Extravagant Welcome

There is a church in town that encourages its members to extend an “extravagant welcome” to everyone who walks through its doors. It is a philosophy that no matter who you are or where you are on life’s journey, your are welcome there. What began as a simple idea has grown to become the culture, the “brand” if you will of that congregation. And it is working. The church has experienced steady growth in a time when when many churches are watching their membership and attendance decline.

A friend of mine recently switched her hair salon and was sharing with me just how warm and welcoming they have been — from the staff who greeted her when she arrived, to the experience in the salon, to a text message later that day that thanked her for choosing them, to the personal, handwritten note from her new stylist that arrived in the mail a week later, hoping she liked her new “do.” My friend was so pleased that she has already made an appointment for her teenage daughter and has referred her mother as well. And my friend was referred to the salon by a neighbor who raved about the salon and the quality of its staff and work.

Two very different organizations yet both understand the power of making a personal connection.

Healthcare is no different.

People want and expect to feel welcome in your practice. And if they don’t, they have plenty of other options. Are you sparking that connection with new patients? What about current patients? How can you make your welcome more extravagant?