What can an appliance-seller teach hospitals about keeping patients happy?
GLENVIEW, Ill. - On a recent day, a small group of hospital leaders gathered in an unlikely place to learn more about keeping patients happy: suburban Chicago megastore Abt Electronics.
They sank into cushy recliners in Abt's model home movie theater - a space tricked out with nearly $500,000 of equipment - to learn about the importance of options and customization.
They strolled into the store's cavernous warehouse where the flags of more than 40 countries were hung, representing the backgrounds of Abt's more than 1,500 employees - reminding the medical execs of the benefits of valuing workers.
And they saw signs bearing a company motto, "The answer is always 'yes' to any reasonable request."
"We're all consumers,
