Dentaltown October 2015 - (Page 60)

practice management feature ARE Y In my life and career, I've traveled throughout the United States and to several countries around the world. Whether I'm traveling for work or for pleasure, I know that I will always book my stay at a Ritz-Carlton Hotel. If there isn't a Ritz-Carlton around, I will compare every hotel at which I stay to the Ritz-Carlton. Do you want to know why? What's the big difference, say, between the Ritz-Carlton and another 4- or 5-star hotel chain? Both provide clean beds, cable television, hot showers, room service, and more. So why is the Ritz-Carlton worldrenowned and twice the price? Why are so many people (including myself) willing to pay so much more for the unmatchable Ritz experience? It's because the Ritz-Carlton is run on a 100 percent, client-centric business model. Ritz-Carlton staffs are trained for hundreds of hours per year to perfect the art of customer service and satisfaction, and they always, always, always put the customer first. Their people are impeccably trained, they ensure the décor is immaculate, they consistently over-deliver, they customize their service to suit your wants and needs, and they wait on you hand and foot. You ask for something-they bring it. You expect something-they surpass it. They constantly 60 OCTOBER 2015 // dentaltown.com service? NG DI PROVI U O by Jay Geier go above and beyond the call of duty. They have actually created a hotel experience that is completely unique for each guest and, because of that, they will have my business for life. Puttin' on the Ritz What does this have to do with you? Well, the Ritz-Carlton has figured out the secret to attracting and keeping lifelong customers. This secret will allow you to revolutionize the way that you run your practice, and create a flood of patient referrals. Do you want to achieve this model and its awesome results? First you may have to face some facts. If your practice hasn't experienced significant, booming growth over the past five years to 10 years, then I can tell you two things: 1. You aren't living up to your potential. 2. Your practice is not 100 percent patient-centric. If you can accept those two things, and accept that there's room for improvement when it comes to your practice's patient experience, then it's time to get to work making some changes. First, the issue: 99 percent of all businesses-including yours- are based around the comfort of the person or people who run the business. Plain and simple. The only way you will become truly patient-centric is if you intentionally shift the focus from yourself and your team to what is most convenient for the patient, even when it's inconvenient for you. And I promise you-sometimes it will be. Like the Ritz-Carlton, you need to go out of your way to over-deliver to your patients. Give your patients more in service value than what they give you in dollar value. It's unrealistic to expect patients to love you if you're just giving them exactly what they paid for: a typical trip to the dentist, basic services, minimal effort, a mediocre experience, etc. That's called "meeting expectations," and let's face it, sometimes dentists don't even do that. The existential dentist And let me tell you, meeting expectations is definitely not going to get you that boatload of referrals you dream about. No, if you want to see serious practice growth, you need to make a significant effort to stand out from the other offices in your town. You need to become the Ritz-Carlton of dental practices. http://www.dentaltown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Dentaltown October 2015

On Dentaltown.com
Howard Speaks: Don’t Go it Alone
Professional Courtesy: Great Patient Relationships? F.U.!
Continuing Education Update
Industry News
All on Four’d Out
A Direct Hit to the Jaw: Bisphosphonates and Osteonecrosis of the Jaw in Osteoporosis and Cancer Patients
Five Components to Team Synergy
Practice Solutions: Clear-Aligner Therapy
In Focus: Microphotography using the Dental Operative Microscope
Anesthesia Safety
The Practice that Perseverance Built
What Kind of Payment Plans to Offer?
Are You Providing Five-Star Service?
Am I Being Too Conservative?
You Should Know: Healthy Grid
The Benefi ts of Mini Dental Implants
Denture Stabilization with Small- Diameter Implants
Independence Day
Post-Treatment Management of Orthodontic Patients
How to Track True Treatment Acceptance
CAD/CAM as a Marketing Tool
New Products
Practice Solutions: Voco
Poll
Surgical Crown Lengthening
Product Profi le: Umbie
And Sealants for All
Ad Index
Human Herpesvirus Infections and What They Mean for Dentists
Quick, Conservative and Highly Esthetic Treatment Planning for Severe Anterior Tooth Wear
Dentally Incorrect

Dentaltown October 2015