Commentary: Great customer service starts with “Yes, if…”

  • Published
  • By Col. Douglas Curry
  • 71st Medical Group commander
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  It was 10:50 a.m. and my mother's medical appointment was not until 11 a.m. We made it with 10 minutes to spare.

The Air Force had prepared me well. Every Airman knows that "on time" really means 10 minutes early. My sister had also come along to aid in the logistics of transporting my mother who is paralyzed on her left side and confined to a wheelchair following a stroke seven years ago.

The door to the doctor's office was not handicap accessible. Once inside, we encountered a full waiting room. The layout was anything but disability friendly. To accommodate a wheelchair, we were forced to stand by the entrance. Why was it like this? Many of the patients in the waiting room were elderly with disabilities.

For the next 55 minutes, my mother was parked at the entrance and my sister and I were forced to remain standing.

It was now 11:45 a.m. None of the staff had acknowledged our existence or the delay in appointment time. And then suddenly, a door magically opened and a technician appeared. She called my mother's name then disappeared behind the same magical door.

Avoiding toes, to the best of my ability, I quickly traversed the crowded waiting room with my mom in tow and made it to the door. The technician was nowhere to be seen.

With the aid of my sister we located the technician, who confirmed my mother's identity and drew blood uneventfully. Did she ever introduce herself? No.

After the blood draw, we were asked to return to the waiting room. Another 20 minutes elapsed. At 12:10 p.m., a full hour and 10 minutes past my mother's scheduled appointment time, the doctor finally emerged from behind the same magical door.

Not to be outdone by the technician, the doctor called my mother's name and quickly disappeared. A new search ensued. Once we found him, did he ever introduce himself? No.
Why am I bringing up an event that would be almost comical if it weren't true? Because it got me thinking about customer service.

What is good customer service? Members of the 71st Medical Group hear me express my views on this subject on a daily basis. Customer service is not unique to the medical profession. We all provide it, and receive it, on a daily basis.

Sometimes it is for customers outside our organization and sometimes for customers inside. Regardless of whom we provide a service for, they deserve great customer service.
In the Medical Group, we live by a very simple motto when it comes to customer service. Say "Yes, if..."

When asked to do something unfamiliar, it is human nature to rebuff the request with a "No, we can't do that." This closed mindset leads to status quo and subpar customer service.
Change your thinking. Look at the problem from the customer's perspective. They want something done. What can we do to make it a reality?

Rather than flatly dismissing a request, what are the things we must overcome to provide the service? Change your approach to, "We can do this for you if we do x, y, and z."

Let me provide a recent example to better illustrate the use and benefits of the "Yes, if..." approach. When it comes to pre-deployment vaccinations, our Airmen currently have to travel to Tinker Air Force Base (Okla.) to receive a particular vaccine not offered at Vance.

Forcing someone to drive two hours to receive a vaccination doesn't seem like great customer service. Why was this the case? Had anyone ever challenged the notion of "This is the way we have always done it."

Could we provide this service at Vance? What are the "ifs" in the "Yes, if...." approach?

The initial inquiry was met with stiff resistance - "We can't do it."

The obvious next question was, "Why?" What do we need to do to make it a "Yes, if..."?

Was it the cost of the vaccine? No. After researching we discovered it was only $4 for 100 doses.

Are there special requirements to administer the vaccination? Yes, but several of our immunization technicians are already qualified.

Are we able to order it? Yes.

By changing our mindset from "No, we can't do that," to "Yes, if..." we were able to work through an issue and bring about positive change.

Who benefits? Our customers. Once vaccine stock is on hand and technician training is complete, our Vance Airmen will no longer be forced to travel to Tinker Air Force Base to satisfy their pre-deployment medical requirements.

Great customer service starts with the right attitude. Put yourself in the customer's shoes. How would you want to be treated? Don't accept the status quo, challenge it!

Remember, no matter where you work, great customer service starts with, "Yes, if..."