In a study published by The New York Times, Stanford professor Clifford Nass mentioned that the general tendency for most everyone is that although you may have a positive outlook on life, “almost everyone remembers negative things more strongly and in more detail.”[1]According to Nass, negative emotions generally involve more thinking, and the information is processed more thoroughly than positive ones. Thus, we tend to ruminate more about unpleasant events – and use stronger words to describe them – than happy ones.
This is precisely the reason why providing a positive customer experience in the dentist’s office matters in order to avoid negative bias from happening in the first place. When patients come to your practice, they expect the best service from yourself as well as your staff and should expect nothing less. As Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, DDS, mentioned in this week’s Dental Up podcast, “when people come in your front door, they want you to help them. I know you’re tired. You’re tired dealing with insurance companies, you’re tired of dealing with difficult patients, all that; but people really want you to help them and that is what we are here for.”
Good Customer Service Reduces Cost And Increases Revenue
Training your staff to maintain exceptional customer service to your patients not only guarantees satisfaction but loyalty to your practice. If customers feel that they are being met with friendly service – greeting them at the door, maintaining eye contact, answering questions, etc. – there is no reason for them to turn their back to your practice. This is because satisfied patients become the foundation of your professional success; the more often they visit your practice, the more likely it will be for them to refer other patients to you and reduce your marketing costs.
Once a customer is gained, a foolproof way of cementing the partnership is establishing a solid patient-doctor relationship. Making a connection will make your job as a dentist more enjoyable because your patient will gain your trust, allowing you to do your job more proficiently and at ease. You can achieve this relationship by keeping your patients engaged through every procedure and discussing proper care with them not at them; create a dialogue, not a monologue. Additionally, once your practice has established a connection with a patient, your practice is capable of anticipating and meeting expectations better because you fluently understand an individual’s specific preferences.
Handle Negative Experiences With Grace
If in the case your dental practice is met with negative feedback, talk about the issue with your staff as a group so that everyone can address the issue with the same level of concern. Especially when a patient decides to post a negative review online, address the issue right away by responding promptly and acknowledging the complaint. Once the attention of the dissatisfied patient is gained, invite them to discuss the matter in the office where you have the possibility of gaining back the patient’s trust.
As much as a dental practice cannot survive without its patients, a dental lab cannot function without its dentists. That’s why here, at Keating Dental Lab, we strive to keep our promise of providing only the highest quality dental restorations delivered in a timely fashion, with attentive, customer service. We care about your dental practice’s desire to make your patients happy, which is the key to building a successful and sustainable business.
[1]The New York Times Praise Is Fleeting, but Brickbats We Recall, Alina Tugend
