I got a flu shot in a drugstore. You’d better get yours too. Soon.

Here’s the play by play:

• I walked up to the pharmacy window.
• I asked about the flu shot and handed the woman my insurance card and driver’s license. She asked whether I’d ever been to the store before. I told her I hadn’t, and she asked me to fill out a health form.
• I quickly filled out the form and handed it back. She said something like, “There’s no charge. Stand in the line over there to pay.” I had no idea what that meant, but I stood in the line.
• The guy rang me up. I pushed lots of buttons on the screen in front of me, and I signed my name on the digital signature pad.
• The guy looked at me and said nothing.
• I asked him what I should do next, since I hadn’t yet had the shot.
• He looked like I had asked something totally unexpected. Finally, he said, “Sit over there,” and he pointed at two chairs.
• I sat down and waited. After a few minutes, the original woman came over and gave me the shot. She stood up and started to walk away. “Am I good to go?” I asked. She nodded and walked away.

I got my shot. It was covered by my insurance, and I didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket. I guess I should be happy and just walk away quietly, right? However, I would have been happier if the process had been made clearer.

Talk to me, people. Tell me what’s next. Explain it. Treat me like I’m a foreign person lost in a strange land and give me the step by step so that I’m comfortable. Help me get through this shot thing without adding anxiety by keeping it all mysterious.

What if the first woman had explained that there would be no charge but that I needed to stand in the line to approve the treatment and sign for it? What if she told me that after signing I’d be seated in the chairs and she’d be over in just a minute after preparing the shot? What if she told me that I’d be able to leave immediately after the shot and that I’d be out of the store within 10 minutes?

Would that be so hard? Would taking 22 seconds to explain it have added much cost to the process?

These simple process improvements would have made me feel more comfortable and confident. I would have had greater trust. These improvements probably would have made the employees feel more comfortable as well. They seemed awkward about the entire interaction.

A well-documented process, accompanied by training and follow-up, helps the customer and the employee. It keeps the business running smoothly, and it makes a positive impression on everyone. It’s essential when customers are doing something out of the ordinary and/or for the first time.

There are plenty of parallels between the flu shot process and the process in our offices.

What Do Your Client Interactions Look Like?

The initial consultation is a particularly confusing time for most clients. Much of what happens after the consultation is confusing as well.

We say things like, “They’re going to take your deposition next Tuesday,” and we leave it at that. We know all about depositions, but we aren’t always helpful in explaining the process step by step to our clients. Failing to explain leaves our clients in the dark.

Look at each step in your client interaction process. Analyze it carefully. What really happens?

When someone unknown walks up to your reception desk, what happens? Does your staff person say “hello” and wait? Does your person ask what he or she can do to help? Does your staff know who’s coming and welcome the person as he or she arrives? What’s the process in your office?

What about after the greeting? Is the visitor offered a seat? A drink? Given instructions?

What happens when the lawyer arrives? What’s said? What’s done? Does the lawyer explain each step before it happens and as it happens?

It’s easy to fall into the flu shot trap. When people are untrained, systems are neglected, or the team loses sight of the customer perspective, the outcome feels awkward for the customer. That’s not good. The last thing you need is awkward-feeling clients. Comfortable writes checks. Uncomfortable hires someone else.

Flu season is just around the corner. What are you planning to do to inoculate your practice?