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11/16/2017 |
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Great Customer Service, Will It Become Optional? |
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Great Customer Service, Will It Become Optional? by Laura Terlosky, FAADOM
As I reflect on my 26 years in the dental industry and the changes that have taken place in that time, the one thing that has remained a constant goal is great customer service. But will that always be?
The Baby Boomers set themselves apart from competitors by providing excellent customer service, and the Gen Xers set themselves apart with new innovations. What is it going to be for the Millennials? Technology and streamlined service. On a daily basis, I notice these changes evolving, as the patients we had as children are now bringing their children in for dental care. So what does this mean for practices that have prided themselves on great customer service? Firstly, customer service does not mean the same thing to all patients. To provide great customer service we need to be prepared to provide individualized patient care plans.
Most of you are familiar with profiling patient personalities to enhance communication, and we can use a similar method to determine customer service styles that best fit the patient. For example, most of your Baby Boomers may prefer personal telephone reminders, cash or check payment methods, personal introduction to staff members, and the mention of the vacation they just returned from. Your millennials will prefer text messaging, a streamlined visit experience with current technology, and online payment and patient form options. Millennials tend to avoid phone calls and small talk, which many find overly intrusive. Gen Xers are a mixed bag; this is where your skills come into play to determine where your patient falls on this continuum. Office protocols should be flexible, that way you are able to customize the patient’s preferences. Have the ability to offer text reminders, or personal phone calls if preferred, online or in-office forms, various payments methods, and detailed or streamlined treatment plans. Since we provide services to multiple generations, the ability to toggle these preferences as it suits your patients’ needs will maximize a favorable customer service experience. Using the notes section in the patient's profile to make notes of their preferences will also help maintain continuity of customer service throughout your staff.
A must have in today’s dental practice is text and email services. If you are not able to send individualized text or email messages to your patients, you need to get these services immediately. There are several good options for service providers; ask for a demo to see what fits your needs and software the best. They should have an option to turn services on or off per patient as well as other customizable features. You can successfully use messaging, not only for appointment reminders, but to obtain insurance information, collect on past due accounts, and fill openings in the schedule.
Work with your web provider to see what options are available for patient forms. You may be able to have patients register right from your website or print out forms to bring with them. Your credit card service provider will be able to tell you if they can offer your patients online payments. If your providers do not currently have these services available, you will want to decide how important these services are to your practice and consider changing to a provider who can offer online options. As our younger patients grow up and become account holders, these options will become more essential.
When it comes to treatment planning, have different presentation options to suit your patients’ preferences. We have all had the patient that just wants the facts and none of the fluff, this would be fitting for most Millennial patients who are most interested in the bottom line - not the journey there. When presenting a treatment plan, have it divided into as few appointments as possible and the total treatment fee with a pre-pay discount. For your patient that wants the details, you should have an itemized list of treatments with costs, models of recommended services, and payment options including financing.
By having interchangeable options available, you can begin to customize your patient care plan. Be flexible in the choices you make, so you can make changes as the patient’s needs change. Your patients may not be cognizant of the plan you have created for them, but they will know that they are being well taken care of and their needs are being met. Providing great customer service means meeting the patient’s needs and expectations. In a successful dental practice that is never optional.
Laura Terlosky is a Fellow of AADOM and can be reached at manager@drarnt.com.
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