I’ll have what she’s having

Imagine if you could create an experience that turns a patient into a raving fan, and the people she refers to the practice ask for the same experience. Now, you are creating a culture. The beauty of creating a culture of raving fans is that it is completely in your control, and for the most part – FREE!

Earn the Referral

I’ve always been kind of curious about the sign in dental offices that says something like, “We appreciate referrals.” I often wonder if a patient feels a disconnect between the sign and the experience. I’m usually asking myself, “What does this office do to earn the referral?” People typically are not out raving about their visit to the dentist over lunch with girlfriends, and if they are, it’s probably not positive. People are more
likely to complain than they are to brag. You may have heard that people don’t like going to the dentist, so to earn a patient referral, you have to be amazing.

Create Promoters

I did a little research into customer loyalty and a customer’s willingness to refer people to your practice. I found out about Net Promoter Scores (NPS) from Harvard Business Review. To get an NPS number for your office you would ask your patients one simple question, “From 0 to 10, how likely are you to recommend this office to your friends and family?” NPS measures the difference between the percentage of customers who give high responses (“promoters”) and those who give low ones (“detractors”). Promoters are defined as customers who give the company 9 or 10, while detractors hand out “0″ through 6. Customers who log 7 or 8 are deemed “passively satisfied” and aren’t calculated in the final score.

More Promoters = More Revenue

For most of you, I would expect the majority of your patients to be in the 7-8 group. The article suggested there is a major connection between a company’s NPS score and revenue growth. A follow-up article debunks the hype around NPS because of people’s passiveness to brag or rave. Believers in the system argue there is a direct link. Once they started focusing on the scores, revenue grew. Why? It wasn’t the scores they were focused on; it was the customer. If they got anything less than a 9 on the review, they wanted to know why. Revenues grew because customer interaction improved, systems improved, and services were added. It was a new personal touch that made the difference.

How it’s Done

The big question is, how can we do this? I’ve spent some time on my blog talking about the first phone call. It’s critical to note that every member of your team has an impact on the culture of your practice, but it begins with you. I think creating a culture of raving fans starts with a mission statement, and a vision statement. To come up with these statements, think about who you are, and what you want to be. Once you are clear on your vision for the practice, focus on the patient’s experience. Make sure that these two parts are always in sync and up to date. If you are always looking for ways to get your 7’s and 8’s up to 9’s and 10’s, you will have a culture of raving fans.

Bonus: 5 points if you know what movie the title is from.

Your Thoughts

Are you creating a culture of raving fans within your dental practice? If yes, please elaborate in a comment below. Thanks.

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