Dedicated to helping doctors and their team have an office that is not only highly productive and fun but one that allows them to consistently exceed patient expectations.
The phone is ringing, the calls are coming in, but appointments (or reappointments) aren’t being made. In fact, it is quite possible potential new patients are unintentionally being turned away.
“You never get a second chance to make a great first impression.”
What kind of impression is your dental office team creating for you? Do you really know how effective they are in answering the office telephone? Are you tracking how many calls come in and how many of those callers actually schedule an appointment? Does it really matter? Absolutely!
All your marketing efforts lead people to the phone first. Don’t waste your money by losing potential patients or aggravating current patients due to poor telephone skills and habits. Your entire team (clinical & admin) should be trained on how to properly answer the phone and effectively care for the caller.
Answering the phone is a privilege and a great opportunity!
Here are 10 helpful telephone tips & ideas:
Always Smilebefore you pick up the phone.
Answer the phone within the first couple of rings.
Answer the phone with a thank you for calling, identify the office, and give your name. (ex: Thank you for calling Dr. Smiles, this is Betty. I can help you.)
Do NOT let the caller go to voice mail (or a busy signal!) during office hours (including and especially during lunch hours). People hate leaving messages. Oftentimes, they’ll hang up and call the next office on their list.
Never, ever answer the phone with “Hold please” or “Can you hold?”! Take a quick second, and find out who they are and what they need. People hate to be put on hold. If you are habitually needing to put callers on hold, you need more people answering the phones.
Acknowledge their question or request and reassure them that you will help them.
Get the caller’s name early on and use it often. BEFORE you answer their initial question, you should know who you are talking with. (ie: “Great question, I can help you with that. Again, my name is Betty may I ask your name?”)
If after asking when their last visit was you find out they’re new to the office – warmly welcome them and find out how they heard about your office (document the referral source in the software!).
“What type of insurance do you have?” shouldn’t be the first thing you ask. In fact, let the caller bring that part up. Your goal is to build a relationship with the caller, to get to know them and their expectations.
Offer an appointment. Sounds obvious right? You might be surprised to know how many offices miss this important step. Seriously, this one is so simple, and yet it is shocking how many offices totally miss this opportunity. Remember, the goal should be to end the call with an appointment scheduled so be sure to invite them to schedule.
Set aside some time to meet as a team – everyone in the office should be trained on how to not only answer the phones but should know how to effectively handle the calls. At the very least, professionally & courteously direct the caller to someone who can help.
Practice, Practice, Practice how to effectively handle different types of calls and questions until you feel comfortable. (Yes, I am talking about role-play – I know we hate role-play it’s uncomfortable (and embarrassing) to do but it’s necessary to be truly successful. Work through the discomfort. It’s worth it!)
As a team, create your Telephone Principles(scripting guidelines) which are based on your goals & expectations for each call.
The telephone ringing should never be viewed as an interruption to your already too-busy day. Certainly, handling the phones is a big responsibility but it’s an even bigger privilege. Don’t miss out on any opportunities to set your office apart from the others by always exceeding the caller’s expectations.
Practice Owners – If you have questions about how to successfully handle telephone calls or need help training your team, don’t wait, ask for help. I’m ready to help you. Email: bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com
Please... If you enjoy the complimentary ideas that I share or if they’ve been of help to you and your practice – I would truly appreciate it if you would please take a second and leave a review/recommendation for me on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK.Looking forward to hearing from you.Thank you!!
It has been said that “how you present yourself is how people first view you.”
Clearly, First Impressions Matter. How are you presenting your dental practice, your services, your care, yourself and your team online? What you’re showcasing or not showcasing provides a first impression. Are you attracting potential new patients or turning them away?
Let’s consider briefly just three areas where your online presence and first impressions matter most…
Website
It amazes me how many dental offices still don’t have a website or they have an old website with cookie-cutter, canned content and little to no information about the office, the doctor and team, and the services that they offer.
Your website should reflect the culture and personality of the practice and the team. The content should be fresh and relevant. The photos should be attractive and current. This reminds me if you have pictures on your website of team members that are no longer working at the office please remove them. Ensure that you don’t have any broken links or “coming soon” pages that have been there far too long. Think about this, when people visit your website are you welcoming them with warm and helpful messaging or inadvertently turning them away with poor messaging and unattractive pages? Keep in mind, this isn’t about what you like or dislike – this is about the patient and potential patient. For example, if I am researching dental implants on your website I do not want to see the step by step details of how an implant is placed – it freaks me out. What I want to see is the result – a beautiful tooth that allows me to smile with confidence. I don’t think that I am alone here. I feel it’s safe to say that most people care more about the why and not so much the how.
