I am not a swine flu hysteric. Despite the media’s apparent swine flu obsession, I just haven’t bought in. Even when my 10-year old daughter came down with distinctly flu-like symptoms (fever, fatigue, upset stomach, you know the drill), I still didn’t panic.

Until, that is, I got the email. With the best of intentions, a friend emailed me that there was a case of swine flu in my daughter’s school. Worse yet, the little victim was very ill and had been admitted to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Okay, that was enough to get me rethinking my decision to send my daughter to school that morning. Yes, her fever was gone but she was coughing a little and she didn’t eat much breakfast… Could she possibly have swine flu?

I called the doctor’s office. It’s a large office, with 7 physicians and thousands of patients. Yet despite the large volume of calls they’d been fielding from other concerned parents, they took the time to speak with me for nearly 10 minutes. And while 10 minutes may not sound like a lot, it’s more than enough time to reassure a worried mother. Incidentally, it’s also exponentially more time than most pediatric offices will stay on the line for almost any reason.

The nurse who spoke with me was professional, pleasant, and responsive to my needs. She didn’t dismiss my concerns or rush me off the phone. She took the time to hear me out and address each of my questions in turn.

The lesson: It doesn’t take much to stand out of the crowd by simply paying attention to your customers’ needs. Listen to what your customers have to say. Ask questions, engage them, and respond to their concerns. What better way to build strong relationships, retain customers, gain outstanding referrals, and meet with well-deserved success?

Until next time…

Liz