While doing a podcast interview with Howard earlier this week, he heard me refer to my patients as customers. So...I thought that I would do an article on this topic.
In my dental practice, we absolutely see our patients as being both patients and customers. The patient aspect is in delivering amazing, consistent dental work that will be strong, look natural and will give long-term peace of mind. The customer aspect is in finding out what our patients are there to "buy", and giving it to them.
This similar concept can be applied to clients in a law or accounting practice, passengers in a airline or guests in a hotel.
Our patients don't buy crowns, they buy peace of mind knowing that they won't have a tooth break while on vacation. They don't buy Scaling and Root Planing, they buy peace of mind that their teeth will not start to look long or get loose over time.
We developed a system of asking "why". So if a patient says they don't want braces, we ask them why. Then we find out what their real resistance is and can speak to that.
This concept is really about our perception. It's not about us calling patients customers when we speak to them.
Once we have made a decision to open a dental practice, we are opening a business. Some dentists do not want to become business owners, and that is absolutely fine. However, if you choose to do so, you will have a more successful business if you find out what matters most to your patients, know your numbers, create consistent systems, and only create marketing strategies based on getting the best ROI.
One other good point is that it's never about us; it's about the patient. Although patients can "love" us and our team, if the quality is not good or if you don't respect their time, they will move on to the next dentist that they love.
I challenge you to really think about what goal your patients/customers are trying to achieve, and be there deliver.
Dr. Anissa Holmes, a Global leader in Social Media Marketing, and owner of Jamaica Cosmetic Dental Services, helps dentists and small business owners receive massive growth through developing their culture, systems and brand.
Dr. Holmes, through her blog Delivering WOW, shares tips for designing a unique business culture to deliver a "Wow" experience every time, strategies to triple leads and new customers as well as strategies to build an amazing team.