🎯 Who is the Client? This is the essential question I explore in my previous article, where I pose a question about who is the customer and used the Healthcare Industry as an example.
🔗 Link to the full post in the comments below In this post, I answer the intriguing question where I delve into my experiences working with a wide array of customers and partners: In healthcare, who is the customer – the patient or the doctor? The responses I received were enlightening, revealing that there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
🏥 A Real-World Example: About 10 years ago, I consulted for a hospital in Jordan. The CEO, a family friend, sought to make his hospital the best service provider. With multiple strategies at play, I asked him “Who is your customer?”. Was it Patients? Doctors? Both? Or more? The key lay in defining what I call “The Client Matrix”
✅ The Operating Rooms’ Client Matrix: These rooms are used for various procedures and aren’t always occupied by the hospital’s doctors. Patients usually follow their preferred doctors, not the hospital. Here, the doctor is the Client, bringing in the “paying” patient.
📈 Strategic Transformation: This realization allowed the hospital to shift strategies, focusing on attracting top doctors and streamlining services. The result? Improved patient experience, superior healthcare services, higher profitability, and investments in life-saving equipment.
🔄 The Continual Re-evaluation: This example illustrates the need to continually think about and revisit the Client Matrix. Who is the client, and what does the Matrix look like? The answers might change the way you do business.
❗ Why ‘Client’ instead of ‘Customer’? A colleague, whom I look up to and hold in high regard, Paolo Maraziti, once explained, “A Customer is someone with whom you do a transaction; a client is someone with whom you foster a long-lasting relationship.” This shift in terminology can alter perceptions and behaviors.
In closing, understanding the Client Matrix isn’t just a theoretical exercise; it’s a practical tool that can lead to more effective strategies and better relationships. It’s about seeing beyond transactions to lasting connections. What are your thoughts? How do you define your Client Matrix? Share your insights below! 🙌
