By Kate Bradley

Think about the last time you went to a really great restaurant. Every detail, from the friendly greeting to the attentive waitstaff who anticipated your needs, made you feel like the most important person in the room.

This is an experience that Dr. Michelle Wendling knows well.

A self-described foodie, Dr. Wendling recalls the exceptional experience she had at a Michelin-starred restaurant. “I took pictures of the food, of the waiters, all the things,” she says. “And I told everyone. It is absolutely the most amazing restaurant.”

This experience inspired Dr. Wendling to shape the patient experience she offers in her clinic. “When you leave, you’re going to remember the experience for a very long time,” she says.

Dr. Wendling is no stranger to providing a great patient experience. She owned a 100% referral-based chiropractic office in Denver, Colorado for over 15 years, while being president of Women Chiropractors (WDC) — a non-profit organization dedicated to connecting and educating women chiropractors globally.

Dr. Wendling also founded Be the Best Chiropractor, a consulting and coaching company where she works with clinic owners to help them create a thriving practice while loving what they do.

In our webinar Kick A$$ Customer Service: Create a Stellar Patient Experience, Dr. Wendling talks to Ali Taylor, Jane’s Co-Founder and Co-CEO, about how to provide an exceptional patient experience — and why it matters. Stellar customer service, she emphasizes, “has always been a really big deal to me.”

Why a stellar patient experience matters

By creating a memorable patient experience, your clinic can benefit from the same positive word of mouth as that exceptional Michelin-starred meal. When your patients feel appreciated, they’ll be more inspired to give your business buzz through online reviews, social media mentions, and referrals.

And of course — your patients will keep coming back. “When people enjoy something, they release serotonin and dopamine,” Dr. Wendling points out. “They’re not going anywhere else because they love that experience.”

Another upside? Once you develop a reputation for providing a memorable experience, you may find that you’re able to charge more for your services. Dr. Wendling has learned that “when you have a stellar experience, and everyone knows you have a stellar experience, they expect to pay more for that.”

How to bring an elevated patient experience to life

Let’s take a look at Dr. Wendling’s top tips — and how you can apply her advice to your clinic.

Get clear on the patient experience you want to create

To start creating a memorable experience, Dr. Wendling suggests getting crystal clear on what kind of impression you want your patients to have when they walk into your office. “Close your eyes and [ask yourself], ‘What is the experience that I’m creating right now in my office, and how could I possibly improve on that a little bit?’” she says.

When you’re ready to narrow down your vision, Dr. Wendling recommends thinking of three words that describe how you want your patients to feel when they walk into your office. “Do you want them to experience being relaxed, taken care of, listened to? Do you want them to feel like they’re part of a family or celebrated?”

At the end of the day, be authentic when you’re deciding what you want to create. Staying true to your vision will help you attract the customers who are the best fit for your clinic. As Dr. Wendling says, “It doesn’t do any good to build someone else’s practice.”

Dr. Wendling has done her research on what makes people feel good and how that can apply to patient satisfaction. “I kind of geek out on sociology and the study of happiness and what stimulates people to feel good,” she says. She shares a few things she’s learned:

People like to know what to expect

“Studies show that people will take an unpleasant known experience over an unknown experience every single time,” Dr. Wendling says.

To help your patients feel at ease, provide clear direction throughout their time at your clinic. When a patient enters your clinic, guide them through the flow of your office. Greet them warmly and provide clear instructions on how and where to fill out their paperwork, where to wait, and what will happen next.

If you don’t have a front desk staff, Dr. Wendling suggests leaving a warm, detailed note that welcomes your patient to the clinic and lets them know what to expect next.

You can also take advantage of confirmation or reminder notifications that you send to a patient before an appointment. Use these communications to include important information about things like parking instructions or check-in information, so your patients know what to expect before even entering the building.

People like to be guided, but not directed

Dr. Wendling has found that patients will have a better experience if they don’t have to make decisions — but people also don’t like to be told what to do.

She solves this dilemma by using the word “let’s” often. “Let’s add some acupuncture treatment next time,” she might say. This word helps patients to feel like you’re in it together and a part of a team.

Dr. Wendling uses this tactic when asking patients to return for a follow-up visit. Combining “let’s” with something that is important to your patient makes them eager to return for their next appointment. For example: “Let’s get you scheduled so your back doesn’t spasm and you can get on that cruise ship with no worries.”

When it comes to providing patients with guidance on their future care, Dr. Wendling stresses that you shouldn’t be afraid to ask patients to book multiple appointments at once. “They want to see you because you’re good at what you do. Your patients are seeing you because they like you.”

People will notice what you set the stage for them to notice

“I always said to every patient, when you get up off the table, you’re going to feel lighter and looser,” Dr. Wendling recalls. “The minute people got off the table, they go ‘It’s weird. I feel lighter and looser.’”

She’s learned that patients will notice what they’re told to notice. If she were, for example, to tell a patient that they’d feel a bit dizzy when they got off the table, she’s found that this would likely be their experience.

This can also work when a patient returns for a follow-up visit. “If the question you’re asking your patients is ‘What hurts? What’s wrong?’, those are the questions patients are focusing on,” Dr. Wendling says. “I challenge you to ask the question: ‘What’s better?’”

People want to know how much you care

“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,” says Dr. Wendling. Understanding your patients and showing them how you appreciate them goes a long way to creating that stellar patient experience.

For that first step to show you care, Dr. Wendling suggests sending a thank you card to your patient after their first visit — hand-written and non-branded for that extra personal touch.

It also makes a difference to make note of conversation pieces and special days so that you’re able to ask about a patient’s recent vacation or wish them a happy anniversary.

And when you can, book a patient’s next appointment for them as opposed to leaving it in their court. “The more you take off your patient’s plate, the better,” Dr. Wendling says.

Finally, don’t forget to tell your patients how much you care. When you tell your patients that you appreciate them and look forward to seeing them, you end their whole experience on a personal, healing note. For Dr. Wendling, that looks like saying, “You always make me smile when you come in. I’ll see you next week.”

A stellar patient experience helps you too

When you focus on creating an excellent patient experience, you’re not just having friendly conversations. You’re creating a positive environment where patients feel supported and look forward to their next visit.

Creating an environment centered around the best customer experience will pay off for you and your co-workers, too. “It’s a lot more fun having an office full of happy customers than it is to have an office full of not happy customers,” Dr. Wendling says.

And on top of that? When you prioritize quality of care, there are major benefits to your business.

We think Dr. Wendling sums it up best: “Practice the way you want to practice, make the profit you want to make, and have patients that you love and love you back.”

Want more tips on providing a stellar patient experience? 🙌🏽

If you’re craving more expert insights like Dr. Wendling’s, we’ve got your back with Front Desk magazine — our biannual publication dedicated to helping you succeed in your clinic.

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