I pull files and keep them for roughly 7+ years before purging. I try to send some sort of post card out to my archived clients once at the time of the pull, once about every three years after that, and then again at the time I get ready to shred.
In our office, most of these individuals have moved or something has come along in their life that takes priority to coming in for massage.
If you want to find out exactly what happened, a post card with a simple questionnairre that they don't have to sign, could be enough to do the trick. I don't know the compliance rate though. I did this once, early on in practice and got something like 2 filled out post cards back. I had even sent them already stamped. Now I just send some sort of update on our office, and sometimes a $10 gift certificate.
While googling, I noticed "satisfaction questionnairre" is probably the best way to find some samples of what you may be looking for.
Here are a few items that could be used:
Your response is important to us - please take a few moments to complete these questions!
How satisfied were you with your overall visit to ?
Please indicate whether falls short of, exactly meets, or exceeds your expectations.
If you are not satisfied or if does not meet your expectations, please explain why (please be as specific as possible):
What do you like best about ?
What is the most important thing can do to improve?
How often do you visit ?
o This is my first visit
o Daily
o Weekly
o Monthly
o 4 times/year
o 2 times/year
o Once a year
o Less than once a year
How important is to you?
What is your primary use of ? -
I'd love to see what kind of list could be formulated to fall below this question.
Overall, how satisfied are you with Company/Brand?
Very Dissatisfied -----------------Neutral----------------------Very Satisfied
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
How likely is it that you use Company/Brand again in the future?
Very Dissatisfied -----------------Neutral----------------------Very Satisfied
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
How likely would you be to recommend Company/Brand to your friends or colleagues?
Very Likely ----------------------Neutral------------------------Very Unlikely
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
Please rate the IMPORTANCE of each of the following services provided by Company/Brand.
Not at all Important --------------Neutral-------------------Very Important
-----------1------------2--------3-----4--------5-------6-------------7--------
Service Item #1 (i.e. Timeliness of Delivery)
Service Item #2 (i.e. Customer Service)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Merchandise Options)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Any Other Services)
Please rate your SATISFACTION with each of the following services provided by Company/Brand:
Very Dissatisfied -----------------Neutral----------------------Very Satisfied
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
Service Item #1 (i.e. Timeliness of Delivery)
Service Item #2 (i.e. Customer Service)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Merchandise Options)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Any Other Services)
Thank you for responding.
This link may also be helpful:
How to Develop a Successful, Baseline Customer Satisfaction Survey
BTW - I found this while trying to search for a "Happiness Questionnairre":
FROM SUICIDAL TO HAPPY WITH SMART CHAINSAW MOVES
Paddi Lund, an Australian dentist, working 60 hours a week, was close to suicide. He made a decision that profoundly changed his life and his success. He decided to focus his practice on happiness.
Paddi took a chainsaw to his reception desk and replaced it with a coffee bar. His patients are now served their choice from a large selection of coffees and teas. He installed a large kitchen and clients are met with the smell of baking bread instead of those dental smells we all know so well.
He took a chainsaw mentality to his client list, too. He fired many of them, keeping only those that met his ideal customer profile.
Paddi also instituted a Courtesy System so that everyone in his office -- both clients and employees -- is treated well. See the Courtesy System here: http://www.uksmiles.co.uk/courtesy.htm
The System includes simple but effective guidelines, such as: “When you talk about a person who is not present, speak as if they are listening to your conversation.â€
He made many other changes to bring happiness to his business. Read about them in his book Build the Happiness Centered Business. The book’s subtitle is: How you can find happiness in your business and reap all the rewards it brings, including increased profits, by following in the footsteps of a crazy dentist.
CRAZY?
What were the results of changing his to a happiness centered business? The door to his office is locked, with no sign on it. One can only become a client if referred by another client; his new clients are by invitation only. He does no advertising. His phone number is unlisted. Paddi now works 22 hours a week and makes three times the average dentist’s income. Not crazy at all.
A HAPPINESS AUDIT
Anything in your workplace to which you should be taking a chainsaw? Is your business happiness centered? No? Then you are not taking one of the most reliable and enjoyable paths to success. Not sure? You might to want conduct a happiness audit.
SMILES ON DEMAND?
Some of you are saying, “Yeah, right. You can’t mandate happiness.†Agreed!
