Tips On The Best Patient Education Videos For Your Waiting Room TV

Patient education videos are a great way to inform any visitors in your waiting room about health-related topics. However, many hospitals, urgent care centers, and dentists, aren’t aware that these videos often make their patients feel uncomfortable. Are you currently playing patient education videos on your waiting room TV, or considering it? In this article we’ll explore why so many doctors, dentists, and medical specialists are so keen on showing patients educational or medical-related content; but most importantly, examine why that isn’t necessarily the best idea.

Patient Education Videos on the TV: Good or Bad?

Generally speaking, people aren’t really interested in watching medical-related content in waiting rooms. They’re not (usually) doctors, dentists, or a part of the medical industry themselves, therefore the chances of them having your level of appreciation for health-related videos is low. Regardless of how educational the videos are, patients tend to perceive them as boring, gross, or even depressing. Which is not how you want your visitors to feel.

“The TV in the waiting room was playing some gross health news infomercial.” -Yelp Review

As doctors and professionals concerned for the well-being of others, it’s only natural to want to educate patients wherever possible. However, you don’t want your good intentions accidentally making things worse. Additionally, you don’t want a video being the reason a patient had a bad experience, or left a bad review. Therefore, you should think carefully about what’s playing on your TV.

gross_tooth
Sitting in a waiting room shouldn’t feel like pulling teeth.
FREE DENTAL PICTURE BY AUTHORITY DENTAL UNDER CREATIVE COMMONS 2.0

Waiting rooms across the country are playing videos that make patients feel uneasy. Many of these medical offices are paying, or have paid, a lot of money to put this kind of content on their TVs. Whether it’s cross-sections of clogged arteries, rotten teeth being pulled, or eyes getting scraped with scalpels (I wish that was only a joke, but it’s happened), it simply isn’t the sort of thing people in waiting rooms want to see. That goes double if those videos are on a 10-minute looping medical display. Medical offices – you can do better. Fortunately, there are ways of getting around the gross, or graphic content.

Waiting Room TV: The Best of Both Worlds

Should you do away with all of your patient education videos? Not at all. There’s a happy medium between showing videos with educational, or important health messages, and fun, interesting content that your visitors will enjoy watching. Finding a good balance between the two is the key to crafting the best waiting experience for your patients. Patient comfort comes first.

The Best Waiting Room TV: Where To Begin Looking

It doesn’t matter if you’re a hospital, urgent care, dentist, or specialist of some kind; finding the best waiting room TV software for a medical office is like trying to find a needle in a haystack, except the hay are countless custom TV providers telling you that they have the best technology, cheapest devices or easiest to use system. So how does one narrow the list down? Follow these 3 simple steps, and you’ll find the custom TV software that’s perfect for your waiting room:

1.) Avoid Medical-Only Content: For every reason that’s been detailed above. Medical videos are best shown when played alongside traditional TV content that people enjoy watching– like food/cooking, entertainment, home/garden, sports or fashion. Medical content can be good when it’s educational, and not gross. However, who doesn’t like watching something fun over something medical?

2.) Don’t Fall for “Free” TV Services: Nothing is free. That “free” TV for your medical office is likely paid-for by pharma ads that have no business in your waiting room. For more information about why “free tv” is a bad idea, check out this article: Top 5 Reasons a Free TV Service is Bad for your Waiting Room.”

3.) Feature Your Own Content: Find waiting room TV software that allows you to upload, and mix-in your own personal videos. Medical videos aren’t bad, they’re just best in small doses. They are especially effective when the videos are personally-branded, and the people on the TV are your own staff. Most importantly, your messaging is better-received when it’s played in between content that puts visitors in a good mood. That’s really all it takes.

 

Best TV for Urgent Care Center Waiting Rooms

Looking for the best tv channel to put inside of your Urgent Care Center? It’s important to create an experience that is truly the best fit for you, your patients, and your urgent care. This article will outline the most important features you should be looking for in your urgent care TV.

What Makes the Best Waiting Room TV, the “Best?”

