How to Improve Resident Satisfaction
A Case Study
By Jill A. Staples, CHA, MS
 This
case study is based on a fictitious senior living community. What advice would
you give to the character Nancy? Ask your department heads to contribute.
Nancy Johnson, the new healthcare center charge nurse at Sunnyvale Estates
Senior Living Community, has been in her new supervisory position for one month.
She is having a tough time feeling part of the team. She is having a difficult
time improving her staff's customer service skills. Nancy is getting frustrated.
Nancy watched as Ruth (CNA) passed a resident in the hall without saying
hello or even acknowledging the resident's presence. After approaching the
situation, she said, "Ruth, didn't we just talk about the importance of
greeting every person as we pass them in the hall?"
Ruth responded emphatically, "I am doing the best I can!"
"Well, you need to do better; this is a requirement in our unit!"
Nancy demanded.
Teresa (a co-worker) was passing by and exchanged glances with Ruth. Nancy
continued to stare at Ruth but Ruth just looked at the floor.
Finally Ruth said, "I know, I know; my mind was on responding to Mrs.
Ritchey. She just rang her emergency bell. I am worried about her these
days."
Nancy responded, "Oh, I see; lets go check on her together. I am worried
about her too."
Nancy and Ruth went to Mrs. Ritchey's room and found her crying. She couldn't
find her eyeglasses. Ruth found the eyeglasses on her nightstand and handed them
to her. Mrs. Ritchey thanked her and said, "I'm so embarrassed, I don't
remember as well as I use to."
Ruth said she understood and asked Mrs. Ritchey if she would like to join her
for a walk. Mrs. Ritchey was grateful and took Ruth's arm.
Later that afternoon, Nancy approached Ruth in the hall, "I'm sorry for
coming down so hard on you this morning. Mr. Whalen (director of healthcare) is
making things difficult and wants our customer service ratings up today. I think
it is really unrealistic but he is stubborn. I can't convince him to give us
more time. I can't make these changes myself and need your help."
Ruth just responded, "I'll do the best I can, Nancy" and continued
to walk down the hall.
Nancy went back to her office and pondered which direction to take. How will
she prevent this situation from happening in the future?
What steps would you recommend Nancy take to start on the road to
improvement? What problems are similarly happening in your senior living
community?
Satisfying Customers
Sounds so simple, but who are the customers? Are they the residents, the
families of the residents or the owners of the facility? Or are the customers
the employees? Obviously, it is impossible to satisfy each and every one of
those population segments personally, but they are each a customer in some facet
of the facility.
The following are nine steps to improve customer service.
- RESIDENT/CUSTOMER SERVICE STARTS WITH A COMMITMENT FROM THE TOP. It takes
an honest belief that every resident/customer can be satisfied. So many
senior living community administrators talk of customer service, but how
many make it a true priority?
- HAVE A VISION AND SET REALISTIC GOALS. Do you see your senior living
community winning national customer service awards? Do you see your
residents telling their family members how wonderful your staff is? As the
leader, having extraordinary visions will keep you and your staff motivated.
Set interim and realistic goals with your department managers. Guide your
staff to fulfilling the customer service vision.
- KNOW OR DETERMINE YOUR BENCHMARK. If your community does not presently
have statistical information depicting your employee and resident's view on
customer service, it is time to gather that information. How will you know
if you improve resident/customer service if you don't know where you
started? Hire an outside consultant to help you with this; it is vital to
maintain objectivity at this stage.
- TAKE CARE OF YOUR NO. 1 CUSTOMER -- YOUR EMPLOYEES. Your employees will
take care of your "other" customers. Your front line staff are the
ones who control your customer service perception, not you, not the
department heads -- or that $9 an hour housekeeper. Have you thanked your
staff lately? Thrown a party? Provided training opportunities? Asked for
their input?
- LEAD BY EXAMPLE. As the leader, it is the administrator's role to
demonstrate 100 percent of the time what true customer service is about.
This includes how administrators act in stressful situations, greet others
and dress. Staff is taking notes and copying their leader's style. As an
administrator, are you a good role model?
- TRAIN SUPERVISORS. Employees are the wheels on the customer service train,
but the conductor is a supervisor.
It is common to take an employee who comes to work on time, dresses to
perfection, receives lots of compliments from co-workers and residents and say,
"You have done such a fantastic job as an employee, we are promoting you to
supervisor." Everyone gets excited. The administrator, employee and
residents celebrate. Then we drop the ball.
We provide little, if any, further training. We don them with a new nametag
that reads "charge nurse," give them our blessings and expect them to
know how to transfer all their personal qualities to the five or six people who
now report to them. Although this is an unfair method of transitioning a staff
member, administrators often wonder later why their new supervisors struggle for
several months after receiving a new position.
In this situation, staff morale drops and employees often quit in the
confusion. It is not due to lack of trying, it is only because we as leaders did
not provide the training on basic supervision skills. What does it mean to be a
leader? What to do when an employee calls in sick? What to do when a resident
complains about an employee? How to confront an employee who shows disrespect?
These supervisory skills are just that -- skills. They need to be taught and
practiced. Supervisors need training, practice, practice and more practice.
- HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE. One of the most detrimental reinforcements to
poor customer service is when managers do not hold employees accountable. If
the rule states employees are to punch in on time, how do your managers
handle an employee who is late? Every time a rule is broken, others watch to
see how it is resolved. When it is not handled, morale deteriorates. Keep in
mind the basics -- praise in public, discipline in private. Do you hold your
department heads accountable? Again, lead by example.
- MOTIVATE STAFF. It is our role as leaders to keep the momentum going.
Motivation is difficult to prescribe only because everyone is motivated
differently. Ask staff what motivates them. Ask them when was the last time
they went above and beyond the call of duty. Was it due to a pat on the
back? Maybe it was because they were given a challenge. Once it is known
what motivates an individual, it is easier to lead effectively.
- REPEAT THE PROCESS. The administrators and staff have achieved their
goals. The vision is becoming a reality. Staff members are trained and
resident/customer service is improving. Customers have been surveyed.
Supervisors are trained and effectively communicating with employees.
It is time to improve the system again. Look at areas where the bar can be
raised. Continue to train staff. Your facility and employees can always perform
better.
Looking back at the case study, which direction should Nancy take and what
needs to be accomplished to prevent this from happening in the future?
For advice or assistance, visit www.north-star-hospitality.com.
Jill A. Staples, CHA, MS, is the president of North Star Hospitality, LLC,
a consultant and trainer, specializing in senior living communities, supervisory
and customer service training. North Star Hospitality is based in Virginia
Beach, Va.
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