No matter what you see in magazines or read on message boards, there is only one "get rich quick" scheme that you can implement immediately and see results. You need to overdeliver on value to your patients.
First, let's discuss the concept. Overdelivery means giving patients or customers more in service value than they give you in dollar value. You can't expect to get rich by giving patients exactly what they paid for. That's simply called meeting expectations, and it's what prevents you from ever achieving your full potential.
Jay Geier is the president and founder of the Scheduling Institute.The truth is, if your practice is not prospering, you're not overdelivering to your patients. If you were overdelivering on value, your patients would be paying you back with loyalty and referrals. The proof would be sitting in your bank account. You may think your practice is overdelivering, but if your bank account is stagnant or dwindling, I can assure you that you're deluding yourself.
Let's say you realize that you need to make some changes. You've been doing things the same way for five or 10 years, and you realize that it just isn't working. It's time to get in the business of overdelivering to patients and growing your practice! But what changes do you need to make in your practice for this to occur?
First, take a look at your office hours. Are you open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday (maybe Friday)? These are the typical hours of operation for most dental practices -- yet these are the most inconvenient hours for your patients!
Most of them have 9-to-5 jobs or are in school during these hours. By staying open later or on Saturdays, you're essentially saying, "Your needs are more important than mine. I'm willing to inconvenience myself in order to give you the best possible service." That's the key to developing a patient-centric practice.
Let's take a look at another example. Are you creating a "wow" factor experience every time a patient comes into your office? Are your facilities clean, updated, and comfortable? Does your team go above and beyond to make each patient feel like royalty? Consider what systems you have in place for new patient gifting, refreshments, greetings, etc. If you have to ask whether you're overdelivering in any of these areas, chances are you're not.
Remember, there's only one "get rich quick" scheme with any truth behind it: overdeliver, overdeliver, overdeliver. Once your patients are genuinely excited about scheduling appointments at your practice, you will have unlocked the mystery to wealth accumulation -- and you'll wonder why you didn't make these changes sooner!
Jay Geier is the president and founder of the Scheduling Institute.
The comments and observations expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of DrBicuspid.com, nor should they be construed as an endorsement or admonishment of any particular idea, vendor, or organization.