The most effective waiting room TV selection is one that is tailored to your own unique waiting room environment. How do you know if the TV software you’re currently looking at is the best for you? First, you have to identify what you’re No-Stale-Contenthoping to get out of it. But generally speaking, you want something that is entertaining and engaging. You want your waiting room television to be aesthetically pleasing and brand-tailored – with the ability to upload your own personal videos and messaging. Equally as important is a TV solution that is cost-effective, and easy-to-manage. These are the top 5 things to keep in mind when looking for the best TV software for your urgent care.

However, knowing what to look for is only half the battle; finding all of these features in one single TV package is next.  It’s Relevant TV, has all of the features listed above, and more.

Entertaining & Engaging Content

It’s Relevant TV features the world’s largest library of licensed content, giving users access to over half-a-million videos for visitors to enjoy. Each piece of content is screened by live human beings to ensure that everything is family-friendly, and nothing unsettling or inappropriate ever plays on your TV.

It’s Relevant is not a playlist.

No-Repeating-ContentOther digital TV software providers will try to pass off things like a 10-minute, 30-minute, 1-hour, 3-hour, or 5-hour loop of videos as “premium TV content” – It’s Relevant TV doesn’t loop. It streams new videos every hour from a list of 40+ categories you pick and choose from. Categories like Cooking, Sports, Automotive, News, and even Trivia. Additionally, the whole system is fully customizable, with the ability to upload your own personal messaging on the side, during, or in between content.

Easy-to-Watch

A number of waiting room TV software solutions try to cram too much onto the screen at once. As useful as the information you may be putting on the screen is, it doesn’t have to be visible 100% of the time. Having too much promotional or “educational” content in a row is actually a turn off to most visitors. It can also get out of hand fast and make the TV look like a gimmicky widget – almost as if you were showing a website instead of a TV channel. That might work for a menuboard at a restaurant that is only seen for a minute, but not an urgent care waiting room where visitors are spending 3+ minutes.

No-WebsiteIt’s Relevant TV is not website for your TV, nor is it a collection of widgets.

IRTV is structured in such a way that it’s modest, nice-looking, and easy on the eyes. Most importantly, it’s designed so that visitors notice what matters; the messaging. Whether it’s videos that you upload, image-ads on the side, or text scrolling throughout, It’s Relevant is all about making your messaging effective. It delivers things like news headlines and the weather – but in a way that doesn’t overstimulate your viewers or give them a headache. Never forget that a little goes a long way.

Tailored to your Brand

It’s Relevant is a custom TV network that works for your brand. Your logo, your videos, and your messaging can all be uploaded into the system and featured on the TV. Whether you want the TV to play exclusively your branded-content, or you want a mix of personal + IRTV content; you’re the boss.

In the case of urgent cares; when you mix medical content, personal videos, or educational segments with It’s Relevant’s fun and interesting content, visitors will stay tuned longer and be more receptive to your messaging.

Cost-Effective

FREE WAITING ROOM TV SOFTWARE!

There’s no red flag bigger than a waiting room TV service that’s advertised as free. Nothing’s free – except food samples at Costco (actually those aren’t free either as you have to pay a membership to get in). If you’re interested in a good reason as to why a free TV service is a bad idea, the following article will give you 5; Top 5 Reasons a Free TV Service is Bad for your Medical Practice.” In short, you get what you pay for.

While It’s Relevant TV is not “free,” it often times costs less than cable and is designed to generate additional revenue for your practice. It’s designed to fit your marketing budget, and make those marketing dollars count. Whether you’re a hospital, urgent care, dentist office, or a medical specialist; every little bit helps, and It’s Relevant’s ROI helps offset the cost.

Easy-to-Manage

It’s Relevant TV couldn’t be easier to control. Users are able to adjust settings, upload videos, and manage all of their content from anywhere with virtually any internet-connected computer, tablet or smartphone. The It’s Relevant iOS app for iPhone and iPad provides a straightforward way to make changes to individual, or multiple TVs at once; across multiple locations. The convenience of being able to make changes from anywhere, at any time, with such ease, is a breath of fresh air for users who aren’t so tech-savvy.

If you still own a flip phone and don’t like interacting with technology yourself, It’s Relevant TV includes a Client Success Manager at no additional charge with every subscription plan. This person is available to make changes for you, and even help with graphic design and strategies for getting the most out of your TV.

It’s Relevant TV is the Best Fit for Urgent Care Waiting Rooms

It’s Relevant is a fully-customizable TV network which combines the best aspects of television and digital signage. It provides urgent cares across the country with safe, family-friendly content that visitors actually enjoy watching, and mixes that content with your own branded videos and promotions.

