Tawana Coleman, the former instructor for the Total Team Training seminar, said, “Even on the telephone, patients can always tell when you’re smiling and can always tell when you’re frowning. On the phone, team members should use a pleasant voice when greeting all callers. A good telephone conversation should leave the caller feeling confident that they called the best practice. Make sure the dental practice address is also clearly visible so that patients can use that information to navigate to the office easily.Īfter visiting a website, a dental patient’s next impression of a practice is often via the telephone. It’s also a good idea to include a nice photo of the doctor in order to provide a familiar face for patients. Make sure the dental practice’s hours of operation are clearly visible on the website-it’s often the first thing patients are looking for. Keep the website design simple and inviting. A dental website should offer easy-to-understand information in a clear and comforting manner. Too much technical information can be overwhelming for new patients. Many dental websites list a plethora of the products that they offer, which can confuse and even scare patients away. Sometimes there’s no human interaction until the first appointment. More and more often, patients schedule dental appointments and research a dental practice online. The first interactions are so important-whether they occur over the phone, online, or in person. New patients need a chance to get to know your practice. Remember that new patients are not your patients yet. An overall inviting and positive environment helps to promote business and encourages patient retention. However, if an accommodating and friendly person greets the visitor, the overall experience is usually very positive. If someone visits a practice and is greeted by a team member with a negative or uninterested demeanor, it can cause the visitor to become somewhat guarded. Every time I visit a dental practice, I imagine what the experience might be like for new patients. All team members should make the dental practice experience unforgettable for patients.įor years, I have traveled across the country visiting dental practices as part of my professional responsibilities. However, with a bad impression, you’re out. According to Zunin, with a good impression, people are willing to continue the relationship. In his 1972 book Contact: The First Four Minutes, author Leonard Zunin, M.D., suggests that in only four minutes, people form a favorable or unfavorable impression of you. Dick Barnes, founder of Arrowhead Dental Laboratory, said, “People do business with people they trust.” In other words, people should be given every opportunity to have a good impression of you and your practice. Everything about the initial contact should be positive so they keep coming back.ĭr. New visitors don’t know you or your practice. You’ve probably heard the saying, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” When it comes to a dental practice, a visitor’s first impression often determines whether or not that person becomes your patient. Don’t Ignore the Details that Can Differentiate Your Practice.
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