Mala McAlpin Ever wondered what kind of impact your clinic wait times have on your clients? In most cases, regardless of context, it can be incredibly frustrating to be kept waiting for your service, and may provide particularly negative impressions on first-time clients.
Vitals, a company that educates consumers on healthcare decisions, just released a new survey around patient wait times in doctors clinics, which revealed that 84 percent of patients rate wait times as “somewhat important” or “very important” to their overall experience, 30 percent said they’ve walked out of an appointment due to long waits; and a massive 1 in 5 have changed doctors because of long wait times.
So what can you do to improve this experience for your clients? In some circumstances, longer than usual wait times simply can’t be avoided, particularly if your clinic offers services that requires clients to wait for topical anesthetic to take affect. Some clients may be perfectly content on their mobiles, but if you’d like to offer something a little more dynamic in your waiting area than just the usual rack of glossy mags, here are some options:
Customisable Products
There are several ‘customisable’ professional ranges available that offer certain shades and concoctions to be created specifically for each client. Not only will this provide a very personalised experience for clients, but they will have an absolute ball mixing and matching while they wait. A great example of this is the Dermaviduals Deco Mineral Makeup range, allowing custom foundation shades to be mixed for each client, beginning with a white base.
Tea & Coffee Bar
If you don’t already offer tea or coffee individually on arrival, creating a beautiful beverage station is a great idea. Ensure to deck it out with an easy-to-use coffee machine, a selection of delicious herbal teas, and fresh water (a fruit infusion can be a nice touch!) The more you have on offer, the more lasting the impression will leave on clients. Don’t forget to match your teaware and glassware with your branding.
‘Leave A Message’ Board
Requesting comments or feedback from clients is such an important step in understanding their thoughts, and whether or not you’re meeting their needs. Right now, you may be asking what that has to do with clients that are waiting for treatment? Well, if you make your feedback section a large statement component of your reception area, this will absolutely give clients something to do while they wait. Whether it’s a large ‘leave us a message’ board on your wall, or a beautiful comments book left on your coffee table, not only will this give them something to do, but they will feel much more confident and reassured about the service they’re about to receive.
Create A Photo Wall
With most of your clients spending their wait time on their phones anyway, creating a photo wall is a fantastic way to encourage clients to share on social media without feeling pressured. Create a stunning flower wall feature and we guarantee clients will be lining up to pose in front of it. Don’t forget to add signage with your business name and relevant social media tags.
Fragrance Station
This will often depend on the service you’re providing, but if your client is waiting for a spa treatment, why not consider a fragrance station tied into your retail? For many therapists, you will already be using various fragrances and essential oils throughout your treatment, and this provides another unique customisation option. Scent is such a powerful thing, and can trigger an immediate response of like or disdain, so finding out your client prefers in scent before a treatment begins can be a really nice touch. Request that they select or even mix (depending on what you’re using) a scent they are fond of and you can incorporate it into your treatment, or at least your treatment room.