Could It’s Relevant work for your waiting room? 

Visit itsrelevant.com or schedule a demo if you have questions or would like to know more.

Best Channel For Your Business TV is NOT on Cable

Looking for the best channel for your waiting room or lobby TV? Cable TV is starting to move away from Business TV; making room for other companies with more compelling, and less expensive, products to come to the forefront. If you’re still using cable in your business, it’s time to consider alternatives to cable TV; especially if your business is one with a waiting room.

Read:What’s the Best Cable TV Replacement for your Waiting Room?

Settling on the Best Channel for your Waiting Room TV

For starters, it isn’t Spectrum’s Business TV. Shoveling out an additional pile of cash each month in order to turn your cable + phone package into a Triple-Play bundle might seem convenient and cost effective at first, but these packages have a tendency to jack-up in price after the initial trial period ends. Then what are you stuck with? Just hope that you’re not under contract if this happens. If you can, call up your provider and cancel if the surprise increased rates are too much for your budget.

Settling on the best channel for your waiting room TV means finding the best waiting room TV software for your business. For a more in-depth look at the elements that make up a great business TV, check out the following article: Top 3 Things To Look For In Your Business TV Software.” In the end, you want a solution that is engaging/entertaining, easy-to-use, and most importantly, inexpensive.

Unbundling Your Cable TV Triple Play

Cable companies are moving away from TV. They still offer TV services; but the major companies, like Spectrum for instance, are offering up really attarctive internet and phone bundles to businesses for the first time. The telecom company that boasts superior internet, phone, and TV services, has launched a cable + phone package for businesses that’s under $69.00. Compared to how much you might spend on other media bundles from other companies, $69/mo is actually really good.

What many business cable customers don’t realize is that the TV portion of their cable bill was likely the largest part of it. With these new offers, you can remove the TV and keep cable for your internet and landline phones.

This is great news because there are much better TV services out there for businesses that can run off the internet connection. They cost less than cable and do a lot more for visitors and the business itself. What you choose to put on your business TV is important, as is budgeting your monthly spending. The best waiting room TV solution is one that is cost effective; but also and one that satisfies the role of entertaining visitors-in-waiting.

The Best Waiting Room TV Software is It’s Relevant TV

The best business TV solution on the market is It’s Relevant TV. It’s Relevant provides you with the best combination of channels your marketing dollars can buy; one that lets you effortlessly control what’s on your TV. The software transforms your TV into a fully-customizable, personally-branded marketing tool that continues to feature TV programs while also highlighting promotions for your business.

It’s Relevant TV is the way to go if you want a cable alternative that is tailored to you business, and one that serves your customers. When it comes to medical office waiting rooms, bars and restaurants, car dealerships – or any business with a television; using cable TV is a thing of the past. Explore what’s out there, but start your search here.

Top 3 Marketing Podcasts Business Owners Should Be Listening To

Marketing podcasts are a great way to tap the minds of experts who know a thing or two about marketing strategies or growing a business. The world of business podcasts is hardly new; however if you’re like many business owners who are just tuning in and discovering what’s out there, finding the best podcasts that are relevant to your business can be overwhelming. This article will highlight the top 3 marketing podcasts that any new, or savvy business owners should add to their routine.

1.) Digital Media & TV Strategy for Businesses

Want to make your TV work for your business?

Presented by It’s Relevant TV; a leader in custom TV solutions for medical offices, car dealerships, and restaurants across the U.S., Digital Media and TV Strategy for Businesses is a weekly podcast which explores recent trends in digital media and television marketing, while also promoting best practices for business owners who want to get the most out of their television, social media, and video integrations.

If you’re looking to do more with your business’ TVs, are interested in marketing inside your business, or want a greater social media followership, then Digital Media and TV Strategy for Businesses is the marketing podcast for you.

2.) Social Media Marketing Podcast

Hosted by Social Media Examiner, Social Media Marketing Podcast airs insightful interviews from leading social media marketing experts as they explore how successful businesses utilize social media, devise new strategies, and gain noteworthy advice on improving social media marketing.

