Following the recent upgrade to the NHS Choices website which allows patients and eye care practitioners to interact regarding their experience and treatment, the Optical Confederation has released a document detailing best use and practice regarding opticians online profiles and how best they can be used.
The NHS Choices website redesign allows opticians and eye wear specialists to create a mini site, or profile, online, detailing their services, products and much more while also allowing patients and users of these local services to leave feedback, good or bad, on their personal experience with the optical practice. The hope is that this service will allow potential customers and patients to have a greater feeling of safety and security when looking for local practices that have been recommended by like minded individuals from their area and also push failing opticians to improve their service and interact with unhappy clients to try and better their relationship with them.
The guidance delivered by the OC following discussion with the NHS Choices team details how best a practice can use the service:
- Once a comment/feedback has been left by a registered patient, they are unable to raise another comment regarding this issue. Likewise, a practice will only have one opportunity to answer all points that are raised.
- Practices are recommended to reply to ALL comments. Good comments should be answered as quickly as bad, as this shows a level of appreciation that this customer has taken the time to congratulate you. Bad comments or unfavorable feedback should be responded to also, so that a resolution may be made or that negative feedback on service can be turned into a positive relationship if the matter is resolved. In this case it is advised that the practice offer for the patient to come back so that their problems can be discussed and resolved.
- Offensive, unsuitable and libelous comments will not appear as all comments will pass through an approval queue with site administrators before publication.
- Take an active role in the site. An up to date profile signifies an up to date and modern practice, one that is also eager to please its patients and consumers.