Archive for April, 2011
Tips on How to Respond to Bad Patient Reviews Online
Apr 26th
There are now over a dozen highly-active websites that allow your patients to post positive and negative reviews about their experience. Even when your staff has done everything they can to make sure the patient experience is a positive one, there will still be patients who will have complaints and won’t be shy about sharing their views online. Low ratings and negative comments can hurt your practice’s image and your credibility — even if they are not based on truth. As a professional in this industry, it’s important that you have a plan for handling negative reviews online.
Use these tips to respond to bad online reviews:
Respond to the Comments When Possible
Some sites allow the doctor or a staff member to address the comments posted under their practice. Find out if this is possible, and compose a professional response that addresses the matter. You don’t have to “fix” the problem publicly, but you can make a statement that shows this is not common practice at your office and that the issue has since been rectified.
Use the Comments and Ratings as Feedback
If a patient has pointed out something that you were unaware of, make sure you address it at your next staff meeting and are able to identify what the real problem is. Sometimes negative reviews can make you more aware of something that you may have overlooked. Whether you need to improve customer service or train certain staff members, look at negative reviews and comments as a prompt to improve your business.
Let It Go
Some reviews are simply posted to vent anger and frustration. They may not have any factual basis and may even be posted by a competitor in an effort to bring down your business. If you honestly can’t address the root problem or pinpoint exactly what the commenter is talking about, it may be wiser to just let it go.
Remember that you can always encourage satisfied patients to post reviews on the same site. This can help to reduce the impact of any negative comments and ensures new patients have a more accurate view of what your practice stands for. For example, if you subscribe to a referral directory service such as www.LocateADoc.com, encourage satisfied patients to post recommendations online.
Contact a PracticeDock specialist to learn more about ways to market your practice effectively.
Related posts you may be interested in:
Mojo Interactive Makes WorldBlu’s 2011 List of Most Democratic Workplaces
Apr 19th
Mojo Interactive, the creator the PracticeDock.com’s suite of products, has been named one of WorldBlu’s “Most Democratic Workplaces” for 2011.
Mojo Interactive is one of only 52 organizations in the world that were chosen for inclusion for this award, joining the ranks of companies including Groupon, Zappos and Hulu.
Glen Lubbert, Chief Imaginaut and CEO of Mojo Interactive states, “We are excited and proud to be listed as part of the WorldBlu group. A democratic organization drives a more intrinsic motivated workforce, which increases efficiency, drives productivity, and makes for a happier, balanced team. Both in values and key business metrics, practicing collaborative democracy in the workplace gives us our mojo.”
The WorldBlu list recognizes and honors organizations that meet ten principles of standards of organizational democracy, including accountability and transparency. Employees of each organization complete a survey to evaluate their organization’s practice of instilling and abiding by certain democratic principles, including leadership, integrity and dialogue.
Traci Fenton, CEO and founder of WorldBlu.com says, “Mojo Interactive exemplifies this type of organization both inside and out, from their internal operations to the product they sell that promotes the democratic model to their customers.”
PracticeDock.com is a virtual marketing hub designed to identify prospects and provides a suite of tools for physicians to connect with and engage leads. The PracticeDock suite of products offers a cost-effective solution for doctors who want to market their services and attract quality prospects. Solutions include the lead generation directory LocateADoc.com, phone tracking, pay-per-click (PPC) marketing, content management systems and a search engine optimization (SEO) tuner.
The WorldBlu List of Most Democratic Workplaces 2011 includes organizations from a diversity of industries including aerospace, technology, manufacturing, healthcare, telecommunications, retail, services and energy. Public, private, not for profit and educational institutions are all included on this list.
Effective In-Office Marketing Strategies for Your Medical Practice
Apr 13th
Today’s medical professionals can attract and maintain clients with several effective online and offline marketing strategies.
Whether you’re tapping into the online sphere by listing your practice on a doctor directory or reaching out to your existing client base with a direct marketing campaign, there are several ways to keep your customers engaged and interested in what you have to offer, and also continue attracting new business.