What’s in it for them to choose your dental office? Why should they choose your office over the many other dentist websites they’ve visited?
Google
SEO – Make sure people can find you without much effort.
Listing – If you have more than one Google listing for your office that can be quite confusing to potential patients and you end up being your OWN competitor. Make it easier on everyone by merging your listings into just one. Or if you haven’t claimed your Google My Business listing as yours please do so today… it’s simple and free.
Information – Ensure that your name, address, phone number, website, etc. are all current and accurate.
Content – Are you regularly posting fresh content to your Google business page? If not, you should. It’s easy to do, it’s FREE and people visiting your listing like to see fresh content. When you post on your page you can add a link that will direct people to your website or social media pages.
Photos – Have attractive photos (both inside and outside the practice) of your office on your listing. As well, share photos of you and your team. If you have old, outdated photos of the office or team members on your listing please delete them,
Reviews – You want Google reviews. You also want to acknowledge the reviews…the positive and the negative ones.
Social Media
Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Blogs, Online Community News Pages, YouTube, and more help to build your dental practice. Even if you’re not a fan of social media, please remember that most likely many of your patients and potential patients are using these platforms regularly. You want to be where they are and since first impressions matter – you want to make sure that your office is making a positive impression. Just like with reviews on your Google listing you want reviews/recommendations from your patients on your office Facebook page too.
The internet is full of information and choices so make it easy for your potential patients to find accurate information about your practice moving them to choose to make your office their dental home.
Another quick reminder is most often after someone finds your office on the internet unless they direct message you or utilize online scheduling they’ll be picking up the telephone and calling the office so please take some time now to ensure that your office phones are being answered during the times when potential patients are most likely to call and that they are being answered effectively. Learn more here: Dental Office Telephone Principles
Are you tracking your new patients each month to learn how they are finding you? What about other important data such as how many active patients you have? How many of your patients have a future appointment scheduled? To help you get that data quickly, like within minutes – if your PMS is either Dentrix, Eaglesoft, or Open Dental you can request a complimentary, no-obligation practice data snapshot here: Game-Changing Awareness from Dental Intelligence – Within minutes we’ll identify your practice’s strengths and uncover hidden opportunities. I am happy to assist you with this at no charge.
I love hearing from you and would truly appreciate for you to please leave a review/recommendation for me here on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK. Thank you!!!
Don’t miss out on any of the ideas that I share each month! Are you receiving my complimentary Practice Management and Marketing Ideas in your email inbox each month? If not, please start following us today. If you prefer, send me your email address at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com and I will send you an invitation to follow my blog.
Is your office past-due for a good cleaning and organizing? Maybe even some remodeling or redecorating? It’s that time of year when many take advantage of the warmer weather to “spring clean” their homes. This is also a great time to spring clean your dental practice.
I encourage you to make a checklist of all the areas in your office that may need some cleaning. I’ll help you get started by showing you how to take advantage of using your 5 senses while cleaning your office. This is by no means an exhaustive cleaning list but it will give you ideas of where and what to clean.
Before you read on please remember that the patients’ (and potential patients’) perception of you, your team, the office, and the quality and safety of the care you provide is your reality. This means that everything that you do or don’t do…matters!
Even if you feel like you’re just too busy to tackle a project like this you’ll want to make the time; why? The long-term growth and success of your practice depend on it.
Sight, Smell, Sound, Touch, and Taste.
SIGHT
What do your patients and potential patients see?
Areas to “see” include;
Office Exterior (Curb Appeal)
Signage
Windows
Landscape/Weeds
Garbage/Debris
Safety Concerns/Handicap accessibility
Office Interior
Reception Room – Sit in your reception room, what do your patients see, touch, hear, smell and taste? Look high and low. What do you see? Dirty carpeting/flooring? Outdated magazines & decor? Stained or worn chairs? Peeling wallpaper? Cobwebs? Dusty plants/floral arrangements? Light bulbs that are out? Look over at the front desk area, if you see a sliding glass window that is full of signs and papers telling your patients what to do and what not to do…remove them immediately. It’s very unwelcoming!
Restroom – Most if not all of your patients that visit your restroom WILL determine the quality and safety of your care from that experience. (Isn’t that true of you when you’re at a restaurant or any public restroom? No one wants the gas station bathroom experience…not even when you’re at a gas station.) Your restroom should be clean, nicely decorated, and well-stocked with quality paper products and soap.
Front Desk Area – Clutter represents indecision. Make a decision to get rid of the clutter! (That includes any sticky notes attached to computer monitors, coats/sweaters hanging on the backs of chairs, and fast-food drink containers sitting out on the counters.) Purchase hot/cold beverage tumblers, preferably with your office logo on them for your team members to use at their workstations – this looks much nicer than your patients seeing soda bottles or coffee shop cups.