3.) Success Made Simple

Success Made Simple, hosted by world renowned speaker and author Dr. Dave Martin, is a must for success-driven business owners. This podcast features interviews from experienced businessmen, marketing experts, and celebrities who share their individual success stories and tips on how to improve your brand’s image and marketing strategies.

Man Cave Health: Creating The Best Waiting Room Experience for Men

Man Cave Health at the Department of Urology at Mount Sinai exemplifies how a great waiting room environment creates success in a practice. Innovative waiting room transformations are nothing new, however this “man cave” is really a first-of-its kind sports themed center that has gone all-in to attract middle-aged male patients. Their attention to the waiting room has really paid off.

Man Cave Health: The Essential Ingredients

The Man Cave Health waiting room is comprised of sports memorabilia, comfy brown leather chairs, dark wood walls, and a coffee bar – all of which feel like a “man cave” that your average man wouldn’t mind visiting, or coming back to. It’s just the sort of comfortable setting that a lot of men wish they could transform their basements into – maybe a handful will now.

As Dr. Ash Tewari, Chairman of Mt. Sinai, points out in the official videomen tend to take better of their cars than their own bodies. The design of the Man Cave Health waiting room is geared towards appealing to the things men traditionally like, which makes it easier for them to say “yes” to simple, yet important examinations that could save their lives.

It’s Relevant TV: Helps Practices Transform Their Waiting Rooms

It’s Relevant TV has been helping medical offices transform their waiting spaces– starting with their TVs. If you are a practice owner, or manager, and are looking for ways to draw more interest to your office while creating a more positive patient experience, please feel free to reach out to us. Whether you’re a medical specialist, urgent care, dentist, or hospital; we have been helping, and consulting with, all corners of the healthcare industry across the U.S.

It’s Relevant is the best in waiting room television. As amazing as the Man Cave looks, you don’t need to fully transform your waiting room to create a more positive patient experience. Start with putting something better on the TV. If you’re interested in learning more about the ways in which a custom TV network can generate more success for your medical office, visit It’s Relevant TV.

Don’t Get Sued for Using TV Streaming Services In Your Business

Free TV streaming services, or even the mainstream paid subscription streaming apps, might seem like the perfect thing to put on your business TV. Don’t be fooled. If you’re not careful, that free, or low-cost subscription could be putting your business at risk for getting sued by big companies and powerful TV networks. This article will help you identify what to look for in a safe TV solution, and whether or not the TV streaming service in your business is okay-to-use.

TV Streaming Services Like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video

Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video are the 3 most popular paid-subscription services out there. They’re usually what comes to mind whenever someone thinks of TV/movie streaming; and at roughly $10/month, who wouldn’t go for that in their business? The Answer: someone who doesn’t want a lawsuit. If you look up the Terms & Conditions for TV streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video, you’ll see that all of these subscriptions are for personal-use only.

What does that mean exactly?

In short, it means that the content isn’t licensed for commercial-use. You’re not allowed to play these in a restaurant, waiting room, or any business or public setting. The actual cost of licensing a movie or episodes of a TV show is usually so costly that no one in their right mind would bother trying. At least not for a business. However in case you’re curious, we’ve got the numbers; the cost of actually licensing an older movie to play publicly is around $250-$600 for a single showing. That means only one time. So if you are running a DVD on loop in your waiting room all day long the bill would be over $2,000 per day, or over $700,000 per year. And that’s not even for showing a recent blockbuster hit- those would be even more expensive. It’s safe to say that those spending-dollars could be put to better use.

Popular Movies & DVDs

You’re not allowed to play movies or DVDs in your business for the same reasons you can’t stream services like Netflix and Hulu – your copy of a DVD is a licensed for personal-use only. You can enjoy the movie on your own, or you can watch it with friends and family in a private setting – that’s about it. Putting “Finding Nemo” on the TV in your business or waiting room is gambling on the wrong person seeing it, which could lead to a very heavy lawsuit.

It should be noted that not all DVDs carry this risk. DVDs that are labeled and licensed for commercial use, or as a waiting room TV solution should be perfectly legal. The downside to these sorts of DVDs is the content. The videos tend to be stale, dry, or generally uninteresting to watch. And the content is limited to just an hour or two on constant loop. By and large, you don’t want your visitors to be bored, and you certainly don’t want the quality of your TV’s content to reflect poorly on your business as a whole.

