Customer service makes the difference in your dental office.
Offering amazing customer service is memorable to your patients, gets your patients referring their family and friends, and creates the value your patients are looking for.
So what is customer service in a dental office?
Customer Service in a Dental Practice, is all about the Patient Experience.
How your patients feel is what counts!
A real patient experience is something that is often intangible. Your patient will love it and want it every time they see you.
Customer Service can sometimes appear to be random and spontaneous but it should be the standard way you treat your patients every time they come to your practice.
The successful delivery of exceptional customer service is planned and carefully choreographed.
I’m not saying that Customer Service should be fake and unauthentic, but Customer Service does need to be thoughtful and something in your practice that every team member knows about and knows how and when to deliver it.
Your patient will remember the experience you give them and want to tell all their family and friends about it.
So do you give your patients an experience to remember?
What is a memorable patient experience?
A great start is to always look the part.
You need to visually wow your patients every single time they arrive at your practice.
Keep your patient lounge simple, clean, tidy and easy on the eye. Too much clutter and busy colours can confuse patients. You want your patients to enjoy their surroundings.
Remove any signs that are peeling off doors, walls and windows. Keep a check on this regularly during the day.
Start by creating a calm and relaxing environment for your patients at the practice.
Customer Service starts on the phone, so make a great first impression. You only have one chance at this. Don’t blow it!
Greet your patients warmly by their name and acknowledge them. Stand up, move away from your desk and go up to your patient to greet them when they arrive.
Offer something to your patient when they arrive at the practice.
Finding out what your patients like and prefer from their cup of coffee, their appointment times to how their appointments are paced and remember this at each appointment.
Being a part of your patient’s life and sharing their events is a must. Really get to know your patients, not just what is going on in their mouth. Doing this makes each of your patients feel importance and valued.
Ensure everyone on your team smiles and is genuinely pleased to see your patients and make sure they are ready and willing to help them. Patients quickly pick up on the team’s mood and enthusiasm.
Once you create the patient experience you want to deliver then make sure you offer this same patient experience at every appointment to every patient.
Offering a consistent patient experience that is memorable for your patients, will keep them coming back for their next appointment.
Are you giving your patients the patient experience they deserve or could you be doing a whole lot better?
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Jayne Bandy is a certified CX Experience coach.
Jayne works with her husband Dr. David Moffet to help SME businesses improve their Customer Service Systems to create memorable World Class experiences for their valued clients and customers. Click here to find out how Jayne and David can help your business