Business Report Example: MHC

Title: Customer Service Initiative Summary Report

Objective: Compile data and analysis for development for customer service.

Report By: Mr. Tony Pony, Executive Manager of Medical Help Center

Reporting and Analysis Time: 1 year

I. Executive Summary

The Medical Help Center (MHC) identified customer service as a key issue in its 2012 operating and strategic plans. The project was implemented at the direction of Joseph Black, MHC Director, with input from the MHC Board of Governors and MHC Patient Advisory Group. The main goal of this project is improving the level of customer service provided to all patients who use the Medical Help Center services.

An excellent reputation provides high expectations from clients and their families. Constant attention to changing client needs requires a rapid adaptation of service delivery to meet those needs. In order to achieve the highest level of service, focus must be on client relationships and providing them with comfort, convenience and personal support. Moreover, Medical Help Center employees are charged with making committed partnerships with their colleagues. Additionally, two levels of service-orientation for the customer care project are identified.

II. Customer Service Issue

Customer satisfaction is closely related to quality of service. Customer service quality is defined as what the client receives, as directed by the doctor and influenced by the functional and technical scales of the health care system. However, the way technical quality is transferred and how the client receives services are the main sources of client satisfaction. From a patient’s point of view, customer service is sufficiency of care provided during their time at the clinic.

In FY2012, the MHC admitted approximately 5,000 inpatients and another 61,000 visits were made to the outpatient clinics. Improving customer service for these patients is the primary goal of this project.

III. Participants of Customer Service

Patients. The MHC’s primary client is the patient – who uses the services of the clinic.

Employees. The MHC has over 1,000 employees who provide a wide variety of clinical, support and research services to patients daily. A recent survey shows a correlation between the level of patient care and employee job satisfaction in hospitals. Also, a significant correlation between employees’ job satisfaction and their perception of management support was found. These terms directly affect expectations, behaviors and assumptions of care providers.

Other Stakeholders and Key Customers. This group includes referring physicians, administration, extramural collaborators, investigators and the public.

IV. Operational Framework

The implementation part of the project consists of three parts: (1) training, (2) management support and (3) process improvement.

Training. Training courses were designed for front-line employees, nursing staff, supervisors, and senior leadership. A training program was completed to prepare 15 MHC employees as internal trainers. The benefits of internal trainers are to build training courses in the context of organizational understanding. The main purpose of the training program was to engage employees in the vision of the customer service project, and to share the understanding of skills for effective communication, dealing with difficult client situations, and building partnerships.

Management Support. The ability of management to create accountability for customer service standards and its demonstration of commitment are two main factors. This includes the ability of managers to inspire employees through their own behavior and provide support for the initiative and reinforcing employee efforts.

Process Improvement. The internal survey has shown that over two-thirds of customer service complaints are traced to broken or outdated systems and processes.

Each MHC department was defined with an Action Plan for process improvement directly related to customer service. These plans were tracked through MHC Leadership in keeping progress with an established timeline.

V. Accomplishments in 2012

  • Benchmark surveys of employee and patient satisfaction conducted.
  • Feedback on barriers to customer service collected from over 2,000 MHC employees.
  • Improved parking system for patients.
  • Improved communications for patients and staff though implementation of house-wide access to a 24-hours-a-day Interpreter/Translator Service.
  • Customer-friendly design of director’s office.
  • Improved work conditions for employees.