| Have you ever arrived for an appointment at the | | | | And that's the crux of this newsletter... you could |
| correct time only to be told the person you | | | | be losing hundreds and even thousands of dollars |
| seeing is running late? | | | | a year in lost revenue in your business because |
| I'm sure that has happened to you on many | | | | of how your business is run. Dissatisfied clients |
| occasions. In the story I'm about to relay to you, | | | | won't always tell you, they'll just take their |
| this incident happened to one of my clients | | | | business elsewhere. Situations like this one can |
| recently. | | | | easily be avoided. |
| My client and his wife arrived to see this health | | | | Unfortunately in many businesses, the business |
| professional at the appointed time. The | | | | owner is the technician. They do what they're |
| receptionist had even confirmed the time the day | | | | good at i.e. accounting, fixing computers, helping |
| before. On arrival at the health clinic there were | | | | people get well or whatever. They have no |
| told the practitioner was running 30 minutes late. | | | | concept of how to run a business of what they |
| The reason being that the first appointment for | | | | do. |
| the day had arrived late due to heavy traffic so | | | | In business today you need far more than your |
| consequently every other appointment was set | | | | technical skills to not only survive but thrive in |
| back. | | | | business. You need to be good at strategic |
| Unfortunately no-one at the clinic had the initiative | | | | planning, marketing, managing people, managing |
| to contact any of the clients to say there would | | | | money, systems and procedures and customer |
| be a 30 minute delay. My client was fuming. Being | | | | service. You cannot do all these successfully on |
| 5 minutes late was not too long to wait, but 30 | | | | your own.... and that's why business owners get |
| minutes? How would you feel? They felt so | | | | coached. |
| strongly that they told the receptionist exactly | | | | A good coach will provide you with: |
| how they felt and why hadn't they phoned them. | | | | Accountability and urgency |
| John told her they would not stay and that they | | | | Objectivity/truth-telling |
| would be taking their business elsewhere. | | | | Clarity and focus |
| There's a few messages in this story: | | | | Valuable contacts |
| 1. Whoever was in charge of that practice should | | | | A shortened timeframe of learning (saving you |
| have a rule that anyone being more than 10 | | | | time, money and stress) |
| minutes late for an appointment will have to | | | | Sounding board for ideas |
| reschedule. | | | | A fresh set of eyes |
| 2. If a client is scheduled for say a 45 minute | | | | Motivation |
| appointment and they arrive 30 minutes late, then | | | | They also have experience and knowledge and |
| they are only seen for the scheduled time. | | | | clients they have worked with who are living |
| 3. The receptionist should be trained by the | | | | testimony to the benefits of their coaching. |
| business owner or manager to contact people if | | | | Also you will require a range of coaches to assist |
| appointments are running more that 10 minutes | | | | you as there is no one person who has all the |
| late. | | | | answers. However, whatever you do make sure |
| 4. Take the initiative yourself and ring the person | | | | you get coached by people who are experienced |
| you are going to see to check if they will be on | | | | in the areas you need. For instance, don't expect |
| time. | | | | your accountant to provide you coaching on how |
| This same scenario happened to me a few | | | | to get yourself organised and manage your |
| weeks ago. I arrived at the naturopath's clinic on | | | | business effectively when their expertise is on |
| time and the receptionist (who obviously has | | | | financial management. |
| never had any training for her role) announced | | | | The Final Word |
| that the practitioner was running 20 minutes late | | | | What can you do differently to ensure you're on |
| and seemed to think that was ok. I then informed | | | | time for all your appointments? Being late sends |
| her that she should have rung me as my time is | | | | out many messages... you're disorganised, sloppy |
| also valuable. | | | | and unprofessional. When you can count on |
| Although this practitioner seems to know what | | | | someone who is consistently on time the opposite |
| she's doing (and came highly referred by a | | | | message is conveyed. Just by being punctual |
| respected source in that industry), I would not | | | | makes you stand out from the crowd. |
| hesitate going somewhere else if I come across a | | | | Have a great week! |
| better alternative as this is not the first time I | | | | Lorraine |
| have been unhappy with the level of service | | | | Australia's No. |
| provided at this clinic. | | | | |