“Is there anything else…?”

By Robyn Reis

You may have noticed I’ve been away from my blog for awhile and it’s for a very good reason ~ I’ve been blessed to be working with so many wonderful practices who have had 100% of my attention!  And that’s always a good thing.  I’ve also come to notice that there is a current underlying theme with my coaching work recently and thought it was a great blog opportunity to share.

It seems making connections with people on the phone and creating exceptional patient experiences is at the forefront of my recent collaborating projects.  Do we spend 2 minutes on the phone to get the caller to make an appointment or 7 minutes on the phone to build rapport and relationship to convert a caller into a new patient?  Should our new patient visit be an efficient 60 minutes or should we devote more time to establish a connection, earn their trust and create a memorable experience rather than a routine ‘appointment’?  Those are the tough questions my clients and I are tackling together.  Lucky for you if you’ve already figured it out!

While the answers to the above questions will vary for each individual practice, doctor, and desired goals, what I can say is this … to create an authentic connection and dive deeper into a relationship, always ask one more question.  Here are some examples of what I mean:

• When reserving time for a new patient, your last question could be “is there anything else I can do for you before I go?” It’s a simple yet effective way to end the call, to show care for this person and to be sure you’ve answered any last minute questions before hanging up.
• Concluding the new patient pre-clinical interview, your last question could be “is there anything else that you feel is important for the dentist and I to know about you before we begin?” This is a great way to learn more about the human being in your chair, rather than just their teeth.
• Concluding a treatment plan presentation, your last question could be “we have reviewed a lot of information together, Mrs. Jones, to get you where you want to be … Is there anything else about your treatment that I haven’t explained to your satisfaction or best understanding?”  You may be surprised by additional questions you hadn’t covered, and what a beautiful way to highlight that this is a partnership with your patient.
• Concluding a new team member interview, your last question could be “is there anything else you would like to share with us about yourself as we consider your application for this position?” What a great opportunity to learn more about this candidate and how he/she could be the next superstar on your team.

I have found that when you come from a place of curiosity, conversations are bound to be more authentic, more intentional and above all else, more meaningful which translates into more connections, more relationships and ultimately, more new patients who want your services.

I’d love to hear how you are using “is there anything else…?” in your practice and the results you experience.  Please email me at robyn@yourdentalpracticecoach.com and I’ll share the responses in a future blog!

To your success ~ Robyn