January 2019 - The Ultimate Patient Experience

The Power Of A Second Set Of Eyes

Jan 31, 2019

One of the things that I always encourage dental practice owners is to get the opinion of someone else, just for the sake of having a second opinion.

It may seem arduous and it may sometimes seem unnecessary.

But it is the advice of a sage that can be invaluable.

So who should you ask?

Probably the best thing to do is to make a list of who you should NOT ask for advice….

Whose advice should I not ask for?

That’s really easy….

• People who have no business acumen

How would someone who has never owned or run a business, or never worked in a position of management, be in a position to advise you on investing, marketing, advertising and on staff.

They just cannot.

• Family

Most of the time, family members fall into the same category as people with no business acumen.

Unless those family members have owned a business or held positions of authority in business.

Check the qualifications of those you seek advice from.

• Your peers

Your peers in your industry may be in a position of giving advice.

Most of the time they are not.

Remember that by age 65, ninety five percent of the population are either dead, or broke, or dead broke. Only 5% of the population are considered to be self-supporting and only 1% are considered wealthy.

So there’s a 19 in 20 chance that your peers will not be able to help you.

And most of the time, if they identify some entrepreneurial spirit in you, the will attempt to exorcise that spirit from your body to protect you, so that you stay the same as them.

Your family will also do the same….

• Your golf buddies and fishing buddies.

Same as the above…just like your family and your peers…these guys don’t want you to change. They don’t have much business acumen either.

But they don’t want to have to induct and educate some new guy into their group as you start to hang out with the “wealthy class” instead of them….

Whose help should I seek?

Google is your friend.

Do your homework.

Just because someone calls themselves a coach or a guru, doesn’t mean they really are.

Some coaches are just straight phonies.

They have no results, and everything they teach you they stole from someone else and try and repackage it as their own.

Ask for references.

Ask for documentation.

Search youtube.com

The benefits of a second set of eyes.

A good coach will offer an opinion when asked.

A good coach will have made a mistake, or seen a mistake that you might be about to make. And they’ll offer that advice.

A really good coach will give you a view on something that you may not ever have considered.

A really good coach will prevent you from making poor decisions by offering sage advice.

Good coaches have to start somewhere.

There are always master coaches who come out of nowhere.

John Buchanan.

David Leadbetter.

Wayne Bennett.

These guys were never great players but they became great coaches.

Should your advisor come from inside or outside of your industry?

The hardest work I ever had to do was under a non-dental coach.

Was it worth it?

Absolutely.

Did I consider that this was what was going to happen?

Not in my wildest dreams.

Did I recommend this coach?

Yes I did, and still do.

Sometimes you need more than one coach…

What’s the answer?

Just because you have a dental degree doesn’t mean you’ve been trained in business.

That’s why 95% of dentists cannot afford to retire at age 65.

Look for someone who you know can get you results.

At present I have two coaches of my own.

The journey of life is one of constant education.

On the USPGA tour, every golfer has a coach. Some have many.

It’s the same on the tennis circuit.

Multiple coaches.

Don’t be Robinson Crusoe and try and do it all on your own.

It’s said that a lawyer who acts for himself in court has a fool for a client…

*****

Make sure you subscribe to my monthly Dental Water Cooler Podcast Series…. “The Ultimate Patient Experience”

Click on this link for all details

*****

Have you read my book , How To Build The Dental Practice of Your Dreams [Without Killing Yourself!] In Less Than Sixty Days.

You can order your copy here: Click Link To Order

*****

The Ultimate Patient Experience is a simple to build complete Customer Service system in itself that I developed that allowed me to create an extraordinary dental office in an ordinary Sydney suburb. If you’d like to know more, ask me about my free special report.

Email me at david@theupe.com

Dare To Be Different

Jan 28, 2019

I’ve just now gotten off a plane flying to Queensland from Sydney.

What was surprising about this trip was the excellent customer service my wife and I received from our Customer Service Officer Michael Gerber [no, not THAT Michael Gerber].

Michael was efficient and courteous with everything that he did for Jayne and me during the flight.

Without being over the top and without ever going missing in action.

Let me explain:

One of my big gripes with flight crew is that they are often unattentive when it comes to looking after the needs of their passengers.

Unattentive flight crew usually have to be summoned by the “call light button” because they are too busy doing not much else at all.

Instead of looking after their customers.

Not Michael.

When Michael brought the lunch trolley around, I chose to abstain from a meal, preferring a snack and an adult beverage instead.

