What Does Your Service Feel Like?
I was having a conversation recently with a business friend who works in the planning sector. He was trying to work out how best to describe his business and service on his new website.
The proposed content sounded good and obviously highlighted his professionalism and expertise. However, it crossed my mind that if I didn't know him personally I'm not sure whether that would be enough to persuade me to use his service over a competitors, or even use a planning service at all - rather muddle through on my own.
The landscape has shifted and it's no longer enough to just decribe how your service or product solves a problem for your customer. Expectations in quality and customer service have never been higher and to have a product that works is now an entry requirement not an aspiration.
You've probably seen the BUPA adverts on the TV, the cartoon ones with the catchy little "do-be-do" melody from Pixar's "Knick Knack", and the characters and scenes made from simple shapes. What these adverts do well is that they don't just say "we'll help you get better", instead they explain how it feels to access their services (I don't know if it's a true reflection because I've never been to a BUPA hospital but the adverts make a good case). They talk about clean hospitals and expert doctors, how reassured they will make you and how fast you will be treated. Most of all they show the context of their service against the backdrop of your day to day life.
From my own personal experience, NHS hospitals deliver the same things but most still talk about services that work rather than services that make patients feel good.
I have been pleasantly surprised to see the number of healthcare organisations embracing social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook. Last week @NHSManchester posted a series of great tweets about patient experience. Wonderful quotes from happy and satisfied patients. (Ok, they may get their share of complaints too). This is what their service feels like. Patient experience is too often overlooked in favour of finance and other performance indicators. It's not that the health care professionals aren't committed to delivering excellent experiences, more that it isn't given the high priority it needs at the most senior level.
This is the kind of information that will be shared over cups of tea in countless homes and the kind of information that is vital to you if you want to build a solid brand.
So a question for you... what experience are you offering? How do your customers feel when they access your services or buy your products? (This isn't the same as asking what solution you provide for them.) If you aren't sure, ask them.
It's Never Too Late... Or is it?
Last week I read a headline saying... “It’s never too late to lower your salt levels.” I’m sure it’s no coincidence that it came out just at the start of National Salt Awareness Week and it linked to this document from Consensus Action on Salt and Health.
It caught my interest because it's the kind of headline we see and publish regularly but this message works on a number of levels and I’m not sure they are all in the campaign’s best interests:
Give it a catchy headline, please
You have to be really passionate about salt for it not to fall into the “dry and mundane” category and likely to be overlooked, so give your message a seriously catchy headline and compel us to click the link. We’re curious animals and we can’t help ourselves once our interest is piqued.
The “It’s never too late” approach
It’s never too late to be more active. It’s never too late to give up cigarettes. It’s never too late to lower your salt intake. This kind of message encourages procrastination. If it’s never too late to address a particular behaviour then surely next week will be just fine, or next year. Smoking messages are particularly interesting ones. We regularly tell smokers that by quitting they can actually undo all the harm their smoking habits have caused their bodies, so they may just figure that they’ll quit in a decade and put it all right then.
Who are we talking to?
This kind of message would be a typical response to someone who says “but I’ve always done it like this...” “I’m too old to change now...” “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks...” which suggests this message is for an older audience and a younger audience might subconsciously filter this message as being something that doesn’t apply to them.
We’re not Robots
I have never met anyone yet who is a living, breathing, keeping-a-running-total-of-how-many-grams-of-salt-I’ve-eaten-today-so-far type of human being. Research shows that adults are on average consuming too much salt each day but most people who are consuming too much don’t know it. They think that as long as they don’t add too much salt at the table, and don’t pickle the potatoes and veg in salt whilst boiling them, then they will be just fine. A headline about lowering salt levels will only resonate with people who already think they might eat too much.
Is it true?
The big question this statement begs is “Is it ever too late to lower your salt intake?” and the answer is yes surely because that’s the whole point of chronic disease prevention? Consuming too much salt is a significant risk factor for developing high blood pressure which in turn raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes. If a person suffers irreversible and permanent physical disabilities as a result of a preventable stroke caused by a high salt diet then have they not gone past the “it’s not too late” point? Although I will concede that, even at this stage, lifestyle modifications will aid rehabilitation and help to prevent further strokes so I suppose it is technically correct.
Links: http://www.actiononsalt.org.uk/
Psychology of Health Behaviour Workshops
We have added another date for our highly successful Psychology of Health Behaviour Workshop. If you have already attended this workshop and would recommend it to colleagues, please pass this information to them.
The workshop is a one-day tour of behavioural economics and what we can learn about its impact on health improvement behaviour. It's particularly relevant for Sport and Physical Activity Development Officers, Health Trainers, Smoking Cessation Specialists, Public Health Practitioners, Occupational Health Officers and anyone working to improve the health and wellbeing of others. Our delegates have included representatives from PCTs, local government, private sector and also the voluntary sector across a wide range of healthy living themes.
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Why are people influenced by certain things, like brands, and peer pressure but still inclined to take risks on long term health behaviour? |
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What impact do beliefs and expectations have on service-user engagement? |
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Why do people procrastinate and put off things, even if they would they actually like to do them? |
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What impact does state of mind have on our decision making and how can we develop systems to help us stick to our lifestyle goals? |
Below are just a few quotes from our past delegates:
“A very useful and relevant course for those working
with individuals on behavioural change, such as
Health Trainers.” CHRIS BAGUMA, Health Promotion
Manager, Brent PCT
“The course has made me re-think the way I approach
my job... and the need to be more client centered.”
DAWN MITCHELL, Salford Community Leisure
“Non-stop, useful, life-changing ideas.” CHRISTINA
JONES, Occupational Health Nurse, Kelloggs
“This workshop has made me look at my own practice
and turn it on its head.” PAUL STENHOUSE, Newcastle PCT
“Great course with practical examples of ways to
promote activities in a range of settings.” CHARLENE
WILLIAMS, Physical Activity Coordinator, Bexley Care Trust
To register on one of these workshops, please follow the link below and complete the booking form.
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2011 Programme - Dates for your Diary
As well as the advertised workshops above, we also deliver in-house versions of the same training which has several benefits:
- Significantly more cost effective per delegate
- Opportunity to focus specifically on your local services and systems
- We come to you - so you don't have to travel
- You can invite local partner organisations to attend
denise@hampsonsolutions.co.uk |
Behavioural Insights Best Practice Examples
The Behavioural Insights team are looking for best practice examples to share in an up-coming document on ways to encourage consumers to make purchasing decisions that improve their wellbeing and promote economic growth. Through our Psychology of Health Behaviour workshops, and other work over the last four years, I have met many of you recieving this email who are involved in services that consumers pay for, such as activity programmes, weight loss services, GP referral programmes etc. If you have a superb example in this area, especially as an outcome of the training you experienced with us, please get in touch at denise@hampsonsolutions.co.uk with further information and I can put you in touch with the Behavioural Insights Team.
Hampson Solutions Ltd, Commodore House, 51 Conway Road, Colwyn Bay, Conwy LL29 7AW
Tel: 01492 530700 | Mobile: 07727 642846 | Fax: 01492 517815
Email: denise@hampsonsolutions.co.uk | Web: www.hampsonsolutions.co.uk
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