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Treating Dental Patients Like Family
The simple secret to providing five-star service is to treat every patient as you would a guest in your home. It is such a simple idea that it seems trite; most dentists and staff members believe they already treat their patients in this way. But what does it really mean to treat a patient exactly as you would a guest in your home?
It means you’re ready on time. Running on time is the hallmark of good service. You wouldn’t keep a guest waiting at your front door (front desk) or in your house (reception room). If any patient must wait, be sure to keep him informed of the waiting time.
Treating patients as guests in your home means you make sure that your office is organized and spotless. You would never bring your guest into a sloppy home. It means you look polished and presentable. You wouldn’t greet a guest in jogging pants or blue jeans -- although when consulting, we sometimes see staff members wearing just that!
It means you do not greet the patient by saying, “How may I help you?” You would never ask this question to a guest in your home. You say, “I’m so glad you’re here! Please come in and make yourself comfortable.” You might even prepare something special -- a treat to make the visit memorable, like flavored tea or gourmet coffee.
When you welcome guests into your home, you stand up to greet them. Introduce yourself: “You must be Mr. Smith. Hello. My name is Lorraine." Standing puts you at eye level with the patient and demonstrates interest and respect. A handshake and introduction helps put the patient at ease and indicates the caring style of your practice.
If you are just too busy to verbally greet the patient, immediately use body language (wave hello), make eye contact and smile to acknowledge the presence of the patient. Remove any signs or sign-in sheets, and tear down any glass window.
Instead of asking a patient to complete some paperwork and turning aside, you take the extra few seconds to say, “I know these forms can be a nuisance, so let me help you with them. If you have any questions, I’ll be here to help you."
On your registration form, ask for the patient's hobbies, not just his or her occupation. Patients love to tell you about their hobbies! Then it's easy to talk about their favorite topics.
Put something nice in your waiting room, like juice, coffee or muffins. Many of our patients were up most of the night before and sometimes did not eat breakfast. They don't come for dental treatment; they come because they want to feel better.
Make your patient feel at home by contracting with a local florist to keep your office beautiful with fresh flowers once a week. Put a phone in your waiting room to make short waits more tolerable. With a phone in your waiting room, the patient won't need to interrupt your busy front desk to make a phone call.
The receptionist introduces the patient to the dental assistant: "Mr. Mahoney, this is Kim, and she is going to escort you (not send you back) to the operatory." The assistant shakes hands with the patient and says, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mahoney. Why don't you come with me?"
Before the patient leaves the office, do not ask, "How was everything?" You will elicit much more information by asking, “Was there any way that we could have served you better?” Listen. Thank the patient for whatever they share, and promise an immediate follow-up on any complaint.
Customer service isn't about being fake or subservient. It's about the great feeling that of all the offices the patient could have chosen for their care, they chose yours. It's about working for yourself instead of for some insurance company. It's about loving what you do, and it's about the simple idea of treating every patient exactly as you would a guest in your home.
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