Here’s an amusing story about one CEO who issued an order that his company better be fun or else http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/business_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_82_1457517,00.html
You can’t order happiness. Becoming a happiness centered business takes many steps. But, oh, the joy and riches of all kinds that come to the business taking that first step -- following in the footsteps of one happy dentist.
آ©Copyright 2002 Stephanie West Allen
----------------------------------------------------
Publishing Guidelines:
You have permission to publish this article as long as the resource box is included. Do not edit it in any way without permission. Please let me know of its publication by sending either a website link or a courtesy copy of your publication to
[email protected] you very much.
About the Author
Stephanie West Allen, JD, brings happiness, humor, and motivation to associations and organizations. http://www.allen-nichols.com Contact her for a free questionnaire to conduct a happiness audit of your business. mailto:
[email protected]
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karmassage
Post subject:
pueppi - what a gem you accidentally discovered! i have been obsessed with paddi lund since reading your quote and i think he has lots of great advice that could be applied to our own practices! i'm going to order his book
pueppi - what a gem you accidentally discovered! i have been obsessed with paddi lund since reading your quote and i think he has lots of great advice that could be applied to our own practices! i'm going to order his book :D
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 4:50 pm
Bodywork_Guy
Post subject:
In our Biotone spa workshop the instructor told us one way to increase demand for your services is to make them "exclusive" and to work by referral only.
Sometimes being told we can't have something only makes us more determined to get it at any cost.
I haven't been brave enough to do this but my current massage therapist does and she stays booked. "Appointments by referral only." I also know a doctor who works this way.
Hmmmm..
In our Biotone spa workshop the instructor told us one way to increase demand for your services is to make them "exclusive" and to work by referral only.
Sometimes being told we can't have something only makes us more determined to get it at any cost.
I haven't been brave enough to do this but my current massage therapist does and she stays booked. "Appointments by referral only." I also know a doctor who works this way.
Hmmmm..
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:45 am
karmassage
Post subject:
awesome pueppi! i'm cranking up the chainsaw now...
awesome pueppi! i'm cranking up the chainsaw now...
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:24 am
pueppi
Post subject:
I pull files and keep them for roughly 7+ years before purging. I try to send some sort of post card out to my archived clients once at the time of the pull, once about every three years after that, and then again at the time I get ready to shred.
In our office, most of these individuals have moved or something has come along in their life that takes priority to coming in for massage.
If you want to find out exactly what happened, a post card with a simple questionnairre that they don't have to sign, could be enough to do the trick. I don't know the compliance rate though. I did this once, early on in practice and got something like 2 filled out post cards back. I had even sent them already stamped. Now I just send some sort of update on our office, and sometimes a $10 gift certificate.
While googling, I noticed "satisfaction questionnairre" is probably the best way to find some samples of what you may be looking for.
Here are a few items that could be used:
Your response is important to us - please take a few moments to complete these questions!
How satisfied were you with your overall visit to ?
Please indicate whether falls short of, exactly meets, or exceeds your expectations.
If you are not satisfied or if does not meet your expectations, please explain why (please be as specific as possible):
What do you like best about ?
What is the most important thing can do to improve?
How often do you visit ? o This is my first visit o Daily o Weekly o Monthly o 4 times/year o 2 times/year o Once a year o Less than once a year
How important is to you?
What is your primary use of ? - I'd love to see what kind of list could be formulated to fall below this question.
Overall, how satisfied are you with Company/Brand?
Very Dissatisfied -----------------Neutral----------------------Very Satisfied
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
How likely is it that you use Company/Brand again in the future?
Very Dissatisfied -----------------Neutral----------------------Very Satisfied
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
How likely would you be to recommend Company/Brand to your friends or colleagues?
Very Likely ----------------------Neutral------------------------Very Unlikely
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
Please rate the IMPORTANCE of each of the following services provided by Company/Brand.
Not at all Important --------------Neutral-------------------Very Important
-----------1------------2--------3-----4--------5-------6-------------7--------
Service Item #1 (i.e. Timeliness of Delivery)
Service Item #2 (i.e. Customer Service)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Merchandise Options)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Any Other Services)
Please rate your SATISFACTION with each of the following services provided by Company/Brand:
Very Dissatisfied -----------------Neutral----------------------Very Satisfied
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
Service Item #1 (i.e. Timeliness of Delivery)
Service Item #2 (i.e. Customer Service)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Merchandise Options)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Any Other Services)
Thank you for responding.
