One of the proudest moments in my 20-plus years of professional experience was helping dental practices grow from one location to several — all without adding the overhead cost of additional office managers. One key to my success was a focus on delivering the highest level of customer service. One component of my leadership coaching program involves identifying ways to improve customer service. Why does this matter?
Customer service matters because we are in the business of helping people. How we treat those people before, during, and after treatment should be of the utmost importance to our business. Customer service also affects your dental clinic’s bottom line. A 2014 article in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) noted that word-of-mouth referrals are a major driver of new patient referrals. In fact, 59 percent of respondents to the JAMA polling said that a doctor’s ratings were either “somewhat important” or “very important.”
Tips for Improving Customer Service
During your monthly coaching calls and workshops, I will share my personal insight on how your medical business can build a reputation for quality customer service. My advice will be tailored to meet the needs of your dental clinic. If you are ready to start taking small steps toward better patient relations, these popular tips are a good place to start.
- Greet customers: A friendly smile when a patient enter and a sincere “have a good day” when leaving a dental clinic helps patients know that they are valued and appreciated.
- Acknowledge and apologize for inconveniences: Many patients understand that dentist and doctor offices are prone to delays. If your patient’s treatment begins 10 minutes or later from the scheduled start time, a simple acknowledgment and brief apology can preempt any bad feelings.
- Listen: Train your staff to listen to patients empathetically. Staff may become overwhelmed at times but ensuring that patients feel that their views are being heard should always be a top priority. Empathetic listening means that you are fully attentive to what an individual is saying while remaining in tune with how he or she may be feeling at the time.
- Pay attention to social media: Some patients (for better or worse) may prefer to vent their feelings online. These moments are opportunities to consider the nature of the complaint while working toward preventing the cause of the complaint in the future. Remaining professional while answering an online complaint is one more way to show that you sincerely care about improving how you deliver care to your patients. Because such comments are public, other patients may take into consideration how effectively you respond to feedback, especially if it is negative in nature.
- Discuss complaints in meetings: During staff meetings or in discussions before or after work, ask your staff for feedback on what types of complaints they have fielded over the past few days. If you see a pattern, develop a plan to address the source of your patients’ complaints.
Finally, promote what your patients are saying about you online. There are numerous websites where people can check dentist reviews. Reminding your patients to visit those sites is one way to spread the word on your clinic’s great treatment results and customer service. You can also include patient testimonials on your website and social media outlets. Having such quotes and photos humanizes your clinic and shows others that you practice compassionate care.
Schedule a Consultation for my Leadership Course Today
My more than 20 years of professional experience will guide your team toward a more efficient, harmonious and value-driven workplace. If you are looking to expand or simply need to hit the refresh button, I can help support your dental management staff and provide one-on-one training to ensure your multi-location practice is not only succeeding but thriving! Let’s chat soon; schedule your free call with me.