3 Service Lessons I'm Learning In Real Time

Like many of you, I am in that stage of life where I am helping to care for an aging parent. My family and I are navigating many steps and pieces of the older adult care field, and I am gaining a whole new perspective as a daughter. Three service lessons are jumping out at me as we go through this time in our lives. They are applicable to the field of care - but also any organization that works directly with customers, human being to human being. I hope they help you. 

Communication Is Key

You'll often hear me say there are three areas of service - Process, Hospitality, and WOW! My experiences with my late husband's time in the hospital and with aging parent have me convinced that most service professionals are good people trapped in a system that doesn't work. As a caregiver (or customer of any kind) it's really frustrating to not be able to get information when you ask. Yet, it so often feels as if the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. One way you could immediately improve the service experience is to eliminate silos and start communicating. For instance: 

1. Have daily inter-departmental stand up meetings and share information so everyone is on the same page.

2. Develop your team's skills on how to put notes into your software, and give as many people as possible the ability to read those pages so more people can answer common questions and know the most up-to-date information about the customer. 

3. Shift your language from "I don't know. You need to talk to..." to "That's a great question, and the best person to answer that is Sally. Let me take you to her." 

A Smile Matters More Than You Think

As I've gone through this journey, I've been paying attention. Which front desk receptionists hide behind their computer and which ones make us feel immediately welcome with their smile and engagement. Who speaks first and who waits for me to speak before they say anything. More importantly, I'm watching the way my parent responds differently depending on how she's approached. A big smile, touching base on things that matter to the patient/customer, and making them feel cared about doesn't only make their life better - it makes your life better too. 

You may think this is common sense, but my experience shows that for some smiling, making eye contact, and engaging others in conversation is a skill that must be developed. Again, a simple fix to an inconsistent service experience. 

Take Care of Yourself and Each Other! 

Whether it's patients, residents, or general customers, anyone serving other human beings has a job that comes with both rewards and stress! Yet you show up every single day! If you want to show up at your best, you've got to make sure you're continually refilling up your cup! Here are some ideas: 

- Offer classes for your team in Restorative Yoga. Honestly, it's been a God-send for me!!

- Share funny and uplifting stories with each other. Sometimes you just have to laugh.

-Encourage breaks and provide a comfortable space. 

- Get to know who works well with what patient or customer. Who clicks with whom? Know who to send it when your patient/resident/customer is being less than agreeable. 

I hope this helps. What are your best service tips? I'd love to know. 

Bonus Tip

If you are in the caring field, hug those family caregivers. They need it too. :)