On the latest night, I was sitting in this hotel room in Seattle, having just spent the day lecturing. As I flipped through the programs, looking for something to listen to in the back as I continued to work through the majority of the night, I came upon the actual “Cadillac Man” with The boy wonder Williams. I had seen a film production company many years ago and had not thought about it. As I watched (luckily getting caught in the initial minutes), I was amazed, and I never realized how many correct business lessons were before my eyes. Naturally, when I sat, I watched TV much more than I was working. Still, I discovered myself thinking about how the procedures of a car dealership and a dental office are incredibly similar.
I never believed, nor even DARED to, a professional dental office to what many people incorrectly label as “sleazy car salesmen.” Are there a few bad apples, sure? But you will find bad apple dentists as well. For the most part, people in any company, whether dentistry, car product sales, restaurants, or even airlines, tend to be professional, courteous individuals whose one true goal would be to help people and give them a pleasurable experience.
Our goal within the dental office is to provide a higher standard of care and an awesome experience to our sufferers. In contrast, we provide them with the therapy they desperately need. The same holds in a car dealership. The sales staff (and women) want to give us an excellent experience buying a car that we truly require. Just as I would not count on a dentist to tell someone that they need a crown if they need a one-surface completion, I would expect that a specialized salesperson would not send somebody looking for a minivan in the direction of some sort of 2-seater sports car. Are there sales agents who will try it? Of course.
Nevertheless, some dentists would try it for themselves as well! Remember, one awful apple DOES NOT spoil the types. Also, note that I, in the morning, do NOT suggest that we become “Hard sell” places of work and jam dentistry practically down peoples’ throats. You will find a way the business of dental treatment and the practice of dental treatment can work together.
So as My spouse and I sat and watched this kind of movie, I began to feel what we could learn from this kind. I was amazed that the most important thing in the car dealership is the objective. We talk about having goals, writing down aims, sharing our goals, and all of the solid advice we give and receive all the time. But what tends to be we, in the dental office performing, to track those objectives and put them in front of our eyes in simple dialect every day so that they remain best of mind? In vehicle dealerships, they have “The Board.” It is something I have been performing with clients for years and have not realized where I got the concept from.
So your goals tend to be defined somehow. Maybe it is production, collections, and perhaps even patients seen each day, week, or month. We produce a lot of important information and HOPEFULLY review it daily. End-of-day reviews, production reports, new individual numbers, collections, etc. Now how do we use which information to compare actual quantities versus goal numbers and identify improvement areas to help us hit those ambitions consistently? Use
“The Board.” The dentists/office managers, place of work should be “The Board.” A sizable, dry-erase board is broken down so that goal numbers and actual numbers can be as opposed in an instant. We use one out of my office, and I will be able to tell you it takes about a little bit a day to update, though the
information provided is absolutely important. People come in and out and about all day, looking at numbers, plus it generates a good amount of discussion about what we can do to improve, precisely what happened on days if we didn’t reach our ambitions, and what we can to make sure those actions don’t happen again. I adore my Board. The staff likes it too, as they can simply and very quickly see exactly what days they hit the objective and what days they did not.
Please remember, if you don’t have objectives, GET THEM. If you have goals in your thoughts, get them out and create them down. A goal that isn’t prepared is simply a dream. Don’t spend some time chasing dreams; spend that period and effort attaining your goals. We watched poor Robin Williams run in and out of that manager’s office, looking at the panel, checking what everyone else experienced, and using it as inspiration for his behavior. Correct, he had a certain inner ignite and was a magnificent sales representative. Still, that added inspiration of seeing others’ overall performance right in front of his eye was enough to make sure that this individual used EVERY tool in the arsenal to close deals that helped people get out of their method to say yes to that brand new car.
Just as he utilized every tool at his disposal to close deals, so should we. Are you using every tool in your arsenal to help people see how important the treatment is? You owe it to your patients to provide them with the care they NEED ALONG WITH DESERVE. Whether they realize the idea or not, you are helping these people. How many times have you explained to a patient that a crown may help extend the life of those teeth, but they refuse to listen? Subsequently, a week, a month, or a season
later, that tooth breaks or cracks and needs to be extracted. Keeping $1000 now can cost hundreds and hundreds in the future. Then they get insane at you because you “never explained to them” that this could happen. Naturally, you did. You know the idea, I know it, and they recognize it. But isn’t the idea easier to blame you rather than themselves? Of course, it is. And that means you truly owe it to your patients to help them understand and receive the treatment they genuinely need!
Do you use your intra-oral camera regularly, and I always mean daily? Are you featuring your patients that bust, that chip, or this cavity up close and personal? Don it on the TV screen and make the item 27 inches wide. That can wake anyone up! Currently, presenting cases properly to the best of your ability? Currently, giving lots of options or merely the best option? I am NEVER hot for good, better, best dental treatments. Why would anyone plan to be good when they could be the finest?
Present properly and ensure the affected person knows that this is the best selection and you are the best dentist to make it. Help that patient face the right decision by using the tools you have to educate these properly. Use the camera. Make use of creative financing options (like Care-Credit). Use preapproval equipment so that you can walk in with the treatment solution and say that we will give you the best dental care and make it an easy task to pay for with convenient obligations.
These are the tools that you have for your use. We are lucky. Car retailers are at the mercy of these companies and banks who determine when to run ZERO percent financing specials. We have use of that ALL THE TIME. How blessed are we? Do you know the results when GM runs and 0% financing for a 62-month special? Car revenue goes up. So what if you offered your patients that alternative? I guarantee you your closing ratio will go way up.
Finally, and quite possibly, it is important that your office can do will be FOLLOW UP with your patients. Once you present treatment and the affected person doesn’t schedule right away, phone them. Try preapproval regarding financing if you haven’t previously. Have your assistant or hygienist call them and enquire if there are questions about the treatment plan. If they recognized botox injections’ importance, they would not be stalling it. We must have done a problem. We missed something anywhere. Find out what it was, correct that and get them scheduled.
Several dentists seem to be too “salesy” if the company calls to follow up in addition to scheduling treatment. I will explain that this is one of the ridiculous stuff I have ever heard, and if anyone does it, you should start PROMPTLY. Yes, you are a dental trainee, and your primary goal is the treatment of patients. So CURE THEM, but remember you are a dental business whose most important goal is to stay in small business so the practice can continue to guide patients! One can never really exist without the other, and it is essential to remember that. Don’t be worried about closing deals. That cope will help your patients use a healthier mouth, healthier life, and a better look. This is truly a WIN-WIN problem for everyone involved and should possibly be viewed as one every time.
Receiving your business and your practice on the same page is easy. Create, screen, share and achieve goals. Use all the tools which you have at your disposal to create amazing treatment solution presentations. Most importantly, phone patients who don’t close up “ON THE SPOT.” They want this treatment to stay healthy and happy, and you owe it to them to accomplish everything you can to help them obtain it!
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