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As a dentist, you are a special kind of person.
Special because you went into dentistry to help others. Special because you have love to give. Now before you go and feel guilty because you hoped dentistry would make you a good living, let me say, “Congratulations."
You are also special because you want to take great care of yourself and your family.” Dentistry is what you do for a living! It should be a good living! You spend your time working hard and loving others. That’s the idea!
The most important thing is that you feel in your heart, a desire to serve, to love! If you aren’t interested in serving others, you might want to rethink being in dentistry.
Love is the whole thing. “All you need is love.” ~ the Beatles.
And, "love is all we’ve got.” ~ Kenny Rogers.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” ~ the Bible.
Love is the answer - to any question; to any quandary; to life’s toughest times.
And, love is the answer to your success - as a spouse, as a dentist, as a parent, friend, as a soul.
"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." ~ Zig Ziglar.
You can’t teach an unhappy person to be full of love, even though it’s in there somewhere. But you can practice yourself, AND TEACH your people to consciously share love. When love is shared, it comes boomeranging back many-fold. What a deal!
The Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry has long held its winter educational meeting in Atlanta, at the Buckhead Ritz-Carlton. I was "wowed" by a gentleman who helped me, when he smiled broadly and answered my “thank you” with, “It is my pleasure.”
It was his pleasure to help me. His pleasure to serve me. After that meeting, I began teaching my own office team as well as the seminar doctors the beautiful, easy, precious words to express love to those we serve: “It’s my pleasure.”
Lookie lookie!
Today, some 15 or more years later, our culture has adopted an ubiquitous colloquialism, “No problem.” While typically totally well-intentioned, it is actually not kind in its implication.
Think about it - when someone does something for me - serves me - then responds to my gratitude, “No problem,” the implication is basically, “It typically is a problem, but this time maybe it’s not such a problem.” or something related.
No matter - you have the incredible opportunity to demonstrate your love, by responding, not with a nod, not with a “you’re welcome,” but with, “It’s my pleasure!” When delivered genuinely with a smile, that struts your love stuff!
The tiny change of EVERY time someone says thank you, to respond, “It’s my pleasure,” has just elevated your client fulfillment system tremendously.
In dentistry, you went in to take care of people; to be good to people;…. for heaven’s sake, and then to imply it might have been a problem?
Strut your stuff! It pays great dividends back ‘at-cha.’ It’s what distinguishes your practice from the others.
Strut your stuff! Strut your love stuff!
It’s my pleasure!
Special because you went into dentistry to help others. Special because you have love to give. Now before you go and feel guilty because you hoped dentistry would make you a good living, let me say, “Congratulations."
You are also special because you want to take great care of yourself and your family.” Dentistry is what you do for a living! It should be a good living! You spend your time working hard and loving others. That’s the idea!
The most important thing is that you feel in your heart, a desire to serve, to love! If you aren’t interested in serving others, you might want to rethink being in dentistry.
Love is the whole thing. “All you need is love.” ~ the Beatles.
And, "love is all we’ve got.” ~ Kenny Rogers.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” ~ the Bible.
Love is the answer - to any question; to any quandary; to life’s toughest times.
And, love is the answer to your success - as a spouse, as a dentist, as a parent, friend, as a soul.
"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." ~ Zig Ziglar.
You can’t teach an unhappy person to be full of love, even though it’s in there somewhere. But you can practice yourself, AND TEACH your people to consciously share love. When love is shared, it comes boomeranging back many-fold. What a deal!
The Southeastern Society of Pediatric Dentistry has long held its winter educational meeting in Atlanta, at the Buckhead Ritz-Carlton. I was "wowed" by a gentleman who helped me, when he smiled broadly and answered my “thank you” with, “It is my pleasure.”
It was his pleasure to help me. His pleasure to serve me. After that meeting, I began teaching my own office team as well as the seminar doctors the beautiful, easy, precious words to express love to those we serve: “It’s my pleasure.”
Lookie lookie!
Today, some 15 or more years later, our culture has adopted an ubiquitous colloquialism, “No problem.” While typically totally well-intentioned, it is actually not kind in its implication.
Think about it - when someone does something for me - serves me - then responds to my gratitude, “No problem,” the implication is basically, “It typically is a problem, but this time maybe it’s not such a problem.” or something related.
No matter - you have the incredible opportunity to demonstrate your love, by responding, not with a nod, not with a “you’re welcome,” but with, “It’s my pleasure!” When delivered genuinely with a smile, that struts your love stuff!
