Apr 30 / 2022
Patient loyalty is regarded as the ultimate priority for successful healthcare marketing. With the plethora of options available, all it takes is one bad experience for the patient to find another healthcare provider. Hence, institutions need to focus on customer loyalty while charting out their marketing strategies. We are a content marketing agency and SEO company in Chennai that has been helping with healthcare content marketing for leading healthcare providers.
Why Focus on Customer Loyalty?
In this era of free information, people have many options. In the healthcare industry, while the patients do have many choices, most choose the best hospitals for treatment. Hence, having a good reputation helps.
When the patients are loyal to a healthcare provider, they are also more understanding. People who are already acquainted with a brand are more likely to understand the unintentional mix-ups or errors when compared to new patients.
Patient loyalty and satisfaction also mean more customers. Your loyal patients would contribute towards word-of-mouth marketing for you and this in turn increases the patient volume.
Also Read: Types of Healthcare Content That Can Increase Patient Volume
Loyalty Building Techniques for Healthcare Marketing
Healthcare is a volatile field and it is hard to retain patient volume. In case of medical emergencies, people tend to find the nearest hospital rather than take the time to find the best one. But when they do have a choice, most patients choose an institution that they trust.
Some common causes which make people switch healthcare providers are insurance acceptance, quality of care provided, location of the hospital and more. It helps to keep these in mind while creating the marketing strategy for your brand. Here are some loyalty-building techniques which might help maintain your patient volume.
● Quality Creates Impression
Most patients who stick with a healthcare provider do so because of the quality of service offered. Create a clear vision of the ideal patient experience for your institution. Educate your staff on these goals and make sure that they are in line with the plan.
When a patient experiences the best treatment during their hardest times, loyalty comes naturally. It is important to deliver the same quality of service every time the patient visits the hospital. Consistency pays since 65% of people have switched brands over a single customer service mishap.
● Use Simple Language with Patients
Almost every one of us tends to search online about a symptom or disease we think that we have. While there is a lot of healthcare content on the web, most of it is hard to understand.
When a patient visits or calls the hospital, there is this intrinsic anxiety. Instead of using complex medical terms, use simple and understandable words to explain the condition to the patient. The patient should get to know all that they want to know and understand it clearly.
Another important tip is to let the patient talk first and later explain your point. This will make the patient feel heard and he/she will be satisfied with the service.
Having a social media page that you use to regularly interact with your patients helps your brand remain in their minds.
● Tweak Your Customer Service
When it comes to healthcare, people want fast answers and service. A person who suspects that he has a medical condition would not want to wait long hours in the waiting room before an appointment.
Get the help of technology for increased patient satisfaction. You can remind a patient of his appointment or notify him of a delay using a phone call or text. Patients are more appreciative of the service when they believe that the healthcare provider also values their time.
Simplify and streamline the appointment and payment processes. Confusing and delayed billing procedures can make the patient lose confidence in your service easily.
● Use Personalization
Brands that have a human touch to their personality perform better. This is truer with the healthcare industry since it literally deals with the lives and health of people.
Patients with ailments come with physical and emotional pain. They want the healthcare institutions to understand it rather than deal with it like a business transaction.
Encourage your staff to communicate with the patients. Patience and kindness are the factors that could make your brand trustworthy.
Create content for marketing using your doctors and staff since expert advice generates trust among the patients.
Hospitals providing psychiatric care for the family members of the patients touch on the human aspect. This in turn makes the patients believe in the brand and ensures that they return to it again in times of need.
● Be Transparent
When a patient feels like there is information being withheld from him/her, the trust starts to break. With time, the distrust grows and the patient starts to feel neglected.
It is important to clearly convey the information without withholding any part of it. Also, be honest about the services you provide and the facilities that you have in your institution.
LBN Tech Solutions
Brand reputation is a crucial factor for success. Retaining the patient volume in the healthcare industry is possible only with patient loyalty. Let us take care of the digital part of this loyalty-building for you. Check out our portfolio before giving us a call.