Curbside Hearing Clinic Service, the Way of the Future is Today

Since the Covid- 19 turned into a world class pandemic of 2020, life changed.  Cities are under lockdown and some countries are under strict quarantine with the intensions of protecting citizens and stopping the spread of this coronavirus.  The government’s advice to stay at home enforced such measures as avoiding non – essential trips, limiting or postponing gatherings and social distancing.  Most retail and other person to person businesses remain closed as cities try to flatten the curve bringing down the spread of the virus. But lately and slowly, some measures in some countries are being lifted or relaxed with the exception of one thing, the need for keeping a 2 metre distance between individuals. In order to adhere to this all vital decree, workplaces are now scrambling to develop different strategies, hoping to keep customers and employees safe and healthy and to jump start the economy by keeping business flowing.  One such solution is having a curbside service, which is picking up without contact.

Can this service work for all types of business?  It can work for the restaurant or food service business, clothing and other retail business, basically anywhere products are sold.  Can it work for a Hearing Clinic? Essentially, can a curbside service model generate enough revenue to keep the clinic lights on and pay employees?

There are some questions that may arise when conceiving a curbside service model.  The first and most important question is what is a curbside business or service? The second is, how does it work? 

Make no mistake, this model will not produce enough revenue to keep business flowing as a stand alone service, but in the future it can generate extra revenue to compliment the business and during this pandemic it is a great introductory method to announce to the public that the clinic is still open for business even when the city is closed.

Generally, within the curbside model the customer/client sees a product they need online or by memory because they have purchased it before. They then call the store/clinic and order the product.  The store/clinic may want money upfront through credit card payment or they may request payment at pick up.  Nothing is delivered, therefore no extra cost is incurred. The product is made ready before hand and the customer/client picks up the item at the front of the store or at the “curb”, not in the store. Staff does not leave the store/clinic to hand deliver the product.

Can a curbside service work for a hearing clinic? 

The Set Up

To run and maintain the service, certain things have to be put into place first.  The clinic has to: 

1. Create an easy to read, clear, picturesque Online catalogue for all available sale items –  this will introduce the client to diverse product knowledge and availability and it will help to increase sales.
2. Order by phone –a phone call allows for a more personal and knowledgeable connection with staff at the clinic.  The clinic staff is able to access the client file and cross check the frequently ordered items and make suggestions about any other item that maybe helpful to the client.
3. Order online – the client is confident with their choice and can move ahead and place the order via computer or phone app. (Note: products include: batteries, cleaning accessories, Assistive Listening Devices such as phones, or inline amplifiers, etc… and completed, checked and repaired hearing aids. New hearing aids will not be dispensed at curbside as the client needs to be fitted by a hearing professional)
4. Payment – can be taken with credit card online or can be requested at pick up.  Due to safety and health of staff members  No Cash is accepted but payment can be taken at pick up by debit/credit tap. 
5. Order is made ready for pick up
6. Pick up at the curb – this does not have to be a literal curb but it could be at the door.  The client does not come inside the clinic but knocks at the door or rings a bell / buzzer and a staff member answers the door.  The client states their name and the staff member gives them their purchase.
7. In person curbside order –  a client can call upon arrival and order products or ring/buzzer for staff to accept an order at the door.  Payment is made by credit card or debit/credit tap.

Can clients receive good professional help and service with curbside technique?

Professionalism is not taken away from the hearing clinic, but this new service could add another niche of accessibility for the client.  In this day of the coronavirus, staying at home as much as possible is good for both clients and clinic staff, but there comes at time when clients need to replenish products.  If they cannot purchase these items at the local pharmacy as these same items are or can be indigenous to a hearing aid clinic, then the client is at a loss. It is good service if hearing clinics have the means to be able to fill the client’s needs even in these uncertain times.

  When the clinic opens the doors full time to the public, governmental rules of distancing are still going to be recommended to keep the spread of the virus low and or to control it as much as possible, seeing we will not be able to eliminate the virus altogether.  A vaccine maybe developed, but will it be effective in ridding the world of this killer?  As one doctor stated on CNN the other day, just like there is no cure for cancer as a whole, but for some cancers breakthrough in medical technology has allowed individuals to live longer and healthy lives.  It is estimated a vaccine for the novel Coronavirus is over a year away, which seems like a long time to wait patiently for life to go back to normal.  One thing we know for sure is that until then, direct face to face contact will be limited and guided, leaving us to speculate that this curbside service can become a good addition to regular hearing clinic service as a normal part of the whole.