The tiny change of EVERY time someone says thank you, to respond, “It’s my pleasure,” has just elevated your client fulfillment system tremendously.
In dentistry, you went in to take care of people; to be good to people;…. for heaven’s sake, and then to imply it might have been a problem?
Strut your stuff! It pays great dividends back ‘at-cha.’ It’s what distinguishes your practice from the others.
Strut your stuff! Strut your love stuff!
It’s my pleasure!
Dr Chris Baker, teaching an ortho seminar in Dubai. Her teaching and seminar schedule for 2018 will be posted soon on: www.loveandorthodontics.com
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Deep down - in our subconscious, our amygdala, our unconscious, we have a primitive brain that functions like our animal friends’ brains. We react. Without thinking. (Thinking is higher up.)
Our emotions predominate. It’s our ego barrier - subliminal defense mechanisms that make it hard to accept that we might be wrong, or at risk. Our fears rule - the seeds of stress.
Your higher-up you is not aware of your lower level you. That’s why its called subconscious or unconscious (below the conscious level). So we don’t even realize that fear of not being enough, fear of not being loved, fear of so many things in these deep parts of us, makes us instinctively vulnerable or attacked.
The neocortex part of your brain is the higher-up part that is responsible for higher-order brain functions - thinking and learning.
As your deep hidden motivations (fear responses) are in control, it’s impossible for you to logically understand what “you” are doing.
Even the most intelligent person is wired this way.
“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections.” ~ John Lennon
What to do?
You can get better and better at this stuff. And that will make you happier and happier.
Our emotions predominate. It’s our ego barrier - subliminal defense mechanisms that make it hard to accept that we might be wrong, or at risk. Our fears rule - the seeds of stress.
Your higher-up you is not aware of your lower level you. That’s why its called subconscious or unconscious (below the conscious level). So we don’t even realize that fear of not being enough, fear of not being loved, fear of so many things in these deep parts of us, makes us instinctively vulnerable or attacked.
The neocortex part of your brain is the higher-up part that is responsible for higher-order brain functions - thinking and learning.
As your deep hidden motivations (fear responses) are in control, it’s impossible for you to logically understand what “you” are doing.
Even the most intelligent person is wired this way.
“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections.” ~ John Lennon
What to do?
- First understand what is happening - primitive subconscious vs. neocortex.
- Then begin to listen more than reacting, to understand you might be wrong, and try to hear more information.
- Don’t worry what others think of you. That usually triggers fears. Think instead of getting enough information to find out what you need to know to make good decisions.
- Remember that if two people disagree, one is most probably wrong. Could it be you?
- Meditation can enhance higher-level perspective and dim your deep-down reactions.
- Gratitude reduces deep-down fears.
You can get better and better at this stuff. And that will make you happier and happier.
Dr Chris Baker (center), with a group of seminar doctors at a local dental office.
Photo by Claude Hammond © 2017
TOP PHOTO: Thunderstorm photo by Catalin Fatu at the English language Wikipedia,
Photo by Claude Hammond © 2017
TOP PHOTO: Thunderstorm photo by Catalin Fatu at the English language Wikipedia,
For further reading.
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Dentists are attracted to their profession because they want to help others, and sometimes fall into the "approval addiction" trap.
We dentists are way too worried about people getting mad at us - people including our patients, our colleagues, our friends and family.
It’s our nature. Most people who are attracted to dental school are approval-addicted, and spend way too much time trying to please others.
Caring for ourselves first and foremost gives us the ability to care better for others. Caring for ourselves first and our family second makes us better dentists.
Seriously.
Because when we are at peace within, we present peace to all around us. Because when we feel good about “me”, we make others feel good about “you” AND about themselves. We emanate strength, love, surety.
When you learn to be happy with who you are, it frees you to pursue all you want to become. (And, the opposite is true. When you are fearful about whether you are “enough”, “good enough,” you are imprisoned and unable to pursue growth, change, and joy).
Approval addiction is an illness that keeps you from living life on your own terms. Pleasing others - you think - will help the others like you, want you to provide their orthodontic/dental care, love you. Nope. It’s the opposite.
Your working to please others is way too hard and doesn’t work. It’s borne of way too much fear. It’s the way you teach others you are a sucker. Oh sure, they may say how “nice” you are, and hang around to get what they want to get from you, but in the long run, the approval-addicted one is way too exhausted, way too confused, way too used, and your life is just way too hard.
