Hospitals aren’t usually the best place to observe how brands work from within. Having visited a couple in the recent past I couldn’t help notice how brands can differentiate through internal communication and service.
I will keep it simple by calling the two hospitals A and B. Think about the experiences that patients face while encountering these two places.
To begin, here is what makes the hospitals feel like two peas from the same pod. Both offer identical services, are fairly large set-ups and have well-known physicians who consult at both. They are well recognized for their offering in the market and are known to attract patients from overseas. These hospitals have their staff dressed in smart uniforms and invest in branding internally and externally. Both are located in prominent locations in the city of Bengaluru thereby making them accessible to citizens. That’s where the similarities end.
When you call the call centre number for Hospital A and seek specific information you get transferred from one department to another till you are out of your wits. When you reach the hospital you are overwhelmed by the noise and the surge of people trying to access the facilities through the narrow doors of the hospital. Parking is tough with rates increasing depending on how close you can keep your vehicle away from the hospital building. You get a scrap of paper with a scribble on it as a payment receipt for parking. When you enter you aren’t quite sure which way to go with names of numerous departments listed on a board. As you navigate through the set-up you avoid hitting a patient being wheeled out for surgery. To get to the lifts you first need to convince an over-zealous guard from asking you to prove your identity. Once you reach your department the Q is long and the waiting time is way beyond your scheduled appointment. You are asked to pay up first and then there is another Q to get through. The nurse who collects your blood isn’t wearing gloves and you wonder if they follow standard operating procedure for medical examination which is listed on their notice boards. You aren’t sure if they will send your reports on time for the doctor’s consultation. Overall, it feels like the hospital is doing you a favour. After all this you are exhausted and want to just get done it over with.
Hospital B on the other hand sends you an SMS prior to your appointment with details about whom you to meet when you arrive. There is a number to call back. When you reach the hospital you are directed into a pay and park space. Clear direction boards point you to the lobby. The instructions are simple nd you are greeted with a smile by the front desk who knows your name (since they have their records right and they sent you an SMS). You are given a checklist on what you will need to do and it is clearly explained how long it will take. I notice a desk for foreign language support which means they are sensitive to the needs of people from other nations. Every staff member has their name visibly printed on their tag. The token system ensures you know your turn and don’t need to hang around the desk. The nurse wears gloves and a mask and explains the procedure to me even asking me to check my name and sign beside it to be doubly sure! The checklist is visible to the patient as to how the nurse will go about his or her task. All instructions were simple and direct including messages on how best to use the facilities such as the toilets, indicating their interest to engage the diverse set of people who access their services. A request for change in a plan is taken without the slightest hint of annoyance. I heard staff communicating via their internal systems and phones and ‘handing off’ the patients seamlessly. The process is managed in such a way that I save time by getting my file in Q while I go about other tests. Everything is completed before the stipulated time. I am told the reports will be mailed in a day. Feedback is sought on the service and experience. Overall, I get the sense that the hospital cares about my well-being.
What differentiates these two hospitals?
In the context of internal communications you can see that irrespective of what you claim on your vision and mission statements the moments of truths that stakeholders experience defines brands and their worth. When employees aren’t sure of what their brands stand for and how their actions matter to stakeholders they are unable to play their part. However, when everyone is living the brand values consistently it reflects consistently in the attitude, approach and service. By displaying standard operating procedure and seeking the involvement of patients they are also acknowledging how engagement is a two-way street.
It is vital to audit your employee and customer ‘experience trails’ and understand what is getting conveyed at each of these touch points. You can gauge from the body language, tone of voice and attitude a lot more than what appears in the corporate brochure.  Recognize the behavior you need and highlight the stories that makes your service stand apart. I remember noticeboards at Hospital B with thank you notes from patients who experienced great service and how the hospital recognizes their staff with internal reward mechanisms.  Also how staff treats each other will give you clues on how much they value where they work and whom they serve. Finally, the brand is about people and why and how you say is more important than what you communicate.
What do you think?