This link may also be helpful:
How to Develop a Successful, Baseline Customer Satisfaction Survey
BTW - I found this while trying to search for a "Happiness Questionnairre":
Quote:FROM SUICIDAL TO HAPPY WITH SMART CHAINSAW MOVES Paddi Lund, an Australian dentist, working 60 hours a week, was close to suicide. He made a decision that profoundly changed his life and his success. He decided to focus his practice on happiness.Paddi took a chainsaw to his reception desk and replaced it with a coffee bar. His patients are now served their choice from a large selection of coffees and teas. He installed a large kitchen and clients are met with the smell of baking bread instead of those dental smells we all know so well.He took a chainsaw mentality to his client list, too. He fired many of them, keeping only those that met his ideal customer profile. Paddi also instituted a Courtesy System so that everyone in his office -- both clients and employees -- is treated well. See the Courtesy System here: http://www.uksmiles.co.uk/courtesy.htmThe System includes simple but effective guidelines, such as: “When you talk about a person who is not present, speak as if they are listening to your conversation.â€He made many other changes to bring happiness to his business. Read about them in his book Build the Happiness Centered Business. The book’s subtitle is: How you can find happiness in your business and reap all the rewards it brings, including increased profits, by following in the footsteps of a crazy dentist.CRAZY?What were the results of changing his to a happiness centered business? The door to his office is locked, with no sign on it. One can only become a client if referred by another client; his new clients are by invitation only. He does no advertising. His phone number is unlisted. Paddi now works 22 hours a week and makes three times the average dentist’s income. Not crazy at all.A HAPPINESS AUDITAnything in your workplace to which you should be taking a chainsaw? Is your business happiness centered? No? Then you are not taking one of the most reliable and enjoyable paths to success. Not sure? You might to want conduct a happiness audit.SMILES ON DEMAND?Some of you are saying, “Yeah, right. You can’t mandate happiness.†Agreed! Here’s an amusing story about one CEO who issued an order that his company better be fun or else http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/b ... 17,00.htmlYou can’t order happiness. Becoming a happiness centered business takes many steps. But, oh, the joy and riches of all kinds that come to the business taking that first step -- following in the footsteps of one happy dentist.آ©Copyright 2002 Stephanie West Allen----------------------------------------------------Publishing Guidelines:You have permission to publish this article as long as the resource box is included. Do not edit it in any way without permission. Please let me know of its publication by sending either a website link or a courtesy copy of your publication to
[email protected] you very much. About the Author Stephanie West Allen, JD, brings happiness, humor, and motivation to associations and organizations. http://www.allen-nichols.com Contact her for a free questionnaire to conduct a happiness audit of your business. mailto:
[email protected]
I pull files and keep them for roughly 7+ years before purging. I try to send some sort of post card out to my archived clients once at the time of the pull, once about every three years after that, and then again at the time I get ready to shred.
In our office, most of these individuals have moved or something has come along in their life that takes priority to coming in for massage.
If you want to find out exactly what happened, a post card with a simple questionnairre that they don't have to sign, could be enough to do the trick. I don't know the compliance rate though. I did this once, early on in practice and got something like 2 filled out post cards back. I had even sent them already stamped. Now I just send some sort of update on our office, and sometimes a $10 gift certificate.
While googling, I noticed "satisfaction questionnairre" is probably the best way to find some samples of what you may be looking for.
Here are a few items that could be used:
[color=darkred][i]Your response is important to us - please take a few moments to complete these questions![/i][/color]
[color=darkred][i]How satisfied were you with your overall visit to ?[/i][/color]
[color=darkred]Please indicate whether falls short of, exactly meets, or exceeds your expectations.[/color]
[color=darkred][i]If you are not satisfied or if does not meet your expectations, please explain why (please be as specific as possible):[/i][/color]
[color=darkred][i]What do you like best about ?[/i][/color]
[color=darkred][i]What is the most important thing can do to improve?[/i][/color]
[color=darkred][i]How often do you visit ? o This is my first visit o Daily o Weekly o Monthly o 4 times/year o 2 times/year o Once a year o Less than once a year[/i][/color]
[color=darkred][i]How important is to you?[/i][/color]
[color=darkred][i]What is your primary use of ?[/i][/color] - [b]I'd love to see what kind of list could be formulated to fall below this question[/b].