Streaming YouTube Videos onto your Business TV

This requires a little IT finagling; but with the right know-how you can generate a playlist of videos taken directly from YouTube, or similar video-hosting websites, and upload them to your TV for visitors to see. Is this safe, or legal? Yes, No, well maybe. It all depends on whether or not the video is yours, or if it isn’t, that you have the expressed permission to use it. Picking some random videos off of YouTube that you like and putting them up on the TV carries the same risk as showing Netflix or Hulu if you don’t have the creator’s permission.

Showing your own videos on the TV is a step in the right direction. Personally-branded ads, or messaging, is a great way to get people informed about what you do, or what you offer – however, it’s not enough on its own.

The Best TV Solution for Businesses

Your personal messaging is more effective when it’s sprinkled in with mainstream content that is fun, or interesting. However, you’ve probably noticed in this article that licensing such content legally seems to cost an arm and a leg.

Not with It’s Relevant TV.

It’s Relevant TV streams videos from a broad host of content creators, TV studios and networks to deliver safe, family-friendly content that is 100% commercially licensed, legal, and will be exactly be the kinds of videos visitors will enjoy watching.

In addition to avoiding the risks, IRTV brings promotional opportunities for your business. The licensed videos It’s Relevant TV provides play alongside your own personal messaging – presenting it to viewers in a gentle way that gets them to think, or respond positively towards it. Pairing your messaging with short-form, customizable content that your visitors will enjoy watching will keep things safe, and promote a positive experience in your business.

Should I Cancel Cable? A Better Cable Alternative For Businesses

Are you just about ready to cancel cable TV in your business? Many business owners feel as though their cable subscription costs more money than it’s worth; this is especially true when most people are looking at their phones instead of the TV. If you think that your TV service isn’t doing enough for you and your business, it probably isn’t. However, that’s not the TV’s fault – it’s what’s on the TV that’s not working. The right TV service makes all the difference. So before you take that screen off your wall, consider that there are alternatives to cable TV that are made with your business in mind.

Cancel Cable TV for Something Better

Cable TV just doesn’t work in businesses. Why? because it was designed for the home-setting. The one-on-one experience with cable TV is the desired one, in which the viewer controls the screen and puts on what they want to watch. That works great at home, but not in public.

There’s a certain comfort factor associated with TVs, which is why so many businesses and waiting rooms have TVs in them; this idea is sound in principle, but fails in practice. The fact of the matter is: People aren’t coming into your business to watch TV. They’re there to get treatment if it’s a medical office, buy a car if it’s a dealership; and so on. One thing is for certain; visitors notice the TV.

Instead of boring talkshows, stressful news & politics, or graphic nature shows featuring animals eating each other, the best TV for your business is one that fits your business and your customers. One that promotes your services, speaks to your visitors, and gets them excited about your brand.

The Best Cable Alternative for Your Business

Whether you’re a restaurant, urgent care, dentist, or car dealership – the best TV option for your business is It’s Relevant TV. It’s Relevant gives business owners control over what’s on the TV, and gives them the freedom to upload their own personal videos and important messaging for visitors to see.

IRTV has the basic features most business wanted cable for in the first place; things like local or national news, and up-to-date weather reports. However, unlike cable, it comes with the ability to integrate your social media accounts with your TV. So if your business is on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, you can showcase your most recent posts for visitors in your business to see what they’re missing, and get more people to follow you.

Visitors take notice of the TV more than posters, signs, and any other signage – It’s Relevant takes advantage of that by giving you the option to put promotions on the side of the broadcast while people are watching the fun and interesting short-form content that comes with It’s Relevant TV.

If you’re still on the fence about whether or not to cancel your cable TV subscription, the following article lists “10 Reasons to Cut the Cord”. However, if you’ve already made the choice in your head about getting rid of cable, consider something like It’s Relevant TV before getting rid of the TV altogether.

Video Producers: How To Get Your Clients To Hire You for More Videos

Video producers help businesses generate more success with great visual content; but how often are those videos being used to their fullest potential? Just about every type of business benefits from custom made videos, but not every business owner knows how to utilize them properly. And it’s far too often that the business that hires you to produce a video thinks you are to blame if it doesn’t get viewed enough times.

