In this case, the expression ‘worth the wait’ does not apply. I am looking for a new primary care doctor. I am making my decision of which practice to sign up with by how long I was on the phone during the initial call to inquire if they were taking new patients and what insurance plans they accepted. The number of redirected prompts, the hold times, and the receptionist’s receptiveness are all weighing into my decision. I might be missing out on a great doctor choice by my elimination method but the first impression is important. A lengthy phone call, talking with computers, gives me the impression that this first encounter is probably an indication that the level of personal attention will follow the same pattern as the phone system. Companies that care about customer service, in any industry, know that first impressions will likely determine if customers want to continue the relationship. After all, there are many alternatives to choose from. It is sort of like dating! Organizations could benefit from a call to their own phone lines to listen to what they instruct us to do. The majority of leaders that do this exercise would more than likely say, “We need to do something about this.”.