Your life is way too valuable and potentially way too wonderful to keep being vulnerable to the fear that begets approval addiction.
As you live in the surety that you are indeed valuable, that you are indeed a love, that you bring incredible life to those around you, you can release the habit of being addicted to others’ approval.
Are you worried about what your staff thinks of you? What your patients think of you? What your colleagues think of you?
It’s time to decide - once and for all - that you are great the way you are, that you will keep growing and learning, that you will design your life, your practice, your each and every day, yourself.
“If you don’t, chances are you'll fall into those other people’s plans. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” ~ Jim Rohn
Once the other folks get what they want from you, they move on to work on someone else’s plan. And someone else moves into your life to try to plan your life.
Decide today. You are way too valuable, way too capable. Let others leave their future, their lives in others’ hands. Not you!!
It’s our nature. Most people who are attracted to dental school are approval-addicted, and spend way too much time trying to please others.
Caring for ourselves first and foremost gives us the ability to care better for others. Caring for ourselves first and our family second makes us better dentists.
Seriously.
Because when we are at peace within, we present peace to all around us. Because when we feel good about “me”, we make others feel good about “you” AND about themselves. We emanate strength, love, surety.
When you learn to be happy with who you are, it frees you to pursue all you want to become. (And, the opposite is true. When you are fearful about whether you are “enough”, “good enough,” you are imprisoned and unable to pursue growth, change, and joy).
Approval addiction is an illness that keeps you from living life on your own terms. Pleasing others - you think - will help the others like you, want you to provide their orthodontic/dental care, love you. Nope. It’s the opposite.
Your working to please others is way too hard and doesn’t work. It’s borne of way too much fear. It’s the way you teach others you are a sucker. Oh sure, they may say how “nice” you are, and hang around to get what they want to get from you, but in the long run, the approval-addicted one is way too exhausted, way too confused, way too used, and your life is just way too hard.
Your life is way too valuable and potentially way too wonderful to keep being vulnerable to the fear that begets approval addiction.
As you live in the surety that you are indeed valuable, that you are indeed a love, that you bring incredible life to those around you, you can release the habit of being addicted to others’ approval.
Are you worried about what your staff thinks of you? What your patients think of you? What your colleagues think of you?
It’s time to decide - once and for all - that you are great the way you are, that you will keep growing and learning, that you will design your life, your practice, your each and every day, yourself.
“If you don’t, chances are you'll fall into those other people’s plans. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much.” ~ Jim Rohn
Once the other folks get what they want from you, they move on to work on someone else’s plan. And someone else moves into your life to try to plan your life.
Decide today. You are way too valuable, way too capable. Let others leave their future, their lives in others’ hands. Not you!!
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Part IV - How Can I Get There from Here?
How can you help your patients fall in love with your business?
How can you really manage your people/staff?
How can your practice/life/family/you be more fun?
How can you find peace?
Believe it or not, the answers to each of these questions are very similar. Perhaps the same.
The answer is - Ta Da……….. Drum Roll……….. Waiting……….
How can you really manage your people/staff?
How can your practice/life/family/you be more fun?
How can you find peace?
Believe it or not, the answers to each of these questions are very similar. Perhaps the same.
The answer is - Ta Da……….. Drum Roll……….. Waiting……….
...Systematize your practice!
Creating and defining a repeatable system allows your people - AND YOU - to spend your time and attention on getting the jobs done faster and smoother, while having more fun.
Structure is freedom. Freedom to do the necessary, redundant tasks while enjoying the people around you more. While getting the job done faster without as much frustration and challenge, and having more time for you, for your family, for your friends, for your fun. While focusing on your creativity - in or out of your practice.
The systematized structure communicates your vision of how you want things done. Your people have something to work with - direction, goals, habits, and constant improvement.
The system provides predictability to your patients, parents and staff. People like to know what to expect. People like certainty.
And when you encourage your folks to look for innovative ways to improve the system, it will indeed even get better. Way better. Nothing improves systems like people and their ideas as they perform the system tasks and realize how it could work better.
Looking for ways to improve on current systems should be encouraged - BUT - that doesn’t mean people go off willy-nilly and do it differently. It means your system has a line of communication to the person who will set up the innovation and quantification of it - the measure of it - to see what works and what doesn’t.
Back to your questions:
How can you help your patients fall in love with your business?
