Tangible resources can be viewed, tested, quantified, and budgeted. The reality is that intangible “quality of life” responsibilities are the primary responsibility of support services departments within the health care industry. The support service departments referenced, in no specific order of importance, are security, cleaning, plant operations, laundry, food service, parking, transportation, material management, admissions, finance, and religious life, just to name a few. Support service departments have an opportunity to create a positive impression on the customer by adding the intangible elements of hospitality found in other service companies. Today’s focus is on Advanced Global Research LLC intangible value, which is multiplied every time a helpdesk employee meets a customer; it can significantly improve customer satisfaction.
The New York State Department of Health (DOH) realizes the importance of “quality of life” elements for inpatient and residential care and creates mandatory federal guidelines on the label F-tag 240, since a facility must care for its residents in an environmental manner, promoting the maintenance or improvement of the quality of life of each resident. The intent of the quality of life requirements is to specify the facility’s responsibilities for creating and maintaining. DOH further elaborates on label F 241 that the facility must promote the care of residents in a manner. “Dignity” means that the facility’s interactions with residents and staff carry out activities that help the resident maintain and improve their self-esteem.
You have to ask yourself, if medical care was the responsibility of an organization like Marriott, Disney, or even McDonald’s, would be necessary for a federal agency to explain the meaning of quality of life or dignity? A core business philosophy of quality and dignity is at the core of most organizations and the understanding that every service is about creating a positive experience and satisfaction for customers.
The support service has many opportunities and, in many ways, it did not recognize all opportunities to improve the customer experience. By using the customer’s basic label, the need for elaborate food delivery programs, computerized room preparation or transportation program, a high-tech security system, and the like may not be necessary. The strategy to capture intangible value would be to create a global strategic hospitality program that delivers a consistent message that complements the facility’s vision.
Another way to think about a global customer service strategy is by developing a hospitality branding campaign program for each department to follow—how to spread information, meet and greet, and understand organizational marketing and operational strategies. With this strategy, each partner in the organization is responsible for creating scripts and offering a clearly defined service.
The formula for customer satisfaction is as follows:
Customer expectations +/– perceived value received = customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is focused on “meeting points.” Knowing the meeting points and developing meaningful customer transactions by quantifying whether the customer’s needs have been met would improve the customer experience. One suggestion is to create a comprehensive hospitality program and develop a communication strategy that raises awareness, influences attitudes for change, improves behavior and motivates, propelling the program forward to ensure acceptance (Nykiel).
