The People Are My Why
Everyone has something they are good at. I am good at being with the person or persons directly in front of me. I engage with them during the time we have together. I want for them to leave our exchange with more energy then they had coming into it. You could say I am a confident introvert, and I love customer service. In my profession customer service is a big deal! Maybe it is a big deal in every industry?
There are tons of things that go into quality service, personal service and customer service. But the thing that ties all this service together is the people you serve! In chiropractic listening to the practice member and really giving it your all to over deliver is my best advice.
Acquiring this skill has taken many years. I have been in sales forever! Here is a quick rundown: My first job was at a drive-thru, and you better believe you had to pay attention to the orders through the speaker! I have managed a skate shop. I sold shoes, suitcases and eye-wear. I have been a restaurant hostess and I have sold time-share excursions. You know, the salespeople in Mexico that didn't let you finish your margarita before offering you a trip to swim with the dolphins? That was me! I have been a jungle guide and a dive guide, as well as a dive instructor and a barista. All of these not so related career paths have taught me to look after the people that come to me. No matter what you do, you are probably in the business of people and it’s an amazing industry! No two days are the same because no two people are the same.
All of these unique opportunities to learn how to interact and give great customer service are assets. These experiences have shaped me and how I live my life. My biggest take away while working as a barista was continuity. Our customers came to our coffee bar because we had the music they liked, we decorated in the colours they found harmonious, we knew our coffee and we made an excellent brew! I can remember working at the Mocha House in Victoria, BC across the street from a Starbucks. We were often lined out the door. Our clients liked our coffee! The way we made it! They liked our furnishings and ambiance. We attracted plenty of business even with Starbucks across the road. And you know what? So did Starbucks!
I saw the same thing in the dive industry. People would return to our dive shop year after year. There were plenty of other dive operations in the area to choose from, but people came back because we offered them that which only we could. The industry, whichever that may be, is never overcrowded. Your unique services and personality shine through, and people buy because of your personality and how you make them feel.
I currently manage two paediatric clinics in Oslo. I am at the front desk fully immersed in my role as a chiropractic assistant every Monday. On Mondays, I am on stage, and the rest of the week I am backstage. But Mondays are my favourite! Mondays are full-on with all the comings and goings that is - a busy practice! On the other days when I am ironing out the creases and doing the less sexy work that goes into running an office, I can always draw on my Mondays. The people my offices serve are my why!
I love chiropractic and I am humbled by the countless women and babies under our care. They have never had my hands on them. I am not a chiropractor. It is my calling to relay the power of what we do in our office with unwavering certainty. Get people in the schedule, help educate them on their way to a better quality of life and an improved healing potential. I welcome them with ease, write time cards and send text message reminders. I pride myself on remembering their names, keeping the DC on time, and keeping the busy waiting room tidy. I educate and I small talk! I hold babies and I empty trash! All tasks are important and I take ownership of the space because what we do in our practice is unique and beautiful.
I can see three other chiropractic offices from the front entrance. It doesn’t matter. We do what we do, and they do what they do. There are plenty of people that need our unique care. Helping families live their lives free of vertebral subluxation is a joy. I am blessed to be a little part of this huge thing called chiropractic. Ensuring that people feel heard and loved is my intention with every interaction. The Doctors of Chiropractic do the rest. Together we are raising the vibration of this planet - one adjustment at a time.
About the Author - Kristen Moss is an office manager for two paediatric clinics in Oslo, Norway. When she isn’t serving in the office, she spends time perfecting her children's favourite banana bread recipe, ice bathing in the Scandinavian fjords and practising yoga. She is treasurer of the League of Chiropractic Women Europe and currently studying to be a nutrition coach with Bauman College of Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts. You can reach her by mail at [email protected]
