Shaving, service and success

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My previous blogs have looked at other industries, such as airlines, hospitality, and even toy companies, as examples of outstanding customer service. We can learn from these companies and often implement what these successful industries do into our healthcare practices. I have looked at the Dollar Shave Club (DSC) for this blog. One of us, SH, is a member of the "club," which began after watching their irreverent, R-rated YouTube video with more than 28 million views. The concept of the DSC is simple: pay a small monthly subscription fee, and four new razor blades are delivered monthly to your snail mailbox. If you become a member, you will never worry about running out of fresh, world-class razor blades.

Members of the DSC never worry about being without a world-class blade every month. This blog is motivated by the convenience of the DSC.

Making your practice more like the Dollar "Convenience" Club

Truth be told, there's nothing special about razor blades, but what makes DSC special is the customer experience built around convenience.

The DSC promotes convenience as much as, if not even more, than the razor blades and other toiletries.

Inflation and the recent tariffs have led to higher prices, but their customers still buy the razors.

Let's examine five reasons for the DSC's success and how this applies to healthcare practice.

1. Convenience: This is the reason they exist. It is important to ask, "Is your practice convenient?" Are patients able to obtain an appointment in a reasonable period? Are your phone calls and emails returned promptly? Practices with 2-3 months waiting for an appointment do not have easy access to the practice. Patients who have a study or lab test and must wait weeks to receive the results are not meeting the needs of the patients who want results in a timely fashion. Patients expect phone calls and emails to be answered in 24-48 hours. Any longer is below patients' expectations.
2. Quality products: The blades are high quality, and few members complain about their ability to remove the hair on their faces. Quality is important to DSC customers. Patients expect quality care from a physician who is perceived as an expert. Practices should start measuring outcomes and posting favorable results on their practice's websites. We know that quality is a difficult metric for the healthcare profession. However, there are examples of quality that are important to patients and that can be measured. The take-home message is that what gets measured gets done.
3. Price: Even though customers are willing to pay a premium for convenience, which is almost as compelling as the convenient experience.
   The time has arrived for price transparency in healthcare. We can no longer be like deer paralyzed when looking into the headlights and when patients ask about the cost of care. We know what an office visit should be for a new patient, an existing follow-up patient, and a newly diagnosed cancer patient who will require a longer appointment to discuss treatment options. By providing the cost of care to patients, we can avoid sticker shock when a bill arrives when no price discussion has been conducted.
   For example, many practices use only 15-20 drugs most of the time. In that case, prices can be obtained from local and discount online pharmacies. One of us, NB, asks the pharmaceutical representative to find the cost of these prescriptions and update the list twice a year. This is very appreciated by the patients and allows the physician to discover if the cost is more than a patient can afford, then a less expensive drug can be prescribed.
4. Consistency and reliability: Customers know what to expect and when to expect it. The predictable schedule and consistent quality create trust and confidence in the product. If a patient calls with a question and the doctor plans to return the call at the end of the day, then it is helpful to give the patient an approximate time to expect a call from the doctor. This avoids that game of phone tag and encourages the patient not to be on the phone during that time.
5. Fun: This is a bonus, but who doesn't like a little fun? The experience is fun and may not be appropriate for everyone, but it may be for some medical practices. DSC's commercials are funny, which makes them stand out in a crowded razor blade market.

The DSC doesn't promise better blades; they sell a better experience. Suppose your practice does what it's supposed to, like diagnosing and treating disease, and you add the exceptional experience that patients want. In that case, you will have a successful combination.

Bottom Line: Emphasize what makes your patients appreciate you. That answer will get your patients to talk about your practice to family and friends, and, most importantly, loyal patients will return for their medical care.

Neil Baum, MD, is professor of clinical urology at Tulane Medical School in New Orleans, Louisiana

Shep Hyken is a customer service and experience expert, an award-winning keynote speaker, and a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author