Even if you’ve created the best video in the world for a client – if they don’t know how to get it seen, your efforts may have largely gone to waste, and you may not be hired again. We’ve seen that more and more a video is judged on it’s viewership over it’s quality of content. So if you are in the producer mindset and not thinking about distribution, your video may be seen as poor, even if it’s great.

“I want a viral video”. How many times have you heard that despite it being such an unrealistic expectation?

Neither you, nor your client, want something that’s going to peak at 500 views on YouTube and practically go unnoticed. And at the same time you can’t promise them a viral hit. Luckily, there are tools out there that your clients can use that will help them get the most out of your hard work, and their custom videos.

Professional Video Producers want their Clients to see Value in their Work.

Your client’s success is your success. Not to mention that it feels great knowing that your work is appreciated, and effective. A good content creator wants their client to be happy with the videos they commissioned; because the happier a client is, the better chances you have of them commissioning more work from you. But what makes them happy? Results!

Getting your client to love something you produce for them is less about improving your production quality; though as producers it’s something we all strive to do. Instead, it’s more about helping your client get the work you did for them seen by more people in an inexpensive, efficient manner. This will not only help them generate more success, it will better demonstrate your value to them and increase the likelihood of them hiring you for more videos. But where do they start?

Well if your client has a multi-million dollar advertising budget, the choice is easy: broadcast TV. If they don’t have millions to spend on advertising, what do they do? They can still put it on the TV. The TV in their business, that is.

Use It’s Relevant TV as a Way to Drive Results from your Videos

It’s Relevant TV creates custom TV networks for businesses. Simply put: it’s a mix of TV programming and branded videos that feels like TV with a bit more control for the business. It gives your clients the ability to share their videos and messaging alongside entertaining, short-form TV content. Any of the videos you make for your client can be uploaded to It’s Relevant and played on your client’s TV(s) for visitors to see. Instead of your client only uploading it to platforms like Facebook or YouTube where it will only be seen for a short time after it’s posted – videos that are uploaded onto It’s Relevant will stay top of mind because they will be playing on a TV that visitors will see each and every day.

If your clients have the TV, and they have the videos you’ve produced for them, why not showcase those videos on the TV?

If you’re a video producer, or content creator who has clients who are complaining about a lack of views or who aren’t seeing the true value of the videos you’ve produced for them, introduce them to It’s Relevant TV. Show them just how much more BANG they can be getting out of the content they hired you to create.

Top 10 Secrets for Creating the Best Waiting Room

Looking to create the best waiting room for your visitors? We’ve identified the top 10 ways businesses and medical offices are improving their waiting areas across the country.

The #1 Secret for Creating the Best Waiting Room

This article promised you 10 secrets – however, get ready to eat your dessert before dinner because we’ve saved the best for first. The secret to crafting the best waiting room experience for your visitors is the TV. It might come as no surprise that “TV Adviser” would rank a waiting area’s television so high on the list; but the proof is in the pudding. Here’s why:

TVs are everywhere.

They’re everywhere, they help reduce perceived wait time, and people are generally more comfortable when a TV is on in the background. Think of the last waiting room you were in – was there a TV hanging there for people to watch? 9 times out of 10, there is. However, just as frequently, that TV isn’t living up to its full potential.

If you didn’t think about the last waiting room you were in before – try and think of it now. Do you remember what was playing on the TV? It was probably the news, or a talkshow.  TVs like that aren’t serving the business or medical office they’re located inside of; if that’s what’s on your TV, it isn’t serving yours either.

The solution is custom TV software instead of cable or looping displays. The best thing you can do for your waiting room, beyond making it look nice, is putting something nice on the TV. You want something that, unlike cable, works for you and helps deliver your messaging while simultaneously entertaining your visitors. If you’re curious about the ways in which a custom TV network could better serve your visitors, your waiting room, and your bottom line, start your search with It’s Relevant TV.

Secret #2: A Welcoming Staff

Nothing says ‘welcome’ like a real-live person actually saying “welcome!” Though in all seriousness- a welcoming staff, a smile, or even just the sense that the people working there are friendly, and willing to help, goes a long way. As for why something so simple is ranked so highly on this list? One of the biggest, or certainly most common complaints on review sites like Yelp are comments in regards to “rude staff.”