The system. The system gives your patients certainty and the meeting of their expectations each and every time. The system gives you and the staff more time to enjoy the patients and parents, and have fun with them. The system allows you to focus on love, not on fear (of business, of people being unhappy, of whether or not you can ‘do it’). The system allows you to fall in love with the patients and parents. Truly.
“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.” ~ John Lennon
The system allows your true expertise to meet deep compassion and share it.
How can you really manage your people/staff?
The system. Managing people is impossible.
“Managing the system is possible and necessary to success.” ~ Michael E. Gerber
Picture this -- what if everyone on your team were focused every day on following/using the system you have created, and even making it better, instead of hanging out, playing it by ear (whatever that means), winging it, scratching their heads about what to do — or worse, coming to ask YOU?
How would that feel? How much would you like your system then?
How can your practice/life/family/you be more fun?
How can you find peace?
You can find peace in your systems. You can find time in your system, because things don’t take as long. Things go smoother. There are less questions, problems, challenges. You can remain calm and working, enjoying it more.
Structure is freedom. Freedom to do the necessary, redundant tasks while enjoying the people around you more. While getting the job done faster without as much frustration and challenge, and having more time for you, for your family, for your friends, for your fun. While focusing on your creativity - in or out of your practice.
The systematized structure communicates your vision of how you want things done. Your people have something to work with - direction, goals, habits, and constant improvement.
The system provides predictability to your patients, parents and staff. People like to know what to expect. People like certainty.
And when you encourage your folks to look for innovative ways to improve the system, it will indeed even get better. Way better. Nothing improves systems like people and their ideas as they perform the system tasks and realize how it could work better.
Looking for ways to improve on current systems should be encouraged - BUT - that doesn’t mean people go off willy-nilly and do it differently. It means your system has a line of communication to the person who will set up the innovation and quantification of it - the measure of it - to see what works and what doesn’t.
Back to your questions:
How can you help your patients fall in love with your business?
The system. The system gives your patients certainty and the meeting of their expectations each and every time. The system gives you and the staff more time to enjoy the patients and parents, and have fun with them. The system allows you to focus on love, not on fear (of business, of people being unhappy, of whether or not you can ‘do it’). The system allows you to fall in love with the patients and parents. Truly.
“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.” ~ John Lennon
The system allows your true expertise to meet deep compassion and share it.
How can you really manage your people/staff?
The system. Managing people is impossible.
“Managing the system is possible and necessary to success.” ~ Michael E. Gerber
Picture this -- what if everyone on your team were focused every day on following/using the system you have created, and even making it better, instead of hanging out, playing it by ear (whatever that means), winging it, scratching their heads about what to do — or worse, coming to ask YOU?
How would that feel? How much would you like your system then?
How can your practice/life/family/you be more fun?
How can you find peace?
You can find peace in your systems. You can find time in your system, because things don’t take as long. Things go smoother. There are less questions, problems, challenges. You can remain calm and working, enjoying it more.
You can quit working through lunch. You can quit leaving two hours after the rest of the staff. You can have recharge time for yourself. Your life can be YOUR life.
It’s time.
Want help?
Contact me for information as to where to start.
It’s time.
Want help?
Contact me for information as to where to start.
RIGHT PHOTO: Dr. Chris Baker and Dr Luis Carriere chat following a 2017 Dubai seminar at which both of them taught.
- Published on
Part III -- Why not you?
Dr Chris Baker practices and teaches around the world.
Each and every day, people are living their dreams.
People are getting wealthy. Practices are thriving, and getting free of insurance. Relationships are dynamic and wonderful. People are getting healthier every day, regardless of their age. Lives are improving every day. Let it be you! Your life can be the life of your dreams. Some people are living their dreams, and so can you! Let it be you!
Do you look at other practices, see them thriving and wish it could be you? You know, most people think about getting rich. Yet, only a very small percentage of them do. But anyone can. Someone is going to learn how to truly manage their practice, and turn it into the business it can be. Why not let it be you?
Don’t assume that you’re stuck with the way things are right now. You aren’t. Life changes every single moment, and so can you. It’s simply deciding - making a decision.
As the amazing Jim Rohn encouraged people, Someone is going to make the decision to become healthier than ever before. Someone is going to decide to eat healthfully. Someone is going to start walking or running regularly. Someone is going to start walking the stairs every day. Why not let it be you?
Every day people decide to improve their lives. Every day decisions change the course of lives.
Why not let it be you?
