Under Promise and Over Perform

I wrote this memo more than twenty years ago. Nothing has changed. An old friend sent it back to me recently, and it brought tears to my eyes. He said he saved it because it had become the center of everything he accomplished.  THANK YOU!!

~Shelly 

“Over the years, I have heard dealers make “pie in the sky” promises about what their company can do, how many dollars one can save by working with them, and other grandiose claims.

There are certain basic things that dealers must always do, or not do, as the case may be and that is “to promise.” You must never promise to do anything that you cannot do. Far too often, dealers overestimate their abilities and make rash commitments. Once you fall down, fail to perform as promised; you may never get a second chance.

When you do obtain an assignment, whether it is via managed care, Medicaid, Medicare, or other, your performance will be critical in helping you obtain more referrals. There are simple ways to help you identify and then reach goals.

Whatever the order is for, you must prepare your staff to give the payer the end result they want. Take a very simple order. You are delivering a bedside commode. Does your driver knock on the door, hand the commode to whomever answers, obtain a signature and return to base? Or does your driver unwrap the unit, help the patient or family caregiver place it by the bed, review how to clean the commode and show how to move the patient in and out? Usually it is the second scenario, but does the source of the order (physician, case manager, HMO) know that this has been done? That is your task.

A memo should be sent indicating who delivered the unit and specifically what they did while making the installation. Over performing, that’s what wins.

This effort should be developed into a formal patient compliance program. You can prepare forms that will show step by step how equipment will be delivered. Then the driver can have it checked off with the family, and also be used as a delivery receipt. Over performing, that’s what wins.”

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