If it’s a medical office, the review might have had nothing to do with the treatment the patient received; likewise, in the case of a restaurant, it might have had nothing to do with the food. Peoples’ bad experiences in these situations were because of rude, snide, or sarcastic things said to them by staff or servers. It’s unfortunate, but it happens everywhere.

There’s no ‘one reason’ that these things happen, and there’s no ‘one thing’ that will fix it. Your staff, or even your visitors, could be having a bad day – and so anything they say, or anything that’s said to them, might be taken the wrong way- and then you have a problem.

The best thing you can do is encourage your staff to be as polite, and patient as-can-be; even in the face of the most irritable, cage-rattling customers in the world. Alternatively, a more effective ‘hands-on’ method for addressing the complaints of your visitors is giving them a way to communicate those complaints to you directly; personally. Whether it’s a suggestion box, a number they can call/text, or an email they can contact; having a way for your visitors to approach you with their problems before they post it online can save you a lot of trouble, and more importantly- help build trust and confidence between you and your patients/customers.

Secrets #3 & #4: Comfortable Seating & A Tidy Waiting Room

Comfy chairs, or comfortable seating, is a must for any waiting room- equally as important is a waiting room that is neat and tidy. The state and cleanliness of these rooms go a long way towards generating a good first impression. Can you think of a time when you were in a doctor’s office, restaurant, or sitting around waiting for your car to get serviced and the waiting area you had to sit in was just… terrible? Were there things like damaged chairs, a blaring TV you couldn’t do anything about, magazines from 3 years ago, questionable stains on the floor/ceiling, or worst of all, a coffee machine with no coffee?

The list goes on. If you personally saw one, or more of these things during your visit – you probably didn’t go back there; or at the very least it has made you think twice. Thankfully, if your own waiting room suffers from any of these problems, they’re fairly easy to identify and fix when you have your eyes and ears open to them.

Secret #5: Something for the Kids

The need for this varies based on just how many children visit your location, yet it’s common enough that it’s a secret to waiting room success. If you’re a parent, you know that kids can be a handful. They can be so full of energy and all-over-the-place that trying to get them to settle down in a waiting room is like trying to convince water to turn into ice. It just doesn’t happen on its own. Sometimes parents need an extra hand getting their kids to calm down, or distract themselves – that goes double if the child doesn’t want to be there.

You typically see this in medical offices more than anywhere else; some toys, puzzles, a few children’s books – a nice corner or play area for younger kids. It’s all about comfort, and creating a distraction for kids who might be bored or anxious about being there. These places work hard to provide a little something for children.

So the parents are grateful for the office, or business, for providing a few toys and games to have fun with; there might even be something fun for them on the TV. Echoing back to the “#1 Secret to Waiting Room Success” up above, It’s Relevant TV’s custom TV network can be tailored to cater to young audiences; which is safer than DVDs and Netflix – See: Using Netflix & DVDs in Your Waiting Room.

Secrets #6 & #7: Sounds & Scents

Never underestimate the subtle powers of calming music, or a sweet scent. Silence is deafening; it can make time feel as though it’s passing more slowly, and be very uncomfortable in the wrong waiting room. As for a waiting room with a bad smell? It should be pretty self-explanatory what people think of that – you’re thinking it right now.

One of the more common waiting room complaints on review sites like Yelp is that TVs that are too loud. Most often, a staff member will simply respond by muting the TV, or turning it off entirely. While this certainly reduces the noise, it reintroduces the problem mentioned above – silence.

Something as simple as playing a radio station can make all the difference in a quiet room. People casually tune in, or they tune it out – it’s good white noise. Likewise, something as simple as a plug-in air freshener can reduce stress in visitors and help put them in a more relaxed mood. The right scent can be a powerful ally; paired with the right music, and you’ll have a very pleasant waiting room.

Secrets #8 & #9: Artwork & Decorations

Perhaps less crucial than some of the other waiting room secrets mentioned in this article, but it definitely makes the list. Whether it’s tasteful artwork, some crystal vases full of marbles, a clock on the wall, or even a plastic plant or two – the right accents can make an otherwise dull waiting room come alive, or make it feel more comforting for visitors.

Plants (both real and plastic) are easy to find, and they make just about any empty space more interesting – especially corners. Wallspace is a little trickier to occupy. Between nice-looking portraits, marketing posters and signage, and even the TV – settling on where to place everything is a task in and of itself.