Nobody says it better than Jim Rohn when he gives his simple steps to make it YOU:
1. COMMIT TO WORKING ON YOU
Are you going to improve or stay the same? No matter what you have achieved, you are at a certain point right now. What you have achieved in the past is fine, but it doesn’t make a difference for the future. The decision about what you will become is made each day and every day.
Each day someone is making the decision to better him or herself. Let it be you.
2. MAKE A PLAN
Once you have decided to become better, you will have to have a plan. It doesn’t have to be a long, intricate plan. It can be simple. Walk a mile a day. Read an article a day. Work ON your business (away from patients) an hour a day. That is a simple plan with achievable goals.
Someone is going to develop a plan that will take them into the future of their dreams. Let it be you.
3. BEGIN YOUR ACTIONS
All of the great ideas, without action, become stale and useless. The key to turning dreams into reality is action. People who have great ideas are a dime a dozen. People who act on their dreams and ideas are the select few, but they are the ones who gain the wealth, health and wisdom that is available.
Someone will act today. Let it be you.
Stop looking at others who live the good life, wishing that you were as well, and instead begin to commit to your improvement, develop a plan and act on it. Someone is going to. Let it be you!
"I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk." ~ Anthony Robbins
Reference:
www.success.com/profile/jim-rohn
Next in Part 4 of How’s it workin’ for ya? (How Can I Get There From Here?)
People are getting wealthy. Practices are thriving, and getting free of insurance. Relationships are dynamic and wonderful. People are getting healthier every day, regardless of their age. Lives are improving every day. Let it be you! Your life can be the life of your dreams. Some people are living their dreams, and so can you! Let it be you!
Do you look at other practices, see them thriving and wish it could be you? You know, most people think about getting rich. Yet, only a very small percentage of them do. But anyone can. Someone is going to learn how to truly manage their practice, and turn it into the business it can be. Why not let it be you?
Don’t assume that you’re stuck with the way things are right now. You aren’t. Life changes every single moment, and so can you. It’s simply deciding - making a decision.
As the amazing Jim Rohn encouraged people, Someone is going to make the decision to become healthier than ever before. Someone is going to decide to eat healthfully. Someone is going to start walking or running regularly. Someone is going to start walking the stairs every day. Why not let it be you?
Every day people decide to improve their lives. Every day decisions change the course of lives.
Why not let it be you?
Nobody says it better than Jim Rohn when he gives his simple steps to make it YOU:
1. COMMIT TO WORKING ON YOU
Are you going to improve or stay the same? No matter what you have achieved, you are at a certain point right now. What you have achieved in the past is fine, but it doesn’t make a difference for the future. The decision about what you will become is made each day and every day.
Each day someone is making the decision to better him or herself. Let it be you.
2. MAKE A PLAN
Once you have decided to become better, you will have to have a plan. It doesn’t have to be a long, intricate plan. It can be simple. Walk a mile a day. Read an article a day. Work ON your business (away from patients) an hour a day. That is a simple plan with achievable goals.
Someone is going to develop a plan that will take them into the future of their dreams. Let it be you.
3. BEGIN YOUR ACTIONS
All of the great ideas, without action, become stale and useless. The key to turning dreams into reality is action. People who have great ideas are a dime a dozen. People who act on their dreams and ideas are the select few, but they are the ones who gain the wealth, health and wisdom that is available.
Someone will act today. Let it be you.
Stop looking at others who live the good life, wishing that you were as well, and instead begin to commit to your improvement, develop a plan and act on it. Someone is going to. Let it be you!
"I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece. I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk." ~ Anthony Robbins
Reference:
www.success.com/profile/jim-rohn
Next in Part 4 of How’s it workin’ for ya? (How Can I Get There From Here?)
Two of Dr Chris' books are:
REAL (left), which has great life strategies, and...
YOUR CHILD's SMILE (right), a parent's guide to their child's oral health.
- Published on
Part II -- Those Five People You Hang With
Dr Chris Baker, at the Abu Dhabi International Airport.
"You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with." -- Jim Rohn
Seriously? You must be thinking,
“Seriously? How can I be an average of the five people I spend the most time with?”
Yes, seriously. To the extent, even, that if you saw their financials, yours would be in the same neighborhood. To the extent even, that if your friends are fretters, so are you. And if your friends are fumers, about other folks, politics and life, so are you.
This "five person rule" affects everyone, whether they practice orthodontics or work at anything else.
