Long gone are the days of the product or service you offer speaking for itself. With today's sophisticated consumers, the end result is only a tiny part of their satisfaction. They expect the entire process to be pleasant and valuable.
This is referred to as the "customer experience" and makes or breaks companies of all sizes. Dental practices, in particular, need to take note of their customer satisfaction, and take thoughtful steps to proactively increase positive customer interactions throughout the entire process. According to a survey by Ebiquity, "3 out of 4 (74 percent) consumers say they have spent more with a company because of a history of positive customer service experiences."
Here are five ways dentist offices can create a better customer experience, build referrals and deepen client relationships.
1. Begin before the appointment
Don't make the mistake of believing a dental patient's opinion only begins when he/she walks through the door. The process begins with the ease of making appointment and followup reminders.
It's smart for dentist offices to create a simple appointment process. Look at smartphone apps that allow patients to book through them, instead of requiring a phone call that may result in frustrating hold times.
Also, invest in customer service training for your staff to ensure the patient is treated in a friendly and helpful manner in all preappointment conversations.
2. Embrace nontraditional components
Functional, sterile environments are no longer adequate for today's dental patients. Once the patients are in the office, make them as relaxed and comfortable as possible — remember, the dentist office is a terrifying place for many people.
Experiment with soothing music, aromatherapy and other holistic relaxation ideas. Add water features to the waiting room, such as a tabletop waterfall or a wall-mounted water fountain. The more at ease the patient, the better the experience.
3. Elevate comfort levels
Dental offices should take a cue from spas and invest in patient comfort. From luxurious waiting room chairs to luxe dental chairs to noise-canceling headphones, a bit of comfort goes a long way to create an excellent dental experience.
4. Increase your services
Dentists need to consider services above cleanings and fillings if they want to remain relevant in today's looks-oriented marketplace.
Cosmetic dentistry, whitening options and veneer applications are a few of the many hot trends that make consumers shell out big bucks. Adding these to the dental service menu can satisfy more patients and add to the bottom line.
5. Ask for follow up and feedback
Failing to request patient opinions is like shooting an arrow in the dark. Did you hit or miss?
Create a short, specific survey and send to your patients. Review the answers closely, looking for trends of satisfaction or displeasure. Such feedback helps rectify patient issues before they go somewhere else.
Feedback requests are also great tools to remind patients to refer their friends and family. No other advertising packs the punch of a happy patient referral. A recent survey by Zendesk found that "58 percent of customers are more likely to tell others about their customer service experiences than they were five years ago."
Dental patient satisfaction is more important than ever. Creating a positive customer experience starts well before the appointment and carries on after the patient walks out the door.
By implementing these five tips, your dentist office can create a uniquely positive, memorable customer experience.
