Posted on 06/09/2017 - 1:58 PM by Janelle Lerza
Having worked in customer service for over 10 years, I have experienced the good, bad, and ugly when dealing with customers. I put all of that experience to work and recently earned my Customer Service Manager-Advanced Certification through the Customer Service Institute of America. Not only did I gain the credential, but it formally taught me all the different aspects of customer service.
Good customer service is extremely important in all professions. As this applies to Healthcare and Case Management, the customers are the patients, their families, and the communities that are served.
Good customer service starts with the team that is behind it. If the culture is healthy, other factors such as outstanding customer service and the building of a long-term brand will happen naturally. Teamwork is important in the workplace as it brings people together from different backgrounds and levels of experience. A team plagued by unhappiness and negativity will yield unhappy patients and negative experiences, affecting the company’s overall performance and customer retention.
Teamwork in case management is vitally important to patient treatment, care, and safety. The better the members of a healthcare team are able to work together, the better they are able to provide the best quality patient care possible. When case managers function as part of a unit, and when they act as part of a team, the job itself is easier and more efficient.
So how do you create a great team? I can share one example that I have learned from working at CCMC: they have adopted a set of core values that all employees are expected to adhere to, including senior leadership! Values like transparency, respect, expertise, and customer service all serve as a reminder of the company culture and customer-focused mindset. Companies should hire, train, and motivate employees based on those core values and everything will fall into place. An empowered team—where employees have specific responsibilities and feel that they are making a contribution—will soon translate to customer satisfaction.
Part of what makes a strong team is the value that is placed on training that can empower employees to be great. If you work as a case manager, I strongly encourage you to take a look at how you are providing customer service and are you and your coworkers working as a team.