By Tristan White, founder & CEO of The Physio Co (TPC)
In an era where customer service often feels impersonal and automated, there’s something refreshingly different about the approach taken by The Physio Co’s Client Care Team.
As the business world goes all-in on AI (artificial intelligence) and chatbots to slash costs and prioritise its love of tech over talking, at The Physio Co (TPC), we’ve consciously decided to go the opposite way.
We understand that our clients (and members of their families) want to be able to communicate with us in different ways, that’s why we have three main ways people can contact us:
- Phone
- LiveChat (a function on our website that allows people to chat in real-time with our team using typed messages, a bit like using WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger)
But I want to focus on how we use the phone and how TPC’s Client Care Team has embraced this ‘old’ technology at a time when thousands of other businesses are doing everything in their power to not answer the phone.
Our prolific use of the phone to communicate with clients and family members is something we ‘hang our hat on’.
Our clients have spent a lifetime having conversations with family and friends on the phone, and so it makes sense for us to focus on speaking with them in the way they are most comfortable.
The power of meaningful connection
Another reason why we favour the phone is that we strongly believe in the power of personal connection, and the importance of having meaningful conversations with people who dial our 1300 number – whether they be clients of ours, members of their family, or just someone making an initial inquiry.
Everyone is treated the same, with care, empathy and a warm voice from a real person who is there to help.
There are no time limits. Our team members aren’t looking at the clock when they’re on a call; if clients are up for a chat and the phone call takes 20 or 30 mins, then so be it.
You can’t build a connection with someone without putting genuine effort into the conversation.
Trust is everything
At the end of the day, we’re in the trust business.
Our clients need to have a high degree of trust in who we are and what we do – after all, we visit people in their own homes.
Of course, if an elderly person’s daughter or son is involved in the process, as they often are, they too like to be able to ask questions so they can get a good feel for the physio service that’s going to be treating, and working with, their Mum or Dad.
What does TPC’s client care look like in practice? Meet Jess, Julia and Nancy …
Jess, Julia and Nancy, pictured above, form the core of our Client Care Team.
- Jess is TPC’s Creator of Energy & Inspiration; she’s been with the company for 13 years and heads up the Client Care Team.
- Julia joined The Physio Co in 2023 after 12 years of administration in busy hospitals.
- Nancy is a qualified physiotherapist who has been with The Physio Co for over 10 years; she splits her time working with the Client Care Team, and out on the road as a physio helping TPC’s senior clients to achieve their physical health goals.
I chatted with them the other day to hear their stories and how they approached client care from a day-to-day basis. Following are several snippets from that conversation:
This, from Julia:
“We’re not rushing our clients on the phone, we’re getting beautiful information while building this bond with real people that we’ve never met. When I get off the phone, I usually have a smile on my face and feel good about the chat I’ve had to help someone. I feel confident that the person has made the right decision to call TPC and that that feeling stays with me most of the day. I love that!”
And this, from Nancy:
“I think community physio is brilliant in terms of the way that you can build rapport because you’re in someone’s house. You see their wedding pictures on the walls, you see where they live, you see what coffee they drink and all that sort of thing. And so anything we (in the Client Care Team) can do to help build that rapport is going to improve the client’s connection and trust in our team.”
And from Jess:
“I have a client’s daughter that calls quite regularly about her Mum. I remember her from day one when we signed her Mum up a few years ago, and every time she calls it feels like she’s an old friend that I get to check in and see how things have gone. I just love the connections and hearing how things are going.”
As Julia says: “We’re not in a call centre with heaps of people around us. There’s three of us, and we’re there to hear about our clients’ day. We’re all part of their journey..”
This level of attention and care, I think, sets the tone for the entire client experience, from the initial call right through to the treatment and exercise programs our clients work on with our physios.
When it comes to healthcare, particularly for seniors, the importance of a personal touch cannot be overstated.
I believe The Physio Co’s client care team lives by this philosophy every day. Nancy, Julia and Jess are doing their best to make people feel seen, heard, and cared for in a way that ensures every interaction with clients, prospective clients – and/or family members – is meaningful and supportive.
Give it a go! I urge you to call us on 1300 797 793 and see for yourself. If the team is busy on other calls, leave a message and Jess, Julia or Nancy will call you back for a chat!
1300 797 793