Nearly every day, I hear dentists gushing about the latest and greatest cool gadgets and office equipment that they have recently purchased… everything from Cerec to special lasers and yet another camera. We get it, dentists are techies to the core and they like their gadgets.
The problem lies in the assumption that having new gadgets will save a drowning practice. Don’t get me wrong, having the latest technology can add value to the patient experience if used properly, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that the gadgets will solve your problems.
Dentists tell me that they have all the latest and greatest equipment and therefore patients should be knocking down their door to take advantage of all these resources in the office.
So what’s the problem?
Simply put, these dentists are missing the biggest piece of success or potential failure in their office – having a well-trained team on the phones. How valuable is the best Cerec machine if your team isn’t friendly and welcoming to patients on the phone? And if your team can’t convey what makes YOU special as a dentist, then what? How much help is it going to be to have a special Pano and digital x-rays if your team isn’t converting patient phone calls? Do you think the average patient even understands the equipment that is being talked up?
And even having awesome patient communication software isn’t going to make up for team members that don’t have effective and consistent verbiage and provide outstanding service to your patients. Patients will never get to see all the wonderful gadgets you have if they aren’t booking appointments.
These are the things you need to worry about. Not keeping up with the Dr. Jones and what he or she has. The dentist next door could have all the awesome technology in the world and you don’t know a thing about his or her bottom line. They could be struggling with debt and ready to close their doors.
The offices that have real success first start by making the investment in the biggest asset they can have – their team. The offices that you see rocking it don’t first buy the cool tech devices and machines. They start by having a solid and well trained team, an office culture that is inspiring and fun, and their #1 focus is on the heart of the business – their patients.
For more details on our programs, please register for our free educational webinar Dental Practice Excellence: 3 Steps to an All-Star Practice, or call our office at (844) 631.7575.