Another effective way to boost business is by using some in-office marketing strategies. When patients visit your office for the first time or call to inquire about your services, you can present them with several options and even promote some of your services and benefits.
Types of In-Office Marketing Strategies
Some of the most effective in-office marketing strategies for medical professionals include:
Creative On-Hold Messages
When a patient is put on hold during a phone call, you can play a pre-scripted message that provides useful information about your practice. This script can include any awards or accolades the practice has received, highlights of new services, and can also outline some of the benefits available to patients at the practice.
Exceptional Customer Service Over the Phone
Make sure your support staff is well-trained to handle all types of calls and inquiries, and that they are comfortable with suggesting services or asking the patient to come in for an appointment. Delivering exceptional customer service can help you retain more patients consistently.
Educational Videos
Let patients learn more about the services that your practice is most popular for when they are sitting in the waiting area. Creating a high-quality, professional video that showcases some of your key services or highlights the staff and practice can keep your patients interested and also give them ideas for future services.
Social Media
Many of your patients are avid smart phone users. Encourage patients to “check in” on social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare so that they can share information about your medical practice. You can also offer special promotions for these social media users.
Some patients may be comfortable tweeting or posting a status update about their visit, talking about a new treatment or linking to your blog. You can also encourage patients to subscribe to an email newsletter or your blog feed while they wait.
Brochures or Magazines in the Lobby
Maintain a small library of current information on your core services so that current and prospective patients can learn more. Offer complimentary guides or magazines to certain patients, and keep a stack of brochures and other marketing materials from the companies and manufacturers you work with.
In-office marketing strategies can help you attract and maintain more clients over the course of the year. Consider adding some of the above strategies to your marketing plan, and you may be able to attract more clients in a whole new way.
Contact a PracticeDock specialist to learn more about ways to market your practice effectively.
The Legal Ramifications of Posting Fake or Paid Reviews Online
Apr 7th
As more medical practices, plastic surgery centers and dentists join online directory listing sites to promote their business, it’s important to consider the legal ramifications of posting false reviews or paid reviews about your business online.
Dozens of listing sites now give users a chance to “rate” the business or service provider based on their experience, and also write brief reviews or testimonials.
Positive reviews and testimonials about your practice and services can help you generate more business and establish trust with prospective patients.
Unfortunately, some business owners take advantage of these services by posting fake reviews or paying people to post reviews on various sites. Is this legal?
Here’s a closer look at this trend:
FTC Guidelines About Posting Reviews and Testimonials
The FTC has created the following guidelines for reviews, blog posts and any form of online publishing such as articles:
- All endorsements or testimonials must be truthful and not misleading in any way
- If there’s a connection between the endorser and the company that would affect how people evaluate the endorsement, the relationship must be disclosed
- Even paid endorsements are considered to be deceptive if they make false or misleading claims
If the FTC or other consumer interest groups finds that your practice has been posting fake reviews online, or that you are paying someone to write reviews about your business without indicating that they are being compensated for the activity, you could face a hefty fine and end up losing credibility.
The Bottom Line
It is illegal to post fake reviews about your practice or business online, and you cannot pay someone to post a review unless they indicate that their response is actually an endorsement. So what’s the best strategy for medical practice managers, doctors and dentists?
Ask your loyal customers and satisfied clients to post testimonials on sites you recommend, and don’t pressure them into writing a review in any way. Reviews posted online must be genuine and authentic.
Take the time to market your services responsibility, ethically and honestly, and invite satisfied clients to post positive testimonials if they wish to do so.
Contact a PracticeDock specialist today to learn about some of the most effective patient marketing methods online.
Related posts you may be interested in:
- Free Tools for Monitoring Your Practice’s Brand Reputation Online
- How to Handle Negative Reviews About Your Practice Online
- Need Help Marketing Your Medical Practice Online?
- 3 Simple Ways to Build Your Practice’s Social Media Presence
- Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Doctor Directory Listing
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