By DR SIMON HOCKEN
Fortunately the bar for customer service in dental practice is still set pretty low. I phoned a client’s practice yesterday lunchtime and spoke to their answer phone. I mean, really.
But why fortunately? Well, there’s still plenty of opportunity for dental practice owners to stand out from their mediocre competition without having to break into a sweat.
So, unless you work on Harley Street, you won’t have to go out and buy a brand new Bentley Mulsanne to pick up your VIP patients with – you can start a few rungs further down the ladder.
Here’s nine bread and butter bar-raising tactics
- Answer your phones between 0800-1800
- The rest of the time have a short message asking the caller to explain what they want rather than call back
- Check and respond to phone messages first thing in the morning every day
- Run on time
- Practice painless dentistry
- Run your practice as if it were a theatre and every day you are putting on a show. Be energetic, enthusiastic, positive and charismatic and have your team be the same
- Be confident and transparent in your pricing
- Be relentless at follow through. Make those calls, send those treatment plans, chase those patients who are thinking about their treatment plans
- Do your own 24/7 emergency cover – your patients don’t want to be faced with the NHS weekend emergency service
If you’d like your practice to stand out from your competitive set, call me for a chat on 07770 430576.
With all good wishes,
Simon
Dr Simon Hocken is Lead coach: business, practice & clinical leadership at Breathe Business. Email simon.hocken@breathebusiness.co.uk or connect with him on LinkedIn to see what he’s reading and talking about.
UPCOMING ONE-DAY WORKSHOPS AT THE BDA, LONDON
Offer GP services in your dental practice
Coach – Jonathan Fine
Thursday 18th December 2014
£245+VAT
Build your 2015 business plan
Coach – Jonathan Fine
Thursday 8th January 2015
£245+VAT
Email jane.chrispin@breathebusiness.co.uk using the subject workshop to book your place.