You see, we are all a part of the quantum soup of energy, slow, fast, or in-between. If we are surrounded by slow, negative, fretting, fuming, confused energy, it doesn’t just rub off - it overtakes us. It is impossible to rise above that energy. The calibration level of the folks around you not only affects you, but becomes you. Or maybe it is better to say, you become it.
If the people to whom you are closest say they’re going to “think about it,” chances are good you will “think about it,” also. No action. If one of your close friends says he/she is going to start walking or running every day, jump on that! Or, you suggest the same. If no one follows - or wants to do it with you - maybe you need a new friend.
Years ago, when Claude and I had gotten serious in our relationship, Claude’s oldest son Trey then was in the throes of the autism spectrum. After a wonderful week away together with the children on a sparsely inhabited island off the Florida coast, we arrived back in Kentucky, all tired yet wonderfully refreshed. However, during that week, Trey had discovered that I was a fairly organized, strict purveyor of schedules, food, activities and so forth, actually excellent for autistic-traited folks, yet not to his great liking. He looked at his Dad and commented, “Dad, I think you need a new friend.”
(The happy outcome is that I am now Trey’s mother, following his adoption, his autism is greatly left behind, and he is crazy about me.)
If your friends aren’t growing, becoming, working on real legacies, you probably need new friends.
Seriously, how can you stop worrying, wondering, and doubting when those around you are worrying, wondering and doubting? How can you laugh at the confusion when those around you are not laughing at all? How can you grow when folks around you are stagnant. It’s been said you’re either growing or you’re dying.
The things you think about, focus on, and people you surround yourself with, ultimately shape who you become.
So, if your friends are on the Slight Edge - looking for tiny actions and decisions to make their life better, so are you. If your friends live by CANI (Constant and Never-ending Improvement), so do you.
It’s a deeply humbling reality to realize not only are your friends a reflection of you, and vice versa, but think about it - your practice is a reflection of you.
Let’s look at that again. Your practice - not just the orthodontics, the dentistry, not just the staff, not just the level of patient satisfaction, but also the effectiveness of the business, the financials, the building, the office, the treatment bay - it’s all a reflection of you. That is a huge and deeply humbling reality for all of us!!
Get your friends - get new friends if you need to - and get to work ON YOU.
Next in Part 3 of How’s It Workin’ For Ya? - Why Not Let It Be You?
“Seriously? How can I be an average of the five people I spend the most time with?”
Yes, seriously. To the extent, even, that if you saw their financials, yours would be in the same neighborhood. To the extent even, that if your friends are fretters, so are you. And if your friends are fumers, about other folks, politics and life, so are you.
This "five person rule" affects everyone, whether they practice orthodontics or work at anything else.
You see, we are all a part of the quantum soup of energy, slow, fast, or in-between. If we are surrounded by slow, negative, fretting, fuming, confused energy, it doesn’t just rub off - it overtakes us. It is impossible to rise above that energy. The calibration level of the folks around you not only affects you, but becomes you. Or maybe it is better to say, you become it.
If the people to whom you are closest say they’re going to “think about it,” chances are good you will “think about it,” also. No action. If one of your close friends says he/she is going to start walking or running every day, jump on that! Or, you suggest the same. If no one follows - or wants to do it with you - maybe you need a new friend.
Years ago, when Claude and I had gotten serious in our relationship, Claude’s oldest son Trey then was in the throes of the autism spectrum. After a wonderful week away together with the children on a sparsely inhabited island off the Florida coast, we arrived back in Kentucky, all tired yet wonderfully refreshed. However, during that week, Trey had discovered that I was a fairly organized, strict purveyor of schedules, food, activities and so forth, actually excellent for autistic-traited folks, yet not to his great liking. He looked at his Dad and commented, “Dad, I think you need a new friend.”
(The happy outcome is that I am now Trey’s mother, following his adoption, his autism is greatly left behind, and he is crazy about me.)
If your friends aren’t growing, becoming, working on real legacies, you probably need new friends.
Seriously, how can you stop worrying, wondering, and doubting when those around you are worrying, wondering and doubting? How can you laugh at the confusion when those around you are not laughing at all? How can you grow when folks around you are stagnant. It’s been said you’re either growing or you’re dying.
The things you think about, focus on, and people you surround yourself with, ultimately shape who you become.
So, if your friends are on the Slight Edge - looking for tiny actions and decisions to make their life better, so are you. If your friends live by CANI (Constant and Never-ending Improvement), so do you.
It’s a deeply humbling reality to realize not only are your friends a reflection of you, and vice versa, but think about it - your practice is a reflection of you.
