People in the NHS work very hard. I know that and you know that. It’s a valuable service and one of which we should be very proud. But culturally there is still a big barrier in understanding patients as customers. NHS support staff must stand in line at Argos getting annoyed at the rubbish service just like the rest of us, but when it comes to applying these principles to their own jobs it doesn’t always translate.
Carol Beer, Little Britain USA
Receptionist: Hello Mr Griffiths. Am I right in thinking that you and your wife will be attending another hospital from now on?
Jake: Maybe, we’re moving house and haven’t found somewhere new yet.
R: It’s just that I have these appointments booked in for you and I wanted to cancel them.
J: Well if it’s okay I’d like to keep them as I don’t have another option in mind.
R: Err, but they’re double appointments and I could really do with the extra time.
J: I tell you what, why don’t you call me in a couple of weeks.
R: I can’t do that!
J: Why not?
R: Well, respectfully Mr Griffiths we’re very busy here.
J: Right…
R: And respectfully you only have one thing to remember and we have, well lots of things to deal with.
J: No I don’t, I’m moving house! I’ve got loads of things to remember!
R: Well we can’t call you back I’m afraid, I don’t think we would be able to remember to do it.
J: …
R: Mr Griffiths?
J: Bangs head on phone.
If NHS Trusts are to compete over customers, these ingrained behaviours towards the people that are ultimately funding them really must change. Whatever happened to ‘the customer is always right’?!
Read more here
- NHS Direct delivers an outstanding customer experience
- Customer service in the NHS: making patient care the heart of everything
- Poor old NHS - they’ve gone and done it again
About the author
Jake Griffiths heads up the FreshMinds Healthcare research team, as well as being a consultant to our Public Sector Practice. Jake has been with FreshMinds since 2003, and previously worked at the FTSE 100 firm BHP Billiton and the accountancy Baker Tilly in research and information roles. Outside of his passion for research, Jake spends his free time looking after his young twins and wondering when Norwich City will return to their rightful place in the Premier League.
on Nov 19th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Although I agree that the NHS is behind the customer service curve compared to most consumer-facing private sector companies, it’s not only down to the staff. The systems, training and investment that goes into customer services at your bank, insurance company or garage are surely greater than in the NHS and from a higher starting point.
on Nov 22nd, 2009 at 8:29 pm
I partly agree with Louis’s comment, but I believe there is a more fundamental issue in the culture of the NHS - indeed, of many public sector organisations. They have never functioned like customer focused private sector businesses and so they have very different internal cultures. Their culture has been predicated around internal performance and operations. We may expect similar standards of customer service that we get from commercial organisations - and they are slowly approaching it, but changing that internal culture is a difficult and slow process. And if you think our public sector has problems, just visit that font of consumerism and the service industries, the USA - and try dealing with any of their public bodies!
on Nov 24th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Thanks for the comment Ian. I’m more inclined to agree with you than Louis - this is not a case of investment but management culture. So much of the customer experience is the outcome of the organisation focussing on itself over the people that it ultimately serves.
I haven’t attempted to engage with a US public body (except maybe passport control) but I’ll report back when I do!
on Nov 24th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Speaking from inside the NHS beast, the service has a long way to go before it becomes a ‘right side up’ organisation - as has much of UK public service. Too much political meddling has reduced the whole sector to one of targets-led insularity, a million miles from basic customer principles. In primary care, the customer face is devolved to contractors (GPs) who rarely have customer care as a key performance measure! Steps are being taken to embed customer views via policy, but in the shape of new targets around public engagement. Same same.
The principles of universal healthcare are sound; I’m afraid the practice is not. The answer? I don’t know. Start again?
on Dec 6th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Thanks for the comment Rob, always interesting to hear an opinion from the inside.
Given recent quality scares, I worry that more localised solutions to issues like customer care will be dashed in favour of regimented targets to reassure the public. As you say, this will mean more targets and less personalisation.