From phone support to counselor training and the importance of a successful post-op day, take these quick and easy tips and statistics to improve your practice today!

1.  Less that four percent of practices use a caller’s name on the phone. Make it personal.

2.  Thirty-four percent of callers who hang up don’t call back. Don’t risk losing valuable refractive leads by sending callers to voicemail.

3.  Forty-five percent of LASIK consumers don’t book their appointment at the first place they call. Roll out a red carpet experience for your patients at the beginning, to avoid losing potential revenue.

4.  Forty percent of patients that had a procedure couldn’t remember the surgeon or practice. Make memorable experiences.

5.  Sixty percent of refractive calls were rated poorly in the area of qualifying the needs and interests of the caller. Practice active listening!

6.  Seventy-three percent of consumers claim they have spent more with a company because of great customer service. Whether or not you want to believe it, you are in the business of customer service, so make it count.

7.  The repercussions of bad customer service hurt. Fifty-two percent of unhappy customers told friends and family. Thirty-two percent said they will cease doing business with the company altogether.

8.  Thirty-nine percent of employees feel under appreciated at work, with seventy-seven percent reporting that they would work harder if they felt better recognized. Building workplace morale can make a huge difference.

9.  Patient referrals should be a minimum of forty-four percent. Improve patient experience to increase word of mouth referrals.

10.  Secret shop your own practice to ensure a quality experience.

11.  Seventy-six percent of men and women stated that they had more trust in a business and considered the company more professional, when their employees wore name badges. Does your practice use them?

12.  Eighty percent of leads require five follow-ups before converting. Set up a follow-up protocol to maximize results.

13.  Don’t be scared to ask. Ninety-one percent of customers say they’d give referrals. Only eleven percent of salespeople ask for referrals.

14.  Answer the phone with a smile. On the phone, tone is eighty-six percent of our communication. The words we actually use are only fourteen percent of our communication.

15.  Twenty-three percent of patients who don’t receive a reminder call don’t show up. Seventeen percent of patients no show when an automated reminder call is made. That number goes down to thirteen and one-half percent when a live reminder call is made.

16.  Forty-one percent of people said social media would affect their choice of a specific doctor, hospital or medical facility.

17.  Forty-five percent of consumers looking for local services search on mobile first. Is your website optimized for mobile?

18.  Online reputation is important. Respond to all positive and negative reviews with a tailored customer service approach.

19.  The rate of converting an online lead drops by fifty percent if not responded to within an hour. Are you missing out?

20.  Fifty-three percent of local businesses only optimize their search campaigns one time per campaign. Measure and monitor your progress consistently to get the best results.

21.  Get discovered! People who are retargeted with display ads are seventy percent more likely to convert.

22.  Thirty-eight percent of people will stop engaging with a website, if the content or layout is unattractive. How does your website stack up?

23.  Follow the five second rule! Make website navigation easy on your practice website, so all patients can find what they need in five seconds.

24.  The best times to email lead prospects are 8 AM and 3 PM.

25.  Subject lines in emails with more than three words experience a drop in open rate by over sixty percent. Make your message count!