The Web-based Dentist

August 2015

For:

Chris Mullins

Power Thought: Mullins Media Group
The Real Heroes: The Truth About First Impressions and Your Front Desk

Doctors, I'm worried about your team. This is something I think of all the time and say out loud to my clients, often.

Recently, after listening to a dentist speak about her practice, I said to her in person, "I hear everything you're saying about why you can't get your team to do what you want. Or, that your phones just have to go to voice mail if their ringing off the hook or hey I'll just fire them all and start over, etc. I understand the challenges you face with your business and your team. I understand how it's easier to look the other way, but when we do this we're hemorrhaging because you're spending thousands of dollars on marketing to get your phones to ring to get prospects to opt-in, but we're spending NO TIME, MONEY or EFFORT at all on Inspecting What Happens when the phone rings, what happens to all those leads you paid for? What's being said on the Inbound Patient Intake call? Are the outbound calls being made? What happens with the lead that comes in via the internet? That's what we call hemorrhaging."

Then, I looked at the client and said, "Out of everything you're sharing with me the only thing I'm worried about is your team. I'm very concerned for them."

Here's why, below are a list of questions that I always ask the team when working with a practice:
How many of you have been the patient? Many raise their hand.
How many of you have family or friends that have been the patient? Several raise their hand.
How many of you could have been the patient in pain that didn't have insurance? Some raise their hand.
How many of you could have been the patient on Medicare or Medicaid? Some reluctantly raise their hand.
How many of you have family or friends that are the patient on Medicare or Medicaid? Many raise their hand.

Here are just some of the feelings (they share during coaching) YOUR team has about your prospects and patients: Complacency, entitlement, judgment, they're not deserving, they're lying, faking, they sound drunk or homeless, etc.

Every day, all day long, eight hours per day, phone call after phone call, your team listens to stories, problems, and pain from others. But now that your team has been doing it for so long they think of the prospect and patient as an interruption or believe "if they really wanted an appointment they would have asked to schedule one. I'm not here to hold their hand. Oy!"

You, the First Impressions Director (receptionist, front desk expert) must take responsibility for your own habits and behaviors. If you're stressed or having a meltdown, regardless of the reason, perhaps a combination of work and home, you must find a way to reframe it. Remind yourself that you're a gift. You're the lifeline, the ROCK for that person you're speaking to. When they call you it's because they need a lifeline. They're on the edge and that edge is different for everyone, but it's their edge they're living with and suffering through.

The career YOU CHOSE is one of being of service to others. You have a gift. You are the REAL HERO's of the practice; without you there is no practice! You're not in the dental business you're really in the relationship and healing business. You've gotten so conditioned and into an automatic routine that you don't even think about the person on the phone rather I need to hurry to get to the next one, etc. Then, you have the doctors that have metrics they want you to meet each month. Well, of course, this is a business and without sales you have no business therefore YOU HAVE NO JOB.

Doctors, support your team, be of service to your team and give them all the coaching you possibly can so that they can do the same for your prospects and patients one relationship, one phone call at a time.

More About Mullins Media Group

Why the Web? Reason #269

Avoid these Four Major Technology Faux Pas:

1. Don't Put Old Technology Into New Practices

The current technology standard for dental software is the cloud. Servers are out and the cloud is in. So, don't you even think about throwing a pesky server in the broom closet in that new practice. Be prepared for that thinking to be challenged (by the people who sell servers, monster workstations, and tired software). You're going to hear lots of F.U.D. (Fear. Uncertainty. Doubt) about the cloud. Remember that we're all cloud computing all day every day Even the cotton ball salesperson may use a cloud-based customer management system!

2. Don't Invest Your Dollars Into Tired Technology

If you're faced with the prospect of buying a new server and upgrading your old dental software, don't sink dollars into technology that's going nowhere. Every software company that has any brains moved all their focus to the cloud long ago. Of course, they'll still sell you the old stuff because it remains a cash cow for them. But the resources they're putting in to maintain that old code is a fraction of what it used to be. So if the software company isn't seeing a reason to invest in their old software, why should you?

3. Don't Chain Your Practice to a Server

That server in your broom closet represents a major HIPAA liability. Why? Because it's old hard drives are packed with personal health information. If that server dies, or is lost to fire or flood, for example, you're obligated to have a working backup in short order. Good luck with that! And if your server falls prey to the neighborhood thief looking to fund their habit, you've got a lot of explaining to do to your patients and the government. Call us today for a detailed whitepaper on what HIPAA liability you assume with a server in your practice.

4. Don't Take Technology Advise from Cotton Ball Salespeople

You gotta love these guys who diligently visit your practice near every week. They seem so earnest about the success of your practice--and some probably are genuinely interested in your success. But they're interested in selling you whatever color is selling best, rather than what color's best for your practice. For far too long the mantra has been server, monster workstations, and software that costs thousands. Times have changed, my friends. When you need advice about the cloud speak to the people who been living on the cloud for more than ten years: Curve Dental.

You can learn more about the advantages of the cloud by chatting with one of our dental software consultants at 888-910-4376. Call today to learn more or visit our website.

Expert Opinion: Dr. Mark E. Hyman

Classic Dental Jokes

A young dentist had just started her own clinic. She rented a beautiful office and had it furnished with antiques. While putting the final touches to the office she saw a man enter the front door of the practice. Wishing to appear the "busy dentist" she picked up the phone and pretended to make an appointment with a patient.

Finally she hung up and asked the man, "Can I help you?"

"Yes," the man replies. "I'm here to activate the telephones."

More Dental Jokes

Fun Dental Facts

Consumers spend more than $775 million dollars every year on toothbrushes.

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