Are all your i’s dotted and t’s crossed?

I always lament the loss of a client. It means that the client isn’t perceiving enough value. It has been my good fortune to have 90% client retention this year. Several of my clients have been through 17 productive years with me. Many have invested in having my counsel for at least 3 years. Why aren’t these dentists cutting me out of their budget in difficult economic times? It’s because they each know that I will work hard for them. I will bring them every new idea I find and we will continue to hit the basics. Are all of your i’s dotted? Are your t’s crossed? Here are a few basics to consider:

1. Do you need everyone on your team? All of my clients were able to redistribute responsibilities and reduce their work force by one person. It is slower. Having one less person only caused the remaining team members to be committed to their list of duties.
2. Is your collection policy clear to your patients? Collect at the time of services. Offer payment options including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover and Chase Health Advance financing. Cash or check can be encouraged by offering the patient a “savings” of 5% if paid prior to treatment. Lose the terminology “bookkeeping adjustment, discount or courtesy adjustment.” Patients want to hear the word “savings.”
3. Are you producing what is possible per hour? Delegate what can be legally delegated, schedule yourself on a 10 minute increment, pack your cord prior to the crown prep, organize your tubs and trays, buy enough instruments, invest in your dental assistants skills, use loupes. That’s just for starters…
4. Have you ramped up your marketing? Your website is critically important to developing new business. Don’t have one? Get one. It doesn’t have to be expensive. Invest significantly in search engine optimization and then be sure to offer an option to save. This technology, called LinkBox can be researched at www.citywidedentaloffice.com. Don’t be afraid to use resources available to you to reactive patients either. My favorite system for software enhancement is Lighthouse PLZ. You can ask for the Jamison Consulting special fee of $ 99 for the first month by calling 888-410-8582. Clients love this appointment confirmation service because it offers so many other features including the ability to send all of your patients with email addresses a newsletter via the internet.
5. How’s your location? Leases can be renegotiated. New buildings and real estate can be purchased very reasonably right now. A change in latitute can make a huge difference in attitude!
6. Who’s calling the patient after procedures? Your patient is delighted when they hear from their dentist. It is a WOW moment that can be achieved with no cost and little time invested. You need all the word of mouth referrals that you can get.
7. What’s your follow up system after treatment plans are discussed? Don’t have one? Come on, get with the program. This is someone’s job. Be sure that this employee has the work station, computer screen and verbal skills to effectively track treatment plans presented. I was very upset this week that my A/C repairman didn’t have a tracking system in place. My A/C needed maintenance. I would have gladly scheduled him if he had called. I just forgot.
8. Add new products and services. If you have time for training, don’t worry about the travel. You can now take CE accredited courses online at www.DentalEDU.tv. You will find required courses and seminars like mine, such as Beyond Your Bottom Line and Dentistry has a Heart. Your patients will be intrigued by knowing that you continue to add to your available services.

So that gives you a start. If you wish to have an objective point of view, please contact me at 813-251-6401 in Tampa, Florida. I counsel dentists in every stage of practice. The above mentioned list gives you some idea of what we have implemented in client’s offices just this last year.