DentaltownUK June 2018 - 7

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In most businesses, the people who are taking inbound calls are called 'inbound
sales'-they're wearing suits and ties and making six figures. The people in the back of
the machine shop, welding or making the actual product, are carrying lunch pails and
making maybe $20-$30 an hour.
In dentistry, that's reversed: The person who makes the big bucks is the one in the
back-the doctor-but the person with the most important job still works up front, in
inbound sales. They're making sure that people who call schedule appointments. We
call it 'the funnel', and it starts with the fact that on average, 100 people have to land on
your website before three of them call your office. And on average, only one out of three
schedules an appointment.
How many calls end up on hold because you've got only one person up front to
handle inbound sales, but two assistants helping the dentist in back? That ratio should
be reversed: You should have twice as many people manning inbound calls (and making
outbound calls to patients who haven't been in for a while) as you have assisting a doctor.
Almost every time I walk into a dental office, the doctors are back in their private
offices. When I ask what they're up to, they'll say, 'Oh, I'm letting this soak in for 10
minutes' or, Well, the assistant's packing the cord'. I'll say, 'How long are you going to sit
back there while she packs the cord?' 'I don't know-10 or 15 minutes?' Dude, I can pack
the cord myself in one minute. You're sitting back there for 15 minutes because you're lazy,
you've got two assistants doing this work and yet you have only one person answering
inbound calls and making outbound calls. That's why she can't take the time to convert.
Most offices that are doing $1.5 million to $2 million a year do so because they can
convert 70 percent to 80 percent of inbound calls to make an appointment. That's why
the retail therapy experience matters in your dental office.

Ensure great service for all patients

See Howard Live!
Howard Farran, DDS, MBA, is an international speaker who
has written books and dozens of articles. To schedule Howard
to speak at your next national, state or local dental meeting,
email rebecca@farranmedia.com.

2018
SEPT.
12

State of New York 9th District
Dental Association
Crowne Plaza, Suffern

Something else that really gets under my skin is when
I hear people talk about the importance of the 'new patient
experience.' Fortune 500 companies don't focus solely on
new customers-they're into loyalty programs, because they
want customers for life, and you're not going to get them if
you treat new customers or patients better than existing ones.
I know tons of women who have moved houses or changed
jobs, yet drive 10 or 15 miles back into their old part of town to
see that special hairstylist or manicurist. In reality, that salon
doesn't offer better services than one that's closer, but they value
the fact that they made a connection with someone. Patients
like coming back to our office because they like Jamie, who
cleans their teeth, and Valerie, who's always so friendly when
they walk in. It's therapy-after they come in, they feel better.
It's not the same experience if a patient is greeted by a glass
wall that some weirdo slides over, just to hand her a chart and
tell her to sign in. Patients won't like coming to your office
if you treat them like property being returned. Make them
feel connected! ■

dentaltownuk.com \\ JUNE 2018

http://www.dentaltown.com/magazine http://www.dentaltownuk.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DentaltownUK June 2018