By ERNIE WRIGHT
Newsworthy stories like this Sun tweet, right, feed negative exposure on social media, damaging dental businesses all the time.
More than 4,700 official complaints are expected this year about UK dentists and double that number could appear online as more consumers take to Twitter to engage with their service providers.
It’s not just confined to the young either, with 27 per cent of people aged over 55 having used social media to complain.
That’s more than one negative piece of exposure per dental practice in the UK. The natural reaction for many is to panic and unfortunately, although this is a completely understandable response, it is often the reason mistakes are made.
Resolving the matter offline to the patient’s satisfaction is a way taking back some control and without question the best way to deal with a crisis is to be prepared.
Having a crisis communications plan is a really easy way to protect your practice because it evaluates the risks associated with your practice, its clinicians, patients and treatments and then provides a method of responding to and managing every potential crisis.
If a journalist calls or someone posts a negative comment online or via social media the crisis communications plan means there is a framework already in place to enable you to respond in the best possible way calmly and confidently.
When it hits the fan, wouldn’t it be nice to know that you have got someone looking to minimise reputational damage and provide a hand-holding service 24 hours a day?
Get in touch if you’d like to know more.
Best wishes,
Ernie
0845 299 7209
ernie.wright@breathebusiness.co.uk
Mum sues dentist after botch job left her so ugly she frightens her baby http://t.co/omVhaNhV #BadDentist
— The Sun (@TheSunNewspaper) July 5, 2012