A Great Question!
Lynn’s Dad, “Pop,” fell and broke his leg on the Fourth of July. He had a pin put in his leg, and has done quite well since, with the use of a walker. When Pop got out of rehab, I took him to see his primary doctor – Dr. Ken Gold.
When we arrived at Dr. Gold’s office, instead of waiting in line to check in, there were several “receptionists,” and we received immediate attention. In a very short time, we were headed for Dr. Gold’s waiting room. During my Mom’s challenges with breast cancer and open-heart surgery, I took her to many visits with a variety of doctors. There was one constant – the waiting rooms were packed. Imagine my amazement when we walked down the hallway and found that we were the only ones in the waiting room! I figured this must be some kind of trick…
In a very short time, and much to my surprise, a nurse came to show us back to the exam room. “OK,” I thought, “They’ll make us wait in the exam room instead.” Again, our experience was extremely positive when Dr. Gold entered the exam room just a couple of minutes later.
Pop had been raving about Dr. Gold, and it didn’t take long to figure out why. He asked Pop several questions about his leg – and about other aspects of his health. One of Dr. Gold’s concerns was Pop’s weight – he was down to 121 pounds. I’m not sure how much Pop weighed during previous visits, but he certainly needs to put some meat on his bones. Instead of saying, “Paul, you need to gain some weight,” Dr. Gold said, “Paul – food is medicine.” What a positive way to put it!
At the end of our visit, Dr. Gold blew me away. He handed me his business card and said, “My e-mail address is on the card – feel free to e-mail me with any questions. My cell phone number is on the card too – call me at any time.” What? No answering service? In the next couple of weeks, I sent an e-mail to Dr. Gold a couple of times, and always received a prompt response.
A couple of days ago, Pop and I returned to Dr. Gold’s office for a follow-up visit. Once again, we checked in right away and escorted quickly to the exam room. During a short wait, Dr. Gold himself came by to say that he would be with us very soon – and he was.
Dr. Gold listened attentively, answered our questions and adjusted Pop’s medications. At the end of the follow-up appointment, Dr. Gold asked a great question – “Paul, how can I make your life more interesting?” I was speechless. What a wonderful question! Was I really in a doctor’s office?
Dr. Gold just received Beloit (WI) Regional Hospice "Spirit Of Caring" award - well deserved! I can’t wait for our next visit – just to experience more of Dr. Gold’s “Shazzam!”
The Shazzam Challenge
Dr. Gold has a genuine interest in his patients, listens to their questions, and responds to them in a positive, motivating way. How do you – and your Team Members – respond to your nursery/landscape Customers’ needs?
Mark Mayberry is president of the Mayberry Group and author of Building the Dream Workforce.
www.markmayberry.com
Copyright 2010, author retains ownership. All Rights Reserved.
