Customer Loyalty and First Impressions

A first impression can be established in as little as 7 seconds. A positive first impression provides the basis for building a strong brand for your dermatology practice. If a patient’s first impression of your dermatology practice and staff is negative, it may prevent him/her from visiting your practice and ultimately keep him/her from becoming a loyal, long-term patient. When practitioners design strategies to attract and garner the benefits of loyal patients (patients who keep and rebook appointments; purchase retail products; and refer family, friends, and coworkers to the practice), they often focus on consistently meeting expectations in repeated interactions with patients over time; however, you may be surprised to learn that it is just one interaction—the first one—that may be the determining factor for establishing long-term patient loyalty.