While you’re visiting the front office area, don’t forget about cleaning these areas too…
Current Protocols– Hygiene Continuing Care, Incomplete Treatment Reports, Confirmation, A/R-Collections, Greetings, Patient Hand-off, New Patient Welcomes, and Referral Thank you’s, etc.
Paper Communication Materials –Intake forms, Letterhead, HIPAA forms, Financial Policy & Postcards.
Job Responsibilities/Descriptions –Have every team member write down a detailed list of all of their job responsibilities. This is VERY helpful in determining more effective ways of doing things as well as finding out what is NOT being done.
Moving on to other areas of the practice…
Operatories – Sit in the treatment room chairs. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you taste? What do you smell? How do you feel? Again, your patients don’t measure the quality of care, they measure the quality of their experience. Keep your patients loyal to your practice by making certain they consistently have great experiences.
Closets – Make an inventory checklist. Throw away any expired or outdated products, equipment, manuals, etc. While you’re at it, if there is anything that isn’t be used properly due to lack of education or training, go ahead and schedule a time for continuing education/training.
Equipment/Technology – What needs repairs, upgrades or to be tossed? Computers, Software, Internet Speed & Access, Printers, Scanners, Copiers, Telephone Systems, TV’s, Postage machines, including…dare I say, typewriters?
Employee breakroom(area) / staff lounge – don’t forget about the employee break area. Is it clean and organized? Check out the refrigerator, microwave, cabinets, counters, and tables. There is no reason for this room to be messy and/or dirty. While you’re at it freshen up the room decor and stock the cabinets/refrigerator with snacks and beverages for your team.
The Team – Appearance – Wear clothes that reflect the excellent care you give your patients. Professional, clean, and wrinkle-free clothes. Clean hair, nails & body). Attitudes – Remove any toxic attitudes.
Office Policies – Review and update employee benefits and expectations. If you don’t have an office manual and/or employee handbook please get one asap.
TIP: Make a cleaning schedule – including the who, what & when. When will the parking lot, restrooms & reception room be checked & cleaned? This should be done several times throughout the day. Do not wait for the “cleaning person” to take care of those areas. If the flooring needs to be vacuumed… vacuum it. If the glass on the windows/doors have fingerprints…clean them. If the restroom toilet and sink are dirty… clean them. Make a promise as a team that if you see it (and you know you do) clean it.
Online Presence – What do your potential patients “see” when looking for a dentist in your area? Remember to spring clean your online presence too. Your website, Google My Business listing, and Social Media Pages. See: Dental Office First Impressions – Online Presence
SMELL
Get rid of the dreaded dental office smell. There are products out there that will eliminate that smell without aggravating patients with allergies. Bake chocolate chip cookies if necessary. Be cautious when using scented candles, air fresheners, and essential oils that they are mild and won’t aggravate those with allergies.
SOUND
Keep the noise down! Patients want to be put at ease; they don’t want to hear the latest office gossip or a TV that is too loud. Avoid using patients’ full names or complaining about patients when you can be heard from the reception room or treatment chair.
Music – Consider playing music in the reception and treatment rooms. Wireless headphones will allow patients’ to listen to music or the TV while in the chair.
Telephone Greetings/Messages – What do your patients and potential patients’ “hear” when calling the office? Be sure that what they hear is a reflection of your goals and vision. See How To Effectively Answer The Dental Office Telephone
TASTE
Beverage Station in the reception room. Complimentary coffee, tea, cold bottled water, juice, etc. See this Pinterest board for beverage station design ideas.
Snacks – Offer snacks such as fruit, granola bars, etc. This is especially nice for patients that may have been in for a lengthy appointment and need a little boost in energy.
Allow patients to rinse with mouthwash before and after the appointment.
Offer pre-pasted toothbrushes for patients that didn’t have time to or forgot to brush their teeth before their appointment.
TOUCH
Reception Room – Is it comfortable & welcoming? (Please keep COVID safety guidelines in mind before implementing some of these ideas/recommendations.)
Reading Material – Have a variety of magazine and books for patients to read.
Temperature – Keep the temperature in the reception room at a comfortable setting.
Lighting – Be sure that the sunlight from the windows isn’t blinding some of your patients during the day.
Treatment Rooms – Be sure that your patients are comfortable during their visit. Your treatment rooms should be exceptonally clean from top to bottom. Get rid of any clutter sitting out on the counters, floor, or shelves.