Shortly after, when Michael checked in with me and asked whether I needed anything else, I let him know that I was fine, but I would be in need of a second beverage later on during the short flight.

Michael said that he’d be right onto that once he’d finished serving the lunches in our cabin.

And sure enough, on cue, without having to ask or press the button, just as I was finishing my first beverage, Michael appeared with a fresh glass and a second beverage for me without havering to be asked.

Anticipation is one of the key factors in ensuring that you provide World Class Customer Service.

When you are at your dental surgery, are you anticipating the needs of your customers?

How can you “surprise” and AMAZE your patients and customers with Above and Beyond Service experiences?

Can you greet them by name as they enter your office before they have time to introduce themselves? Even if they are visiting your practice for the very first time?

“Hi, you must be Betty. Welcome to Active Dental. I’m Jayne. I spoke with you on the phone. How’s your day been so far?”

Or providing them with a beverage…

“Betty, I’m just going to make myself a cup of tea. Would you like one as well?”

There are a multitude of opportunities around the dental office to truly deliver World Class Dental Customer Service.

If you just take the time to look out for them….

And guess what, when you do, and you provide that great service to your unsuspecting customers, you’ll create raving fans for your dental office.

And really, that’s not too difficult to do.

Because not too many other dental offices out there are really trying to do this….

*****

Make sure you subscribe to my monthly Dental Water Cooler Podcast Series…. “The Ultimate Patient Experience”

Click on this link for all details

*****

Have you read my book , How To Build The Dental Practice of Your Dreams [Without Killing Yourself!] In Less Than Sixty Days.

You can order your copy here: Click Link To Order

*****

Email me at david@theupe.com

The Key Principles For Having New Employees Work Effectively When Starting In A Customer Service Environment. Part II.

Jan 24, 2019

Last week we discussed how having a great mental attitude along with the importance of initiative for new employees beginning work at your World Class Customer Service Dental Office.

Here are some more key factors you need to cover during the onboarding process.

Code of Conduct for all employees.

These codes of conduct are all non-negotiable.

Employees who are being paid for their time by your business need to be giving your business one hundred percent.

Period.

• Alcohol and illegal drugs are not permitted

• Swearing and aggressive language towards staff and customers are not permitted

• Phone calls. Only on approved breaks, but incoming non-emergency calls are discouraged

• Mobile phone use not permitted in work areas.

• Consumption of food or drink not permitted in work areas

• Chewing of gum not permitted

• Employees are responsible for reading and complying and understanding these policies.

Working cooperatively with others

New employees need to know that working cooperatively with others requires not only the skills and knowledge needed for the processes at hand, but also requires interpersonal skills and knowledges about the best ways to be working as part of a team.

These include:

• Communicate openly

• Communicate honestly

• Communicate at appropriate times

• Be flexible in your approach

• Be open to learning new ways

• Demonstrate acceptance of the values, beliefs and opinions of others

• Be willing to contribute and fully participate in moving towards our goals and outcomes

• Use problem solving skills

• Recognise the unique skills and the abilities of others

• Acknowledge the contributions made by others to our sought after outcomes

• Maintain the consistent approach required to uphold our customer service standards

Using initiative to contribute to an effective and efficient workplace environment

When employees show initiative in the workplace, it means they have the ability to do things without being told.

People with initiative take action, rather than reacting.

They find out what they need to know, and they get going on that task.

They keep going when things get tough.

They spot and take advantage of opportunities that others may not see and may pass by.

Simple ways for your new employees to develop initiative:

Here are some ways for your new employee to develop initiative and contribute to an effective and efficient customer service workplace environment.

Let them know that people who show initiative do so by spotting and acting on opportunities that their colleagues or leaders may not have noticed.

These employees are curious about the business and how it works, and they keep their minds open to new ideas and to new possibilities.

All team members should look at these areas:

* What would our customers want us to improve?

* How can we improve our service?

*What small problems do we have that could grow into bigger ones?

* What slows our work?

* What makes our work more difficult?

* Where do we have bottlenecks?

* What is frustrating and irritating to people on our team?

* What do we often fail to achieve?

Have all of your employees looking at these things on a regular basis, and get them thinking about the best ways to rectify these issues.

Having the right employee with the right mindset as part of your team goes a long way towards creating a world class experience for your customers.

