Why They Buy

Reluctant Customers

By Lynn Steffes, PT, DPT

Think back to the last time your water heater broke, or you had to replace a major appliance. I bet you were not thrilled to spend the money or be inconvenienced by the time it took away from your busy schedule. I am not sure people seeking physical therapy services feel much better.

What in the end made replacing the appliance a positive or negative experience? List a few things that were important to you during the process of the new purchase.

We often forget that many patients are reluctant buyers. Ultimately, the way we treat them as customers, the quality of the services we deliver, the cost, and the convenience will affect their final opinion of physical therapy, as well as your practice. Begin treating your patients as reluctant customers that you want to win over and watch their reluctance turn into loyalty.

Lynn Steffes, PT, DPT, is president and consultant of Steffes & Associates, a national rehabilitation consulting group focused on marketing and program development for private practices nationwide. She is an instructor in five physical therapy programs and has actively presented, consulted, and taught in 40 states. She can be reached at steffbiz@gmail.com.