How to Think About Getting New Patients...

Hi this is Will Fishkin and I wanted to talk to you about an experience that I'm sure we've all had. As a Chiropractor I am always offering my services in order to help other people and so in order for me to better understand that process of helping other people I'd like to go back to a time when I was the one that needed help. I think this is a good place to start so it doesn't really matter what type of help were talking about; it could be renting an apartment or buying a car or getting your car fixed. So let's just let's take for example getting your car fixed.

Now in order to be able to illustrate this example in the most clearly understood way, I want to talk about two different situations, one positive experience and one negative experience. In the case of the negative experience I'm reminded of times when I walked into a repair shop just off the street because I needed something fixed on my car but I didn't know this place I didn't know any of the people there so as I walked into the facility I experienced some strange feelings of unfamiliarity. I walked around inside the office looking for somebody to help me and there was no one to be found. I called out hoping that somebody would hear me to give me the help that I came for. After a few minutes which seemed like a really long time someone finally came he said may I help you. I explained what it was that I needed, in the service person gave me a quick rundown of what might be involved brought out some forms for me to fill out ask me to sign the bottom line and then preceded to tell me that OK just leave your car and will check it out an will give you a call let you know. So I walked out of the garage without my car not knowing how much it was going to cost not feeling very friendly about the whole situation and frankly I had this weird feeling in my stomach did something was not going to go right.

Let's talk about a positive experience. I have a problem with my car and I need to go to a place to get it fixed. So instead of just randomly going somewhere I ask good friend of mine hey where do you get your car fixed? My friend tells me oh go to Precision Auto Service and he gives me the address and he says speak to George and tell him I sent you. When I walk into Precision Auto Service the first thing that I notice is that there's somebody right there behind the counter with a smile on their face with a very welcoming look. And before I could even say “could I speak to George”? this person behind the counter says oh you must be Will! I said yeah that's me and my friend Jeff sent me over and said I should ask for George and this person who hadn't even introduced himself says “oh I'm George I was waiting for you” Welcome to my business! Then he preceded to ask me “So how do you know Jeff?
George and I talked for a couple of minutes about how I know Jeff and all that kind of stuff and then George asked me “So what do you do for a living?” I said I'm a Chiropractor he goes oh cool well I'm a mechanic so I can help you and you can help me.

Do you understand the difference? To feel a difference in the two experiences of the same person going into two different garages to get his car repaired. I definitely did. What I noticed was how welcomed I felt when I went into the precision auto service garage and how lonely I felt but I went into the other garage where I didn't know anybody I also noticed how there was somebody there at precision auto service ready and waiting to greet me. I also notice that George seemed genuinely interested in me asked some questions about me and what I did.

So what would you say is the core difference between those two experiences?

I would say the core difference is that with Precision Auto Service I was referred to that business. I was referred to a specific person. I was greeted when I came into the business, George talked to me like a friend and asked me questions about myself.  In short George started to build a relationship with me. George started to establish a level of trust with me. George made me feel at ease. 

This seems very simple but it's very easy to not pay attention to these details. The important thing is to make sure you put yourself in the position of the customer. Customers that are referred to other businesses, are great customers.