Provided that you’re not using cable, and are instead delivering your messaging through your TV with something like It’s Relevant TV, you don’t have to worry about hanging up posters advertising services, specials, or deals you’re currently running – since the TV is doing it for you. Obviously, the TV is best utilized where people are facing, or wherever as many of them as possible can comfortably see it. Waiting rooms come in all shapes and sizes, so the possibilities are endless.

Secret #10: Candy & Treats

Maybe it’s not what you were expecting, but it does bring a smile to your face, doesn’t it? Think back to when you were a little kid; at a time when there was a basket of lolly-pops, or a colorful jar of jellybeans sitting there in the waiting room with you. You can still picture it can’t you? That lasting impact is what you want. Rewarding a well-behaved child with a treat might be an old trick, but it’s a good one.

Going the extra mile and putting out some candy for visitors is a nice, generous, and cost-effective way to make someone’s day a little sweeter. In the case of a dentist office, dealing out sugar is a little counterintuitive – however there are plenty of sugar-free alternatives out there (and toys) that are in the same spirit of candy. It’s all about doing something nice for the people who are spending their time with you, because comfort is key to a good experience – which is what all of this is about in the end.

Eye Doctor TV: The Best TV for an Eye Doctor’s Office

Looking for the best eye doctor TV for your optometrist office? We’ll tell you the top-rated features to look for in your optometry office signage. However if you’re looking to delve right into exploring options, start your search with It’s Relevant TV; the go-to for waiting room television.

The Best Eye Doctor TV Needs the Best Content

There’s no type of medical specialist in the world that ought to appreciate what their patients are seeing on their TVs more than an eye doctor. Jokes aside, the TV in your waiting room is a prime opportunity to expose visitors to the things you want them to see. Things like ads/promotions, health/educational videos, or any other important marketing messaging.

However, you can’t just put these things on the TV and expect people to notice them, or even expect visitors be receptive to them. Patients need a reason to look at the TV. A medical video detailing the anotomy of an eye might be interesting to people in your profession, but that’s usually not the case with most patients. Most often, they’re grossed out by seeing a close-up of an eye getting cleaned, poked, or scraped. It’s no good. Visitors don’t want to watch that.

You want the best content for your waiting room TV.

What’s the best? Programming that people will genuinely enjoy watching. Specifically, content that is short form, and compliments a short attention span; and of course- the content should not be medical related. When it comes to waiting room TV programming, the features you want in an optometrist office TV is varietycontrol, and the ability to customize your messaging.

The Best Eye Doctor TV has Variety and Control

Variety of content is very important, because people have a variety of interests. The more variety you have when it comes to your TV content; whether it be food, gardening, news, or sports – the more people you’re going to please. One of the bigger downsides to options like cable is that the variety is manual – you have to physically change the channel. The best TV for any waiting room is one where you can “set it and forget it.”

Equally as important to having a variety of content is having control over that content. With cable, your ability to control what’s on the TV stops at changing the channel – or turning the TV off altogether. In the case of most medical-focused displays, there’s even less freedom; you’re forced to watch whatever’s on until someone turns it off or unplugs it.

Fortunately, waiting room TV technology has come a long way over the years. There are now services that provide you with TONS of content designed with all of this in mind. The one with the most content, and the one that gives you the greatest control and customization – is It’s Relevant TV.

The Best TV for Eye Doctors is It’s Relevant TV

It’s Relevant TV is a cost-effective, feature-rich TV service for medical offices that are invested in patient experience, and have important messaging they’d like to get across to people while they wait. It’s Relevant helps gets that messaging across in a friendly way, while also providing fun and engaging content people actually enjoy watching.

Everything is fully customizable. Users select which kinds of content they want active at any given time from a list of 40+ to choose from, and It’s Relevant streams them directly to the TV from what may be the world’s largest library of licensed short-form content.

Additionally – if you have any company videos, product videos or ads you want to share, you’re able to upload them directly to the TV to play alongside the content It’s Relevant provides. This combination exposes patients to your messaging in a positive way.

If you’re currently using cable, or a looping display, make the switch. You can do a lot better for your optometry office. See what’s out there, and find what works best for you.