[color=darkred][i]Overall, how satisfied are you with Company/Brand?[/i][/color]
Very Dissatisfied -----------------Neutral----------------------Very Satisfied
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
[color=darkred][i]How likely is it that you use Company/Brand again in the future?[/i][/color]
Very Dissatisfied -----------------Neutral----------------------Very Satisfied
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
[color=darkred]How likely would you be to recommend Company/Brand to your friends or colleagues? [/color]
Very Likely ----------------------Neutral------------------------Very Unlikely
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
[color=darkred][i]Please rate the IMPORTANCE of each of the following services provided by Company/Brand. [/i][/color]
Not at all Important --------------Neutral-------------------Very Important
-----------1------------2--------3-----4--------5-------6-------------7--------
Service Item #1 (i.e. Timeliness of Delivery)
Service Item #2 (i.e. Customer Service)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Merchandise Options)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Any Other Services)
[color=darkred][i]Please rate your SATISFACTION with each of the following services provided by Company/Brand:[/i][/color]
Very Dissatisfied -----------------Neutral----------------------Very Satisfied
------1--------------2--------3--------4----------5-------6-------------7-------
Service Item #1 (i.e. Timeliness of Delivery)
Service Item #2 (i.e. Customer Service)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Merchandise Options)
Service Item #3 (i.e. Any Other Services)
[color=darkred][i]Thank you for responding.[/i][/color]
This link may also be helpful:
[url=http://www.guidestarco.com/customer-satisfaction-questionnaires-howto.htm][b]How to Develop a Successful, Baseline Customer Satisfaction Survey[/b][/url]
BTW - I found this while trying to search for a "Happiness Questionnairre":
[quote]FROM SUICIDAL TO HAPPY WITH SMART CHAINSAW MOVES Paddi Lund, an Australian dentist, working 60 hours a week, was close to suicide. He made a decision that profoundly changed his life and his success. He decided to focus his practice on happiness.Paddi took a chainsaw to his reception desk and replaced it with a coffee bar. His patients are now served their choice from a large selection of coffees and teas. He installed a large kitchen and clients are met with the smell of baking bread instead of those dental smells we all know so well.He took a chainsaw mentality to his client list, too. He fired many of them, keeping only those that met his ideal customer profile. Paddi also instituted a Courtesy System so that everyone in his office -- both clients and employees -- is treated well. See the Courtesy System here: http://www.uksmiles.co.uk/courtesy.htmThe System includes simple but effective guidelines, such as: “When you talk about a person who is not present, speak as if they are listening to your conversation.â€He made many other changes to bring happiness to his business. Read about them in his book Build the Happiness Centered Business. The book’s subtitle is: How you can find happiness in your business and reap all the rewards it brings, including increased profits, by following in the footsteps of a crazy dentist.CRAZY?What were the results of changing his to a happiness centered business? The door to his office is locked, with no sign on it. One can only become a client if referred by another client; his new clients are by invitation only. He does no advertising. His phone number is unlisted. Paddi now works 22 hours a week and makes three times the average dentist’s income. Not crazy at all.A HAPPINESS AUDITAnything in your workplace to which you should be taking a chainsaw? Is your business happiness centered? No? Then you are not taking one of the most reliable and enjoyable paths to success. Not sure? You might to want conduct a happiness audit.SMILES ON DEMAND?Some of you are saying, “Yeah, right. You can’t mandate happiness.†Agreed! Here’s an amusing story about one CEO who issued an order that his company better be fun or else http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/business_columnists/article/0,1299,DRMN_82_1457517,00.htmlYou can’t order happiness. Becoming a happiness centered business takes many steps. But, oh, the joy and riches of all kinds that come to the business taking that first step -- following in the footsteps of one happy dentist.آ©Copyright 2002 Stephanie West Allen----------------------------------------------------Publishing Guidelines:You have permission to publish this article as long as the resource box is included. Do not edit it in any way without permission. Please let me know of its publication by sending either a website link or a courtesy copy of your publication to
[email protected] you very much. About the Author Stephanie West Allen, JD, brings happiness, humor, and motivation to associations and organizations. http://www.allen-nichols.com Contact her for a free questionnaire to conduct a happiness audit of your business. mailto:
[email protected]
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:52 am
karmassage
Post subject:
*sigh*
okay, I suppose I will just archive them. Though, I might send a note with a discount to those I saw more frequently...
thanks for the advice!!
*sigh*
okay, I suppose I will just archive them. Though, I might send a note with a discount to those I saw more frequently...
thanks for the advice!!