Let’s look at that again. Your practice - not just the orthodontics, the dentistry, not just the staff, not just the level of patient satisfaction, but also the effectiveness of the business, the financials, the building, the office, the treatment bay - it’s all a reflection of you. That is a huge and deeply humbling reality for all of us!!
Get your friends - get new friends if you need to - and get to work ON YOU.
Next in Part 3 of How’s It Workin’ For Ya? - Why Not Let It Be You?
- Published on
Part 1 - The Big Picture
We go to dental school, to residency, and then finally (it seems), we are ready to go into practice. Did you have any idea what that entailed?
Did you know anything about a business?
Did you even know what you wanted practice to be like? I daresay you assumed it would give you a place to do your outstanding orthodontic or dental care, a job, and an income. Oh - and if it was your own practice, you got to "be your own boss.”
Now what does your practice look like? It does give you a place to do your outstanding orthodontic or dental care, right? It's probably more of a job than you bargained for, and an income - with more going out in expenses than you would have dreamed - or than you want!
And in practice for yourself you get to be your own boss - and work longer hours than the rest of the staff, unless you want to pay a lot of overtime and entrust some of the challenging business things to them (and you’re not sure if that’s good).
There are challenges - insurance, corporate dentistry, competition, "the books,” taxes and expenses - well - that stuff just about can drive you nuts. And affect your well-being - physical, mental and emotional - and your family, and, quite frankly, your sanity.
How’s it workin’ for ya? As the leader of your business, it’s your job to think about the bigger picture.
And there is, believe it or not, a bigger picture. A way bigger picture.
What is in the bigger picture that is missing from the picture you have now?
IF your practice is a reflection of you - and it is - then who you are defines the picture. And who you are is something to figure out. Who are you? What do you want? What do you want your life to be? And when you get that figured out, then how do you get there?
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. You don't have charge of the constellations, but you do have charge of whether you read, develop new skills, and take new classes.” ~ Jim Rohn
Changing your life comes from figuring out who you are and what you want life to be.
And changing who you are comes from changing what and how you think. Changing what you think can come from changing your actions, your words and expressions, your food, your exercise, your activities, and who you hang with.
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” ~ Jim Rohn
Back to your practice. If you have a desire and need to change anything about your practice, work ON you first. Einstein once said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
Don’t let it overwhelm you. You can change you by changing the tiniest decisions, tiniest habits, tiniest actions, one at a time. Today take time to meditate. Today take time for a walk or run. Today go home at a reasonable hour from the office. Think about what you want, who you are, who you want to be. Maybe - write some of your thoughts down.
Next in Part 2 of How’s it workin’ for ya? - Those five people you hang with
Did you know anything about a business?
Did you even know what you wanted practice to be like? I daresay you assumed it would give you a place to do your outstanding orthodontic or dental care, a job, and an income. Oh - and if it was your own practice, you got to "be your own boss.”
Now what does your practice look like? It does give you a place to do your outstanding orthodontic or dental care, right? It's probably more of a job than you bargained for, and an income - with more going out in expenses than you would have dreamed - or than you want!
And in practice for yourself you get to be your own boss - and work longer hours than the rest of the staff, unless you want to pay a lot of overtime and entrust some of the challenging business things to them (and you’re not sure if that’s good).
There are challenges - insurance, corporate dentistry, competition, "the books,” taxes and expenses - well - that stuff just about can drive you nuts. And affect your well-being - physical, mental and emotional - and your family, and, quite frankly, your sanity.
How’s it workin’ for ya? As the leader of your business, it’s your job to think about the bigger picture.
And there is, believe it or not, a bigger picture. A way bigger picture.
What is in the bigger picture that is missing from the picture you have now?
IF your practice is a reflection of you - and it is - then who you are defines the picture. And who you are is something to figure out. Who are you? What do you want? What do you want your life to be? And when you get that figured out, then how do you get there?
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of. You don't have charge of the constellations, but you do have charge of whether you read, develop new skills, and take new classes.” ~ Jim Rohn
Changing your life comes from figuring out who you are and what you want life to be.
And changing who you are comes from changing what and how you think. Changing what you think can come from changing your actions, your words and expressions, your food, your exercise, your activities, and who you hang with.
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” ~ Jim Rohn
Back to your practice. If you have a desire and need to change anything about your practice, work ON you first. Einstein once said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
Don’t let it overwhelm you. You can change you by changing the tiniest decisions, tiniest habits, tiniest actions, one at a time. Today take time to meditate. Today take time for a walk or run. Today go home at a reasonable hour from the office. Think about what you want, who you are, who you want to be. Maybe - write some of your thoughts down.