Massage Pads on Chairs
Blankets (If you have a patient that is always cold, pop the blanket in the dryer for them right before appt). Consider offering a weighted blanket during treatment to help reduce anxiety.
Distractions – (Movies, Music, Digital Aquarium, Etc.)
Give Painless Injections…always.
Put your patients at ease by talking with them before you start looking in their mouth.
Free Stuff – Give away items imprinted with your office name, website, and phone number to each patient at their appointment. Such as; toothbrushes, hand sanitizer, calendars, pens, and lip balm.
Using your 5 senses, look closely at yourself, your team, the exterior, and interior of your building, all office systems, your lab, sterilization procedures, website & social media sites, marketing materials, marketing programs, and the patient experience.
Your goal should be to find ways to consistently exceed your patients’ expectations and remove anything that is hindering you from reaching that goal.
If you’re struggling to reach your goals each month or struggling to get your team on board with your vision for the practice maybe a coaching relationship is just what you need. Feel free to reach out to me to set up a complimentary 30-minute call to discuss how a customized coaching program will help you to reach/exceed your goals.
If you enjoy the complimentary ideas that I share each month, I would love and truly appreciate for you to please leave a review on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK
Are you receiving my free dental marketing and practice management ideas every month to your email? If not, PLEASE take a second and follow today or send me your email address to bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com and I will send you an invitation to follow. This way, you won’t miss a single idea. Feel free to share my blog with your dental friends. ~ Thank you!
It has been said that “how you present yourself is how people first view you.”
Clearly, First Impressions Matter. How are you presenting your dental practice, your services, your care, yourself and your team online? What you’re showcasing or not showcasing provides a first impression. Are you attracting potential new patients or turning them away?
Let’s consider briefly just three areas where your online presence and first impressions matter most…
Website
It amazes me how many dental offices still don’t have a website or they have an old website with cookie-cutter, canned content and little to no information about the office, the doctor and team, and the services that they offer.
Your website should reflect the culture and personality of the practice and the team. The content should be fresh and relevant. The photos should be attractive and current. This reminds me if you have pictures on your website of team members that are no longer working at the office please remove them. Ensure that you don’t have any broken links or “coming soon” pages that have been there far too long. Think about this, when people visit your website are you welcoming them with warm and helpful messaging or inadvertently turning them away with poor messaging and unattractive pages? Keep in mind, this isn’t about what you like or dislike – this is about the patient and potential patient. For example, if I am researching dental implants on your website I do not want to see the step by step details of how an implant is placed – it freaks me out. What I want to see is the result – a beautiful tooth that allows me to smile with confidence. I don’t think that I am alone here. I feel it’s safe to say that most people care more about the why and not so much the how.
What’s in it for them to choose your dental office? Why should they choose your office over the many other dentist websites they’ve visited?
Google
SEO – Make sure people can find you without much effort.
Listing – If you have more than one Google listing for your office that can be quite confusing to potential patients and you end up being your OWN competitor. Make it easier on everyone by merging your listings into just one.
Information – Ensure that your name, address, phone number, website, etc. are all current and accurate.
Content – Are you regularly posting fresh content to your Google business page? If not, you should. It’s easy to do and people visiting your listing like to see fresh content. When you post on your page you can add a link that will direct people to your website or social media pages.
Photos – Have attractive photos (both inside and outside the practice) of your office on your listing. As well, share photos of you and your team. If you have old, outdated photos of the office or team members on your listing please delete them,
Reviews – You want Google reviews. You also want to acknowledge the reviews…the positive and the negative ones.
Social Media
Social media platforms such as, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, Blogs, Online Community News Pages, YouTube and more help to build your dental practice. Even if you’re not a fan of social media, please remember that most likely many of your patients and potential patients are using these platforms regularly. You want to be where they are and since first impressions matter – you want to make sure that your office is making a positive impression. Learn more about how to use these platforms here: Dental Practice Social Media Platform Tips and Content Ideas
The internet is full of information and choices make it easy for your potential patients to find accurate information about your practice moving them to choose to make your office their dental home.
Another quick reminder is most often after someone finds your office on the internet unless they direct message you or utilize online scheduling they’ll be picking up the telephone and calling the office so please take some time now to ensure that your office phones are being answered during the times when potential patients are most likely to call and that they are being answered effectively. Learn more here: Dental Office Telephone Principles
I would love and truly appreciate for you to please leave a review/recommendation for me here on GOOGLE and/or FACEBOOK.
Don’t miss out on any of the ideas that I share each month! Are you receiving my complimentary Practice Management and Marketing Ideas in your email inbox each month? If not, please start following us today. If you prefer, send me your email address at bhaydenconsulting@gmail.com and I will send you an invitation to follow my blog.