Posted: Fri Dec 29, 2006 6:27 am
Bodymovers
Post subject:
I recently went thru my files and did the same thing. I tried contacting them via postcard, but got zero replies. Some moved, no forwarding address. Thes were all customers who were satisfied with the massage, but things change. Could have been a $ issue. I cant bring myself to toss them out, though. Even though its been 2 or more years, Im still holding out hope! I did get one return Christmas card from a man, one of thos picture cards. It was a pic of him & his dog in front of their Christmass tree, at the bottom it said "In memory of Eline". She was my client, and I had NO idea she had passed away. I had a teeny breakdown when I got that in the mail.
I recently went thru my files and did the same thing. I tried contacting them via postcard, but got zero replies. Some moved, no forwarding address. Thes were all customers who were satisfied with the massage, but things change. Could have been a $ issue. I cant bring myself to toss them out, though. Even though its been 2 or more years, Im still holding out hope! I did get one return Christmas card from a man, one of thos picture cards. It was a pic of him & his dog in front of their Christmass tree, at the bottom it said "In memory of Eline". She was my client, and I had NO idea she had passed away. I had a teeny breakdown when I got that in the mail.
Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 6:23 pm
Bodywork_Guy
Post subject:
Hi, karmassage, I haven't been in massage long enough to need to weed out files, but I was in marketing long enough to know that it's highly unlikely you'll get much constructive feedback from a letter.
In general, especially nowadays, people do not like writing letters, filling out paperwork or answering questionnaires to send back unless there's something in it for them. With that in mind, if you really want their feedback you might consider offering a cash "thank you" to those who complete your survey/questionnaire OR a certificate for dollars off. By the way, dollars work better than perceneforum.xxxes because people don't want to do the math. (Personally, I prefer perceneforum.xxxes - if they're high enough).
Depending on how many files you're talking about this could get expensive - even if you only offer a couple of bucks. Another, cheaper alternative (although more time consuming) would be to call them and ask or, better yet, (and still cheaper) pay someone (like a high school student) to call and ask them a list of prepared questions.
Having looked through the massive archives at my massage school of "one-hit wonders" I don't know that you'll really glean much from these former clients. There are an infinite number of reasons why they may not have come back and I would bet the majority of them have nothing to do with you or your massage techniques. But, as someone who loves data and research, I can certainly see why you'd want to know. Perhaps you could look at the files demographically and see if there's any similarities - mainly female, mainly male, all over 50, from a particular part of town, etc. I used to do that for a living and you can tell a lot from that sort of thing.
Good Luck.
Hi, karmassage, I haven't been in massage long enough to need to weed out files, but I was in marketing long enough to know that it's highly unlikely you'll get much constructive feedback from a letter.
In general, especially nowadays, people do not like writing letters, filling out paperwork or answering questionnaires to send back unless there's something in it for them. With that in mind, if you really want their feedback you might consider offering a cash "thank you" to those who complete your survey/questionnaire OR a certificate for dollars off. By the way, dollars work better than perceneforum.xxxes because people don't want to do the math. (Personally, I prefer perceneforum.xxxes - if they're high enough).
Depending on how many files you're talking about this could get expensive - even if you only offer a couple of bucks. Another, cheaper alternative (although more time consuming) would be to call them and ask or, better yet, (and still cheaper) pay someone (like a high school student) to call and ask them a list of prepared questions.
Having looked through the massive archives at my massage school of "one-hit wonders" I don't know that you'll really glean much from these former clients. There are an infinite number of reasons why they may not have come back and I would bet the majority of them have nothing to do with you or your massage techniques. :) But, as someone who loves data and research, I can certainly see why you'd want to know. Perhaps you could look at the files demographically and see if there's any similarities - mainly female, mainly male, all over 50, from a particular part of town, etc. I used to do that for a living and you can tell a lot from that sort of thing.
Good Luck.
Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:38 pm
karmassage
Post subject:
Archiving Client Files
I've just gone through my files and pulled out everyone I haven't seen in two years. I want to archive them to make room in my filing cabinets, but I would also like to send a note to these clients to find out what happened to keep them from seeing me.
Does anyone do this? If so, any input (wording, questions, etc.) would be greatly appreciated!
I've just gone through my files and pulled out everyone I haven't seen in two years. I want to archive them to make room in my filing cabinets, but I would also like to send a note to these clients to find out what happened to keep them from seeing me.
Does anyone do this? If so, any input (wording, questions, etc.) would be greatly appreciated!
Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2006 2:22 pm
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