Understanding the Lifetime Value of your patients is crucial for Dentists. It allows you to be more aware as to what your practice is doing correctly (or incorrectly), as well as giving you an insight into future financial forecasting. Both hugely beneficial pieces of information and as our teeth always need looking after, a good relationship with our dentists ensures this.
So, what, as a dental practice, can you do to ensure that you are encouraging patients to keep coming back? Here are a few things to ask yourself:
Each patient will believe that their needs are the most important and they are, right??
Whilst telephone and e-mail will always remain a reliable communication method, more social avenues are being used widely. Website features such as live chat, WhatsApp for business and Facebook create avenues that could put the patient in direct contact with you far quicker, and for wider windows of time.
Being able to communicate instantly and get the answer they need can make a huge difference to that first impression, as well as the long-lasting bond between patient and dentist.
This one goes without saying.
Offering high-quality treatment is something 100% of practices will aim to achieve. Failing to aspire to this will likely encounter problems. The ultimate benefit of offering high-quality service is that you give your practice an extra marketing channel…the satisfied patient.
Word of mouth endorsements, not to mention the visible effects of your work, can both combine to be a powerful tool. Giving the individual this sense of enrichment will also keep them coming back for the long term too.
Neatly wrapped up through alliteration, the above points are all about a patient’s perception of accessibility.
Clarity is about ensuring reliable information is available on your website keeps a patient in the know. Furthermore, it ensures your site is being updated regularly.
Comfort is achieved by making sure the space you provide your service in is clean, open and inviting.
While convenience is ensuring you are offering services & services that your patients will find of use. Developing your services around customers’ needs shows understanding and will keep individuals coming back.
Being able to see tangible results from their feedback can do wonders for increasing a patient’s affection to the practice. Reaching out to your patients to gain a greater understanding of what you can do to improve should form a marketing activity regardless, yet acting on these can often be forgotten.
Making that extra effort to follow-up on feedback gives the patient safety in knowing their opinions are heard, trusted and deemed as valuable by their dentist.
If you Would like further information on how you can implement some of the pointers above, do not hesitate to get in touch with your Account manager.
We are more than happy to help.