When you started your small dentist practice, you certainly didn't intend to let it die after only a few years. You want your business to last for generations, not just a couple of so-so years. As you look at your practices and what you do on the daily to make sure your company is built for long-lasting success, what are some ways that you can improve?
Take Care of Your Employees
Building a great relationship with your employees starts with you as the boss. Even if you can't afford to offer benefits packages yet, there are other ways to ensure that your employees are well-taken-care-of.
Acknowledge A Job Well Done
Everyone likes to feel appreciated once in a while, so when you see one of your staff going the extra mile be sure to thank them. Even something as simple as "Wow, you did some great work today, thank you!" goes a long way and can make somebody's day. You might even consider writing thank you cards for an especially exceptional job and include some well-placed employee appreciation quotes.
Be Understanding
Life doesn't always work out in the most ideal circumstances, so when a staffer calls to let you know that they have a flat on the side of the freeway, be nice about it. If someone is already having a rough day then a snap from the boss can make it even worse, and you know that sometimes things happen. Of course, draw the line when it becomes an excessive problem so that you are not taken advantage of, but overall be understanding when your employees have life situations or can't make it in for the day.
Offer Incentives and Bonuses
The daily pace of life can become monotonous after a long time of same old, same old. Mix up the routine by offering bonuses and incentives to employees to get the stamina beating and the motivation going. Offer things like a $100 bonus check if they can beat last month's numbers or a Starbucks card to whichever team member goes the most days without an incident.
These sorts of things are important to employees and makes them feel like you care and want to see them succeed — which is exactly the goal you were hoping to achieve. Fantastic employees are hard to come by. Hang onto the ones you have by ensuring that they know you have their back and understand how much hard work they do.
Develop A Strong Company Culture
Your company culture means a lot more than you might think it does: It is how the customers walk out feeling when they leave your business, the vibe that they get from the place. It's the way that you are interpreted by the rest of the world, which in itself is a huge thing. Consider what you value most and what you want people to associate with your business moving forward.
Kindness
There is no excuse for rudeness, ever. Let your business reflect that dogma in a kindness culture in customer interaction and the way that employees interact as well. Develop a zero-tolerance policy for bullying and train employees on how to respond to difficult situations.
Customer Service
Shoddy customer service is one of the top ways to drive away customers. Make yours exceptional and speedy, working to quickly resolve conflicts so that in the end all parties are satisfied.
Overall Experience
You want 'em to keep coming back for more, so give clients a reason to keep returning. The experience as a whole can make or break how a client views your business, so do your best to make it a great one. Small touches matter: Staff greeting them and asking if they need help, gentle background scents from oil diffusers and a clean, organized establishment, for example.
As you move forward and think about the coming years, also think about how your business is viewed as a whole. In the spirit of longevity, keep improving it every day so that decades from now, clients will know the name and associate it with your original values.