1. TODAY’S PRACTICE
Bon Appétit
What surgeons can learn from the dining experience.
BY SHAREEF MAHDAVI
When Danny Meyer enters a restaurant, they ate the roasted chicken, they will remember how
he knows in a matter of seconds you made them feel.”
whether the experience is going to be
exceptional or not by observing two E M OT I O N
things: is the staff focused on their Indeed, emotion is one of the key elements to deliver-
work, and are they having fun with each ing a great experience in any industry. Word-of-mouth
other? referrals are a common thread between restaurants and
Meyer knows what he’s looking for. He is the founder refractive surgery clinics. For restaurants, the way cus-
and co-owner of eleven establishments in New York tomers are made to feel will determine whether or not
City, including the top Zagat-rated Union Square Café they return. For refractive surgeons, the way your
and Gramercy Tavern. The exam- patients feel about their experi-
ples set by Meyer and his teams ence long after they leave your
have helped them become wildly practice will determine the enthu-
successful in an industry that is siasm with which and rate at
among the most competitive which they refer others to you.
anywhere.
MAKING COMPARISONS
P U T T I N G T H E C U S TOM E R The restaurant industry pro-
S E CO N D vides many great comparisons
In his book Setting the Table,1 for the service aspect of refrac-
Meyer explains how the concept tive surgery. When we examine
of hospitality can transform any the best of the best in dining,
business. “Put the customer sec- such as the French Laundry
ond” is one of his key principles, restaurant and the boutique
which flies in the face of conven- winery Jessup Cellars tasting
tional wisdom that dictates that room (both in Yountville, CA),
the customer is king. Instead, we find many relevant lessons
Meyer has found that, if the staff that can be applied to the
enjoy what they do, customers will world of refractive surgery.
have a better dining experience. (In Here’s a recounting of the typ-
fact, Meyer puts investors at the ical customer’s experience at
bottom of his list, after the com- the French Laundry, at which
munity and his suppliers.) getting a reservation takes
Why is this business approach months. In parentheses, I will
important for refractive surgeons list the principles that apply
to recognize? Because, like in the to your practice.
restaurant industry, great service is The minute you walk
not enough anymore. The restau- Although dinner at the French Laundry can through the restaurant’s
rant customer has come to expect be quite pricey, the restaurant’s reservation door, you’re excited (antici-
that the right food will be delivered list is fully booked months in advance, and pation) and are seated upon
to the right person, and the surgical cancellations are rare. Their focus on excep- arrival (no waiting room).
patient expects individualized atten- tional service creates a truly unique experi- The host or hostess who
tion. As Meyer puts it, “Long after ence for customers. seats you gently says, “Have a
MAY 2007 I CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY TODAY I 91

2. TODAY’S PRACTICE
wonderful evening” (setting expectations, generating in the restaurant industry, where mistakes occur with
warmth, and making a great first impression). After products (eg, wrong item) and their delivery (eg, served
offering you a cocktail or glass of wine, the waiter cold). Nevertheless, all business owners (including
explains from memory the menu he has placed in front refractive surgeons) have control over how they
of you. What is even more remarkable about his respond to mistakes. In his book, Meyer devotes an
detailed description of the items is that the French entire chapter to the topic, stating “We do have the
Laundry’s menu changes daily (continuous staff training power to write one last episode so that at least the
and product knowledge). story ends the way we want.” By empowering his team
to respond well to the mistake, it becomes a positive
S E RV I CE L I K E A BA L L E T and a memorable part of the story that the customer
As your courses arrive over the next several hours, will share with others.
you notice that you and your companions have been
greeted by 10 different servers, all working in a well-syn- T H E COM M O N T H R E A D
chronized manner (teamwork) that resembles a ballet. As I reflect on the different companies this column
Items that were not on the menu appear in front of has highlighted over the years, I notice a distinct unify-
you, such as pre-appetizers, pre-dessert truffles, and ing theme secondary to the customer’s experience: how
wrapped cookies to take home (elements of pleasant employees are treated. Employee satisfaction is evident
surprise). One guest’s request for a substitution is han- at Starbucks (Seattle, WA), where the budget for em-
dled with grace and a smile (accommodating cus- ployee training is larger than that for advertising. The
tomers’ requests and unique needs). same is true for Apple Inc. (Cupertino, CA), where store
staff engage in discussions with customers. And em-
ployees’ happiness is a cornerstone of Costco Wholesale
Corporation’s (Issaquah, WA) operating philosophy,
“Consumers are increasingly
where workers are paid far above comparable standards
seeking out at similar stores.
The core issue here is one that affects all businesses,
a great experience.” refractive surgery practices included: your success as a sur-
geon ultimately depends on the attitudes and behavior of
other people. Great skill alone is no longer the key differ-
The pacing of the evening is perfect, and no one ever entiator for surgeons, in the same way that Danny Meyer
feels rushed (customer-centric approach). The insignia- has demonstrated that great food (and even great service)
labeled clothes pin that held your napkin gets quietly is no longer enough to distinguish a restaurant.
slipped into your pocket (memorabilia), and another Consumers are increasingly seeking out something
guest’s request to take home the menu is met and different, and, in a culture where marketing is stuck in
exceeded when the chef/owner signs the menu (more overdrive, that something is a great experience. Danny
memorabilia). Meyer and his restaurants define hospitality as being
present when something happens for you and is absent
“C H E C K , P L E A S E ” when something happens to you. That simple concept
The check itself—designed after a retro-style laundry makes so much sense, especially in the delivery of elec-
ticket (having a consistent theme)—becomes yet tive medical procedures. In my view, focusing your ener-
another piece of memorabilia from the restaurant gy and effort on making each customer’s surgical expe-
(Figure 1). On the way out, your party is again bade rience unique and memorable is the ultimate form of
farewell by everyone you encounter (individual atten- hospitality. ■
tion). When you think your experience can’t get any
better, it does. You are invited into the kitchen to meet Shareef Mahdavi works with leading medical device
the chef and owner (privilege), where you observe that manufacturers and providers to increase demand for elec-
the entire kitchen is spotless despite the busy evening tive medical procedures. His columns on refractive mar-
(great impression). keting and his e-newsletter on improving the customer
experience are available at www.SM2consulting.com.
DEALING WITH MISTAKES
Not every business encounter will be as flawless as 1. Meyer, D. Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business. New
the one described previously. This fact is especially true York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers Inc; 2006.
92 I CATARACT & REFRACTIVE SURGERY TODAY I MAY 2007