Service Recovery Basics
When a patient is unhappy because something went wrong.
What is the core principle of Service Recovery?
A normal emotion everyone feels sometimes.
What is anger?
The first thing you should always do with an upset patient.
What is listen?
Words that make patients more upset.
What is negative or “seeing red” language?
Taking a moment to calm yourself after a tough interaction.
What is hitting the reset button?
How we respond matters more than the mistake itself.
What is service recovery?
When feelings take over thinking.
What is being in the emotional state?
Showing the patient you understand how they feel.
What is empathize?
Saying things in a calm, respectful way.
What is professional service language?
Letting a supervisor know about a serious issue.
What is escalation or notifying leadership?
Patients remember how you make them feel.
What is the key message of the Maya Angelou quote?
Answer: The calm thinking state needed to solve problems.
What is the intellect state?
Saying “I’m sorry” for the inconvenience or frustration.
What is empathize?
Repeating back what the patient said to show understanding.
What is paraphrasing?
Bouncing back so the next patient gets your best self.
What is resiliency?
Moments when emotions are high and service really counts.
What are critical moments of service?
Staying calm even when a patient is upset.
What is controlling your response?
Fixing the issue once the patient feels heard.
Question: What is resolve?
Redirecting a conversation to calm things down.
What is de-escalation?
Choosing to respond, not react.
What is professionalism?
Situations where service errors occur but present an opportunity to build loyalty.
What are service recovery opportunities?
The body’s automatic reaction to perceived threat.
What is fight or flight?
The LEARN step people often rush past when they try to “fix it too fast.”
What is Listen (or Empathize)?
What happens when both the patient and staff are emotional.
What is escalation or confrontation?
A lack of agreement between perspectives, needs, or expectations.
What is conflict?