online until their treatment is complete — is crucial to help grow your business. Customer engagement gives something meaningful to your patients and turns them into advocates for you and your practice. They, then, will recommend you to others, helping to grow your business, brand, and reputation.
