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Tue Oct 14 15:04:55 BST 2008

TEN TIPS to Trigger More Flight Requests 
________________________________________
Just as we maintain our clinical competency compensating, our communication
centers communicating and our aviation elements aviating - we must have
systematic methods, processes and technology in play - 24/7 - to trigger
flight requests. Why? Because flight requests don't just happen!

Here are ten tips to trigger more flight requests.

1. EARN THE RIGHT TO BE WORTHY OF FLIGHT REQUESTS -> FIX YOUR SERVICE FIRST
- The leading expert on service marketing Harry Beckwith states in , Selling
The Invisible; A Field Guide to Modern Marketing, "First, before you write
an ad, rent a list or dash off a press release - fix your service." Look at
all aspects of your operation and relentlessly do what is needed to fix and
improve to EARN flight requests! Be flight request worthy - individuals in
peril trust us - above all - to be safe and capable. Don't let them or their
loved ones down! Fix before you ask for flight requests.

2. OPERATE WITH A SYSTEM PERFORMANCE MIND SET - Operate with the
understanding that every act, word and deed of every individual that plays a
role throughout every action in the life-cycle of every mission affects
whether or not you will trigger flight requests. System performance - at the
micro-level - is the dominant driver of flight requests (not pens, pins and
pizzas.)

3. FIRST BE INFORMATION-CENTRIC THEN BE RELATIONSHIP-CENTRIC - Face the
facts - you cannot relentlessly imprint the minds and emotional centers of
every individual in your market space. Gather detailed data on individuals
that have the authority, ability and accountability to trigger flight
requests (Decision-Makers). Determine their emotional affinity with your
program (Loyal, Neutral or Antagonistic.) Then first fortify and leverage
your relationships with Loyal Decision-Makers. Before taking action to shift
the neutral and convert the antagonistic -> devote outreach and marketing
resources to maximize your yield with those that are loyal.

4. CONSISTENTLY PROVIDE AUTHENTIC RECOGNITION & VALIDATION - Regularly
recognize individuals that can trigger flight requests or those in their
organization for their exceptional performance. Position your program to be
the consistent source to validate them and remind them that their work and
their lives have meaning. Above all - be sure that recognition is authentic!
The actions need not be heroic - but must be relevant to contributing to
improving overall system performance, safety and patient outcomes. Be sure
to remember communication specialists, mechanics and others "behind the
scenes" who are among the most vital professionals that mitigate outcomes.
The ones most often forgotten as a powerful force in the healing course.

5. DEFINE YOUR MissionMetricsT - Decision-Makers must be able to define and
defend their choice to use your service (Clinically and Emotionally). You
must provide them with truthful information to help them differentiate
yourself from competitors. The four key drivers are Velocity, Affinity,
Competency, Consistency. Evaluate every aspect of your operation and
prescribe values (MissionMetricsT). Then take actions to be sure that
Decision-Makers know them!

6. BE THE FIRST RESOURCE NODE OF CHOICE - Individuals under pressure to get
their patients (and themselves) out of complicated situations do NOT need to
be "shopping around" to commence a transport. If you are fortunate enough to
trigger and receive the flight request (or any request ex. Educational
Seminar, Outreach Site Visit, Question on How to Better Communicate, etc.)
follow through and solve the problems! DO NOT miss opportunities to become
THE trusted resource, THE node upon which individuals can rely to "handle
it" - whatever may be the request.

7. SUSTAIN PERFUSION PRESSURE - JUST DO IT AND DO IT AND DO IT - If you were
to assign a blood pressure reading as a measure of the "perfusion pressure"
of your outreach and marketing efforts WEEKLY - would it be sufficient to
sustain top of the mind awareness with a critical mass of Decision-Makers?
Are you episodic - spiking pressure up to 200 mmHg during National Nurses
and EMS Weeks - then falling off to 20mmHg (or less) for weeks or months at
a time? Beware! Just as we need to sustain CONSTANT minimal blood pressure
to perfuse our patient's vital organs - it is vital to "perfuse" the minds
and emotional centers of key Decision-Makers. 52 weeks of 80 - 90 mmHg will
increase your certainty to trigger more flight requests than ad-hoc episodic
outreach and marketing boluses.

8. ASK -> LISTEN -> ACT -> REINFORCE -> The most common mistakes many air
medical transport outreach and marketing practitioners are making are; 
o Selling -> not asking those that can trigger flight requests what
they desire
o Not listening to those desires
o Not acting with high velocity upon those desires
o Not reinforcing the expectation that scarce resources allocated
are done so by choice with an understanding - that when medically necessary
and appropriate - flight requests will go first to the source that has
provided resources

Many programs decide internally what Decision-Makers desire and push actions
and deliverables on them. It's all about "pull." Some Decision-Makers desire
competency based education, some actually do desire pins, pizza and pens and
some desire to be left alone! Ask - Listen - Act (With High Velocity.) Then,
as part of the exchange - reinforce there needs to be a clear understanding
about the "First to Get the Flight Request" expectation when scarce and
valuable resources are provided. We all have choices. There is nothing wrong
with being reciprocal - as long as the program is worthy (Review Tips 1 & 2
;-) 

9. REMEMBER AFTER NOON AND NIGHT SHIFT? We operate in a 24/7 environment.
Yet, most outreach, education and marketing efforts are configured for those
with the "Day Shift" life. Why? You know why - it's convenient for US! See
what happens when you deliver hot food, drop off "fresh" mouse-pads, offer
educational courses or simply stop by the Transfer / Dispatch Center or
Emergency Department to provide some positive follow up or recognition for
individuals on the afternoon or night shift! Remember too - do this
consistently! You will earn and cultivate loyalty [and trigger more flight
requests].

READ, OUTLINE, MEMORIZE AND RELENTLESSLY PUT INTO ACTION THE PRINCIPLES OF
THE BOOKS BUILT TO LAST; SUCCESSFUL HABITS OF VISIONARY COMPANIES (Jim
Collins & Jerry Porras) and GOOD TO GREAT; WHY SOME COMPANIES MAKE THE
LEAP.AND OTHERS DON'T (Jim Collins). You will vastly improve your program
and our industry.

http://www.thinkthroughtools.com/articles.asp

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