Yesterday, I was riding back from a meeting with two other executives and we got to talking about the number and tone of unsolicited emails inviting us to seminars, webinars, or meetings. Those soliciting our business by offering to provide services and their "expertise" or taking us to the next level (whatever the heck that means). Then today, I was reading Paul Levy's blog, "Not Running a Hospital" and it was on the same subject.......unsolicited emails.
I have blogged about this subject before, but it's nice to know that I have a lot of company. In Paul's blog, he tells of a CEO who tried to unsubscribe from future emails only to be solicited further. Then the CEO again asked to be removed and was insulted. My favorite unsolicited email story happened a few weeks ago. I was solicited by a consultant to provide rapid improvement in the rapidly declining operations of my health system. The consultant provided data that showed a steep decline in admissions, length of stay, use of ancillary services, etc. I responded that I wouldn't be needing his services since we have redesigned our care to delivery model to focus on value and that we were no longer paid on a volume basis. He responded that technically the data was correct and that he could still help right the ship, if you will. In the politest of terms, I told him that he was an idiot and his services wouldn't be required now or ever.
I still think the way to fight this problem is for all of us to have a change of heart when faced with an irritating consultant. We should schedule face-to-face meetings with these "experts" and when they arrive simply be out of town when they show up at our doorsteps to woo us. It's not very nice, but in time it will be very effective and if they don't get the message, they will be out of business.
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