I’ve been sitting on the quote below for a while.

I cut and pasted it into Notes on my Mac some time back now, thinking that I’d use bits and pieces of it some day…

Well today I thought I’d use it holus bolus.

But, I forgot whose quote it is.

I’m sorry.

So if it’s your quote, or your list, I say thanks, whoever you are. It certainly is an inspirational topic, or list…

“Your Dental Practice Is Too Small!

Yes, that’s right.

It’s too small to have someone less than fantastic at the front desk.

It’s too small to avoid being on Facebook.

It’s too small to not have convenient hours.

It’s too small to ignore the competition.

It’s too small to not sign your own checks.

It’s too small to ignore online reviews.

It’s too small to have any employees who don’t have a great attitude.

It’s too small for the dentist not to do personal welcome calls to all new patients.

It’s too small to let any call go to voice mail.

It’s too small to not ask each of your patients for referrals.

It’s too small to not have a great website.

 And no matter how big your practice gets, these will all still be true.”

It really is a great list of ten parts.

Ten quick points that every dental office needs to stand up and take note and take action about.

And take action NOW! Right NOW!!

I’ll discuss only one of the ten topics today, but on future Fridays we’ll come back and visit with others of the ten, with the hope I guess of covering all ten in their entirety into the early new year.

How does that sound?

Although I had intended to begin this stream with one of the topics down the list, today I’d like to lead with the first topic on the list.

My Dental Practice is too small to have someone less than fantastic at the front desk.

This needs to be your Mantra.

I’ve always believed that the front desk person is the face of the business. The business of the dental practice.

“The front desk person is the face of the business”.

It’s a line I’ve used and closed Position Vacant Advertisements with.

In fact, here are some of the lines I’ve used in a recent advertisement:

“This is a unique opportunity for a caring, efficient dental receptionist with dental experience to join our well-respected aesthetic, general and restorative practice.

You are a people oriented person with a warm caring nature and a pleasant, professional disposition.

You have an eye for detail and a pride in your work and a sense of achievement.

You have the ability to work productively.”

 

These are fairly specific and detailed characteristics required.

The Front Office Person must have the ability to switch off all outside thoughts and emotions and leave them at the door when they begin their day at work.

She is immediately able to switch into Concierge or Hostess mode, and maintain that pleasant disposition throughout every moment of her entire day, no matter what situations are presented to her and put in front of her.

We want our customers and clients to feel that they have *come home*, to the home of a best friend. We want our customers’ front desk experience to be like one they have never ever received at any other Dental Office. In fact, we want it to be an *experience* like no other that they’ve received from *any* business, any other business that they’ve ever been to before.

 

“The practice is fully computerised, ultra modern environment where treatment and customer care is at the highest level.

You will be provided with the necessary support and training to assist your integration into this exciting and rewarding role.”

 

The applicant is told exactly where the Dental Office is at with respect to Customer Service.

The Dental Office does not want a character like Roz from Monsters Inc.

This is not a “gatekeeper” role at all.

 

 

“The Front Office Receptionist position is a varied role, which at times is extremely busy. The position involves general reception duties including managing the appointment books for all dentists and hygienists, handling up to six incoming phone lines, patient accounts, incoming and outgoing mail, lab work, typing letters, data collection and collation as well as the general day to day running of the front office.

 In addition to these duties you will also be responsible for managing overdue accounts, sending patient letters and reminders, surgery accounts, typing Dictaphone treatment notes, financial reports, preparing for meetings including agendas and minutes, updating Standard Operating Procedures, assisting with marketing, helping in the implementation of strategies to improve our business and most importantly concentrating on verbal skills.

 This is a challenging position with a great deal of expectation.“

 

Wow!! Sounds like we need a super human Octopus!!

The role is not an easy one. It is a challenge.

In laying out the above detail, it becomes obvious that the Front Desk Role is really a job for two or more people to perform all roles at an optimum level.

Because it is such a varied role.

So some of the administrative duties described above are shared between two people. Some duties are also shared and delegated to the Practice Manager of the Dental Office as well.

 

“You will be rewarded with fantastic work conditions, a great work environment and lovely people to work with. This is a fantastic place to work where you will be a respected integral part of our team.

This is a great career opportunity to learn a brilliant way to manage a dental practice.”

 

A Roz is definitely not required here.

The type of person we want our clients and customers to be greeted by and farewelled by is, as I said, their friend.

Their new best friend.

That friend is our valued team member. Valued by our team.

Unconditionally.

And that feeling of “team”, and of “value” radiates from our Front Desk Person during every moment of their day.

 

“We are looking for someone who will be committed to their job and provide our patients with the best possible care. The successful applicant will need to be a person who does not get stressed easily, can handle difficult situations with professionalism, and is always able to make our patients feel relaxed and at ease.”

 

As I just said above, the Front Desk Person needs to be a well-balanced, confident people person.

The front desk person, the right person, can make or break a Dental Office.

It’s not just any old position.

It’s not just a position that you can throw anyone into.

Having the wrong person at the Front Desk can result in hundreds of thousands of dollars of revenue walking out your door.

Easy.

Through lost opportunity.

You see, dentistry is a Grudge Buy.

Like buying tyres.

No one really wants to do it…

You need to make sure that you do everything in your power to make a visit to your office feel like a visit to a friend’s home.

It just so happens that at this friend’s home, dental services are performed.

And the friendliness starts at the front desk.

Period.

 The Front Office Receptionist is the face of our business…..

 

 

 The Ultimate Patient Experience  is a simple to build system that I developed that allowed me to create an extraordinary dental office of patients who love coming to see me, who come more often, spend more per visit, and accept more treatment, and also refer more, in an ordinary Sydney suburb.  If you’d like to know how I did this, then you must read my free special report.

Email me at david@theupe.com

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