What does it take to create an unforgettable patient experience; one so powerful it sparks word-of-mouth referrals and loyalty that no discount or promotion can buy?
In this episode of Power Hour, renowned author and customer experience strategist, Dr. Joseph Michelli, joins Eugene Shatsman to explore how practices can craft emotional, memorable, and loyalty-driven experiences that set them apart. With a track record that includes Starbucks, Mercedes-Benz, Ritz-Carlton, and Zappos, Michelli unpacks how optometry practices, no matter the size, can apply the same principles used by global giants to delight patients and strengthen practice growth.
This episode is the second in our ongoing focus on patient experience. Following our recent conversation with Shareef Mahdavi, we continue the momentum — building on key themes with new perspectives from Dr. Joseph Michelli to help practices elevate every moment of care.
He walks us through the power of defining a “way we serve” statement: a simple emotional outcome that every team member is trained to deliver, whether a patient is walking through the door, interacting with the front desk, or picking up glasses. As he says, “If you don’t define how you want people to feel, you’ll never deliver it consistently.”
Michelli also breaks down examples from Ritz-Carlton and Zappos, revealing how their daily rituals, value-driven hiring processes, and culture-first leadership can be translated to eye care. Whether it’s the 10-minute morning huddle, the coaching culture, or tracking your own “wow stories,” these aren’t abstract concepts — they’re tactics optometry practices can adopt now.
And the key isn’t big-budget magic. The biggest opportunities for wow moments come from the simplest interactions: how you answer the phone, how you pass a patient from pre-testing to the exam lane, or how you wrap up a visit. Consistency is what builds loyalty. Emotion is what creates advocacy.
What your patients feel determines whether they come back — and who they tell or refer. Dr. Michelli reminds us that every practice has the power to turn ordinary appointments into extraordinary experiences. Practices that focus on how patients feel emotionally, outperform those that only focus on transactional encounters. If your goal is to create a practice that people love to visit and talk about, this episode is for you.
Key Takeaways
- The Way We Serve Statement: Why defining the emotional goal of every patient interaction is critical.
- From Transactional to Emotional: How to elevate your practice beyond exams by creating signature moments.
- Coaching Culture: The key to consistency lies in micro-coaching, daily rituals, and value-driven hiring.
- Scalable Wow Moments: Why surprise and delight isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about exceeding expectations in the smallest ways.
- Combatting Mediocrity: How to maintain enthusiasm and patient-centered focus — even with the 14th patient of the day.
In This Episode
- 00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Joseph Michelli
- 02:15 – The transformation of Pike Place Fish Market
- 07:20 – Making people feel “world famous” in your practice
- 11:45 – Behind the scenes of Ritz-Carlton’s wow strategy
- 18:50 – The secret to cultural consistency
- 26:00 – Zappos and the “pay-to-quit” hiring philosophy
- 31:00 – Defining values that drive success
- 35:10 – Targeting the emotional experience, not just the transaction
- 38:10 – Creating scalable “wow” moments in your practice
- 45:00 – Evaluating the patient journey — arrival, transition, exit
- 50:00 – Sustaining service excellence with the 14th patient
- 55:00 – Holding the team accountable without burning them out
- 57:15 – Final takeaways and closing thoughts
Contact Information
Connect with Dr. Joseph Michelli
Joseph A. Michelli, Ph.D., C.S.P. is a globally recognized expert in customer experience, organizational culture, and leadership. He is the author of multiple #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling books, including The Starbucks Experience, The New Gold Standard, Driven to Delight, and The Airbnb Way.
As the Chief Experience Officer of The Michelli Experience, Dr. Michelli has consulted with leading brands such as Starbucks, Mercedes-Benz, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, Zappos, and Airbnb, helping them design emotionally engaging customer journeys that drive loyalty and growth.
Holding a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Southern California, he began his career as a clinical and forensic psychologist before transitioning into business consulting and authorship. Dr. Michelli is a Certified Customer Experience (CX)
Professional and has been recognized as one of the Top 10 thought leaders in customer service by Global Gurus.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josephmichelli/
Website: https://www.josephmichelli.com/
Connect with Eugene Shatsman
Website – https://www.eugeneshatsman.com/
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/eugeneshatsman