The long-term effect of your practice is your ability to affect each patient. But getting to that point may depend on the results of short-term attitudes formed by each patient's first contact with your practice.

First contact, in most practices, is with the patient care coordinator and/or receptionist. They interact with patients or prospects on the phone by answering questions or making appointments. They also are the ones to make first impressions in person by greeting the patients when they arrive for their appointment. At that point, they have been not only the first but also the only contact the patient or prospect has had with your practice.

While they don't offer professional services, first contacts can have a significant effect on the success of a practice that offers those services. When filling this position, many companies look for low-paid employees and often hire based on criteria that place little importance on relationship skills. Unfortunately, these employees are the first contact and set the tone for all future discussions for that company.

All companies usually say that it's their people that set them apart. In reality, it's their "friendly" people that set them apart. People much prefer interacting with friends even when all else is not quite equal-and memorable customer service is achieved through employees who are positive, smiling, sincere, friendly, and able to build rapport.

A company first achieves these attributes by hiring the right people in the right positions to do the right things. In many cases, however, even the right people need to learn the many skills necessary to create right impressions for customer loyalty. We must be prepared to train people in the appropriate skills and develop their effectiveness.

Refining your hiring and training practices can ensure each employee is representing your practice and affecting each patient in a positive way. For example, what type of personality do you want to have first contact with your prospects or patients-an outgoing, friendly and talkative personality or a reserved, stern and direct personality? Both of these types of individuals may have all of the same technical and mechanical skills to do a great job, but which person would be more likely to make a great first impression?

You can train mechanical and technical skills but you cannot train personality. In the above example, the reserved, stern and direct individual would be best suited for back office duties away from the patients.

In these economic times, creating a memorable experience and customer loyalty is paramount. The resulting effect on your business can be the difference between survival and prospering. When prospects or patients contact a practice, they are in need of help. When the practice doesn't offer the expected help, the need still exists and the prospecting patient becomes angry and will seek help somewhere else. You must make sure that the first contact with your practice does not drive a prospect away to seek help elsewhere.

We often think in terms of "satisfaction" when discussing "customer service." But satisfied patients aren't necessarily loyal patients, as they may remain neutral and still shop elsewhere. You need to build loyalty in patients by providing excellence in service and memorable customer experiences.

Friendly employees are best able to build memorable perceptions and loyal patients, which offer competitive advantages in any marketplace.

Mark Moore is the founder/CEO of HearingMed and has been finding new innovative solutions for old problems for over 23 years. He owns many hearing practices throughout the country. Contact him at 888-429-1536, info@hearingmed.com.