Monday Morning Meeting: Working on Customer Service – #3 Anticipate Needs

Monday Morning Meeting: Working on Customer Service – #3 Anticipate Needs

Customer service may not be the first thing you think of when you think about a dental office, but it is an integral part of the office and should be considered an important part of each team member’s job. A dental office’s most important asset is its’ patients and without them, the office would not succeed in business. Practicing good customer service helps to grow the success of the office as happy patients continue to come back and recommend the office to friends and family. Ensuring that each team member is dedicated to quality customer service and providing a positive experience for each patient is one of the most important jobs there is.

There are ten rules to customer service that must be followed. This week we’ll discuss anticipating needs.

Rule #3: Anticipate Needs

Can you remember the last time someone anticipated that you’d need something done and did it for you? Do you remember how you felt about that person after you learned about their consideration? Probably pretty good, right?

Patients are loyal to your office because of the feelings and solutions to dental problems you provide them. They usually keep coming back because of an emotional attachment rather than a logical one. For example, if Dr. Smith is a talented dentist but is rude, short, and inconsiderate then he’s probably loosing patients left and right to Dr. White who is polite, thoughtful, and kind and an equally good dentist.

The more you know your customer’s needs and are able to anticipate them, the stronger the emotional connection becomes with your office.  If you’re able to communicate with the patients and learn about problems or needs, they will appreciate that you’ve taken the time to think about them.  Not every patient will be able to fit within your usual practices; taking the time to take into consideration their needs or wants will make them feel special and appreciated.

For example: If Diana has an appointment on Thursday for a cleaning but she’s going to be rushing to the office from work, it’s a good idea to send over her new patient paperwork early so that she can fill it out prior to getting there. She’ll appreciate the fact that you anticipated that she’d be short on time and that you accommodated her by allowing her to get part of the appointment done early.