*****

Make sure you subscribe to my monthly Dental Water Cooler Podcast Series…. “The Ultimate Patient Experience”

Click on this link for all details

*****

Have you read my book , How To Build The Dental Practice of Your Dreams [Without Killing Yourself!] In Less Than Sixty Days.

You can order your copy here: Click Link To Order

*****

Email me at david@theupe.com

Those Fateful Words You Never Want To Hear Your Patient Say.

Jan 21, 2019

I was reminded recently by non-dental circumstances about the importance of keeping in touch with your clients.

And in particular your best clients.

Because clients can be very peculiar.

Realistically, if clients are paying you money, and you wish for them to keep doing so, then you need to be keeping in touch with them on a regular basis simply to let them know that you care.

Recently a property owner I know was feeling a little bit “short changed” because his farm manager, [who he paid on a month by month retainer basis] was not following through with work requests and was not keeping my friend up to date on the “state of the nation” when it came to my friend’s property.

And so my friend was starting to take notice that his farm manager had been visiting less frequently than was needed, amongst other things….

It reminded me of a situation in my own dental practice many years ago, when I was having my team members phone patients to follow up on those patients who were overdue for their various dental appointments.

And I remember to this day being told about the phone call to Molly and Ken Smith.

Molly said:

“Oh, we hadn’t heard from Dr Moffet for a while, so we decided to go elsewhere. We thought he didn’t care about us any more…”

Well, stab me in the heart with a dagger!

To this day I don’t know what it was that we did or did not do for Ken and Molly Smith.

I can’t tell you whether they left without an appointment and were never followed up?

I’m not sure if maybe they rang and cancelled an appointment and were never asked to make a new one?

Whatever the issue was, it was our business’s fault for letting Ken and Molly Smith be forgotten.

And it served us right that they decided to take their business elsewhere.

Nobody should ever feel forgotten or ignored.

Ignoring your customers is the surest way of guaranteeing that they will get the attention they are seeking.

Sadly, that attention will come from one of your competitors.

*****

Make sure you subscribe to my monthly Dental Water Cooler Podcast Series…. “The Ultimate Patient Experience”

Click on this link for all details

*****

Have you read my book , How To Build The Dental Practice of Your Dreams [Without Killing Yourself!] In Less Than Sixty Days.

You can order your copy here: Click Link To Order

*****

Email me at david@theupe.com

The Key Principles For Having New Employees Work Effectively When Starting In A Customer Service Environment.

Jan 17, 2019

No business succeeds without customers.

Every business must concentrate on serving the customer as much as, if not more than they focus on their procedures and protocols.

You can be the best dentist in the world, but without happy customers, you will have no business.

It is the customer who pays the wages. Without customers buying from us, the money for wages does not exist.

It is the duty of everybody at the business to support the business by ensuring customers are serviced to the best of the staff member’s abilities as per the policies and procedures of that business.

Supervisors and managers and owners need to support the employees and customers as per those policies and procedures of that business.

The Workplace Environment.

Physical

One of the common principles of effective work environments is the necessity for the business to maintain a safe and clean environment that is pleasant for the staff to work in AND for the patients to visit.

Emotional

Emotional necessities are best conducted under the common principles of workplace etiquette:

i.e.:

Be respectful
Don’t gossip
Don’t interrupt
Be open to other options
Be interested in others
Pay attention
Being on time
Be positive
Focus on solving problems. Not blaming.
Be prepared to admit to your mistakes and apologise when needed.
Be honest
Be fair
Be tactful
Work as part of a team
Try to help others
Adopt and maintain an appropriate appearance for your business
Dress appropriately
Attend to your hygiene

The commercial impact of inappropriate behaviours, either by staff or by management, to a business will be:

Loss of customers
Loss of sales
Gaining a poor reputation

Employees need to act promptly on instructions and information and follow procedures relating to their workplace activities.

When teaching new team members new practices within the dental office:

Try to present the big picture before going in to the step by step details.
Make sure the employee has all the criteria of the process
Provide notes to the employee
Let them know about your company’s feedback processes
Let them know where they go with questions?
Get them into training asap.

Follow these initial principles and you will be well on your way to setting up the best processes for onboarding all new employees.

Next week I’ll let you know about the ways new employees can work cooperatively as part of a team and add value to your company by showing initiative .

*****

Make sure you subscribe to my monthly Dental Water Cooler Podcast Series…. “The Ultimate Patient Experience”

Click on this link for all details

*****

Have you read my book , How To Build The Dental Practice of Your Dreams [Without Killing Yourself!] In Less Than Sixty Days.