What Are You Selling

When your patients spend time in your reception area do they know what you are selling? Our reception areas are overflowing with magazines of every type. Each of these magazines is filled with advertisement for every imaginable product and service. Those products and services are competing for the expendable dollars that we are hoping patients will invest in their oral health. Most of us think of the dentist down the street as our competition when in reality it is the new car, the trip to Laguna Beach, the dinner at Olive Garden, the sale at Target and the latest movie release. The irony is that we provide our competition free advertising. Have you ever noticed the lack of magazines in a dealership show room? Once you drive onto the lot the entire focus is for you to purchase a car. In fact rarely to I even make into the showroom before I am met by a salesman. While I am not advocating that we adopt the “car salesman attitude”, I do believe there is a lesson to be learned from them. First, we should reduce the wait time in the reception area so that there will be less need for magazines. Secondly, we really ought to pay more attention to the magazines we provide, do they reinforce message of health and well being that we are promoting in the operatory? Thirdly, we need to take advantage of the captive audience that we have in the reception area and as patients are on “hold” by promoting our practice. “On Hold” messages are a great way to entertain the patient and promote the practice at the same time. Flat screen advertising provides a great opportunity to inform patients about new services, staff members, and technology and office events. These messages should be short, understandable and engage the interest of the patient enough to ask for further information. The focus should be promotion first and education second. The real education should take place in the operatory. It is up to use to promote dentistry because the last I checked, neither Ford nor GM does. Check out the links for Hold Time Music (http://www.holdtimemusic.com/) and Brican American LLC (http://www.bricanamerica.com/) for more information about on hold messages and reception area promotions.

Be the Pack Leader

A couple of weeks ago we purchased a new puppy, Scooter. Scooter is a six month old Tibetan terrier. Since it has been a long time since we had a puppy in our home, I visited our local Petco for puppy supplies. While I was there, I picked up a copy of the book, “Be the Pack Leader,” by Cesar Millan. Millan as well as other noted trainers such as Don Sullivan, contend that in order to have a “perfect dog” you have to gain the respect of the dog as the pack leader. Millan additionally points out that in order to create your ideal pet there are three essential components, exercise, discipline and affection. If a dog does have adequate opportunities for exercise it will not be able to be controlled. Without a clear picture of the expectations and boundaries, the dog will not learn self control and will control who it can, namely it’s master. The mass appeal that dogs have as pets is a testament to the affection nature that most dogs inherently possess. As I read this, bells and whistles were going off in my head. Most of us have struggled at times with personnel issues. I believe that the principles of creating the perfect pet are the same that are necessary to create the perfect staff. If the staff does not see the doctor as the leader of the pack, an efficient team will never happen. Nothing can be quite as disheartening for a new staff member to “climb on the bus, only to find that there is no driver.” As CEO of the practice, it is our responsibility to set the pace for the office. Each staff member needs to have a job that engages them emotionally, intellectually and physically just as the dog needs exercise. As the leader of the pack it is our responsibility to set and communicate the boundaries and expectation to each of the members of the dental team. And of course lastly, our staff members need to know that they are appreciated. The expression of appreciation not needs to be the form of a fair compensation but can also be as simple as a frequent verbal "thank you." In retrospect I realize that when I provided the necessary leadership to be the pack leader and an atmosphere of exercise, discipline and affection, my staff became more productive and more cohesive as a team. We thoroughly enjoy having Scooter in our home; and in a like manner, I found the relationships that I had with my staff to be of great value and a source of joy.