Leveraging Customer Success best practices for engaging healthcare professionals

I had the privilege of helping a client serving the healthcare industry optimize their solution's implementation, adoption, and self-service strategy and execution. This introduced me to the complexity of working with professionals and practitioners in a medical environment. What an experience and opportunity to think through solving problems for those whose north stars are driven by the Hippocratic Oath and Nightingale Pledges they live by on a daily basis!

What I learned is they have minimal time, nor much care, for the finer points of business operations that may lead to better outcomes for practitioners and patients alike. A great spot for technology to help *if you're able to secure the right time to provide the right solution to this audience so they may understand, and yes care, about the outcomes they receive from it.

Your guide to success:

• I shouldn't assume this so I'm just going to put it out there that your solution should solve a tangible problem these practitioners are facing and have metrics of success they may see progress against on a regular basis. If this isn't happening now, please stop reading this article, and go fix it ASAP! (Or give me a ring and I'll help you out.)

• YOU MUST establish your customer's journey and deliverables expectations early, and reiterate often: Product and organization maturation will drive much of this. Shoot straight with yourself so you may do so with your customers. Build your customer journey and leverage that, along with customer feedback, to create communication pieces and experiences as early in the engagement process as possible that advise the customers of the path, owners, and outcomes they're embarking on with you.

• Meet the practitioners where they're at: Remember, these are doctors, nurses, radiology techs, FIRST and FOREMOST and users of your solution THIRD (at best). Wait, we're not even guaranteed to be their third priority? Nope, they have charts to complete, inventory to manage, and many other operations to run. They have A LOT going on and you're likely going to get their attention when their triaged priorities allow it. Be curious. Ask them how their day is going and/or what a normal day for them is/should look like. This will help you understand, and meet them where they're at.

• YOU need to accept and own the challenge of simplifying things for them: Staying grounded in what actions you truly need them to take and constantly tuning your operations or product design will be critical. Everyone wants to just push the button to make the magic happen but they may not be possible with the problem you're solving for them, your maturity level, or their's (frankly). Having a command of your customer effort score, and a customer centric culture, will help you here.

  
  

• YOU MUST NOT WASTE TIME when you have their time: Stay disciplined here. Make sure your meetings have purpose, a destination, is time boxed, and managed effectively! You will be the calm and clarity in what likely feels to them a chaotic daily existence. Don't be afraid to build in joint working and progress update milestones in your journey(s) if needed to help get attention to deliverables that will assure ROI attainment.

• Be confident and clear in your expertise, and always respectful of theirs: These pros have years experience in a high-stakes, high-stress, profession. That should be acknowledged (Pro Tip: address them by their title). But, never forget that you are the expert in your domain. Own that, and promote your expertise in a confident, clear, and respectful manner and you'll earn their appreciation.

• Do what you say you're going to do...period.

Overly simplistic and direct? I certainly hope so. If your goal is to work with, or transform, healthcare knowing your customers is critical to making a difference in their lives in a meaningful way (just they like they do in ours). Leaning into the discipline of Customer Success will help you maximize your potential here.

Please don't hesitate to reach out if you need help with anything related to this.

Cheers,

Adam