Great People

I recently went to a laboratory to have my blood and urine analyzed as part of my regular health check up. I was told by the physician to go to the location that I had been to several times in the past, but when I arrived on the appointed day, the place was empty inside and a paper was taped to the window stating that the company had moved to the second floor of a larger and nicer building.

I wondered how many other individuals made the wasted trip. That was one strike against the company for not informing the medical clinics and physicians about their move. I’ll spare the name of the business, even though they enjoy a virtual monopoly on the island.

When I arrived at the new location, I went to the second floor and wandered around for a few minutes looking for a sign with the name of the company. On my second trip around I noticed some people sitting in a large room, so I looked at another piece of regular paper taped to the door with their name on it. Strike two for cheap signs and lack of professionalism. I have some hope that the next interaction will be positive after I read their slogan: “Great Science. Great People.”

The chairs were lined up like a workshop with a TV screen in the front, but it was turned off. No one was there to greet me, nor were there signs to say what to do. I walked over to a desk and saw a clipboard with a few names on it, and asked one of the individuals waiting if we were supposed to sign in. She said “yes,” so I signed in and sat down and waited for a few minutes until a gentleman called my name.

Okay, here was one of the “great people” I was going to be dealing with, but there was no greeting, he only asked for my insurance card, and then told me to sign a paper that had some wording as part of their contract. I started reading it and he seemed annoyed that I was actually reading something before signing it. I was then told to have a seat while he processed my paperwork.

A few more minutes go by and then I hear “Come with me,” and the individual gets up and walks off. I look up and there are a couple of people seated with me, and I’m not sure if it was for me, so I wait until he appears at the doorway and tells me again to come.

I’m now seated and my blood is taken, then I’m told he needs some “pee-pee.” Luckily, I understand his less-than-scientific terminology, having raised several children and having used the same word often when they were babies. However, each interaction I’m having with the “great people” of this company, is making me question the “great science” they’re going to use to analyze my bodily fluids.

I’m ready to leave at this point, but they’ve already got my blood, so I might as well leave my pee-pee. The restroom is clean, but then I notice that there is no trash receptacle in the room. I’m pretty creative, so I make do and when I go to wash my hands there is no soap in the container. Okay, I’m really losing confidence in this place as a professional facility.

When I finally leave the restroom with my pee-pee container in hand, I see that they’ve conveniently placed the trash can on the outside of the door. I point out to the individual that there is no trash receptacle in the bathroom, and he just shrugs and tells me to place my sample on a shelf with other samples. I checked to make sure my name is spelled correctly - at this point they have just struck out and I have lost all confidence in their great people, and their great science is waning in my mind.

As a business person, my thoughts quickly move to see what would need to happen to compete successfully against this company and knock it off its monopolistic pedestal. The equipment can be purchased, and the science part can be hired out or outsourced. The great people may be more difficult to find, but they can be trained. With great customer service, communication, and strong relationships built with the local medical clinics, there would be another option for patients to have their lab work done.

Would a medical clinic rather send their patients with confidence to a lab that takes care of their people vs. the cattle car of an operation that fronts itself as a laboratory? I think so.

I once had a wise business person jokingly tell me that the reason he was so successful was because he’s no worse than the competition. In reality, he made sure his business had great service, great products, and great people to deliver them. In a down economy that we’re experience, it is risky to treat people as just another number, and essential to make them a valued customer.