Next in Part 2 of How’s it workin’ for ya? - Those five people you hang with
Dr Chris Baker (on left) leads orthodontics and pediatric dentistry CE courses worldwide.
- Published on
What could happen if your dreams were bigger?
What if you took your dreams and lifted them up - and up?
What habits could be better? What actions could be bolder? How good could you feel?
Who could you help today?
“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Set yourself up for success! Choose a dream and magnify it. Then think of 2 or 3 actions you will take to move you toward that dream. And take the actions. Today.
Can you do it? Will you do it?
How good will success feel?
Go for it!
What if you took your dreams and lifted them up - and up?
What habits could be better? What actions could be bolder? How good could you feel?
Who could you help today?
“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of life, that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Set yourself up for success! Choose a dream and magnify it. Then think of 2 or 3 actions you will take to move you toward that dream. And take the actions. Today.
Can you do it? Will you do it?
How good will success feel?
Go for it!
- Published on
Where Dr Chris works: The Orthodontic and Pediatric Department entrance of the Advanced American Dental Center in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
"We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us." -- Joseph Campbell.
Michael E. Gerber's "The E-Myth Dentist" is an excellent book on the business of dentistry .
Though she prides herself as being a Texas girl, Dr. Chris Baker practices in the Khalidiya neighborhood of Abu Dhabi, UAE.
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.” ~ Zig Ziglar
Before you go further, read that quote from Zig Ziglar a couple of more times. That’s a WOW!
The question is, what do you want? That’s the “rub”. Work to figure out what you do want. So often we hold life in our hands like water, squeezing tightly to hold onto the water, and life trickles away.
“We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” ~ Joseph Campbell
We need to figure out who we are, what we are here to do, to create, to become, what we truly want.
So just what DO we want, anyway?
I would venture a guess:
You want to Be Loved.
Nurture relationships with patients and their parents. These are the people who make your practice possible. Fall in love with them.
Creating love between your company (you and your staff) and those you serve will be absolutely priceless. You’ll go home amazed every night to think how much you are enjoying serving and loving everyone.
And, the funny part is that a love and caring-focused culture in a practice is a rarity and most fail in this department. Yet this is a great opportunity - to love and be loved by those in your practice.
“Do what you do so well that they will want to [experience] it again and bring their friends.” ~ Walt Disney
What else do you want? You want to enjoy every minute of your life.
While that seems obvious, few of us do this. We function by rote, and habitually. As Michael E. Gerber says, practice “Internal awareness and external intention.” Do what you are doing intentionally. It’s the Ram Dass thing, “Be here now.” Be present this moment. Let the fear float away like clouds.
“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.” ~ Earl Nightingale
Any other wants? You want to have a successful business. It’s what you do for a living and to support your family.
In our orthodontic and dental practices we are the doctor, the manager, the business owner, the entrepreneur. These are big roles that often feel overwhelming and complex. We go into these roles assuming that because we know how to provide orthodontic or dental care, we can do it all. We have a huge job!
We have a plan - or perhaps we should say a “wish list,” of what we assume the practice will accomplish.
As my recent blogs have discussed, our business plan, our dream, vision, purpose and mission need to be systematized so the system accomplishes what it should.
All these wants - and more - are dependent on YOU. You are the key. But - what to do?
Here are some benchmarks to help:
Benchmark 1. WRITE down what you want. Sit down in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed, with no phone, no computer, no TV, or other media. Take your pad of paper and pen.
Start with “want to be loved, enjoy every minute of my life, and have a successful business,” which are true for all of us.
Then think about you. Who are you? What did you come here to do, be, create, experience? Write it all down.
Plan to refer to the list as you go through your next week or two, and edit as needed, or just review and remember what YOU want.
Benchmark 2. Begin developing your relationships with the patients and parents in an even more meaningful way. Be real, be honest, be genuine. Genuinely interact. Use their name, as you greet and talk to them. Their name is the sweetest word in their world!
Show them - and TELL them - you are HONORED to evaluate and treat them. The great orthodontist Dr. Walter A. Doyle often reminded his students, "They are not YOUR patients; You are THEIR doctor. "
Listen. For the moments you are with each patient, focus on that person (or the parent with them.) Stay focused, and do not let your mind wander onto the trillions of other things in your day.
Develop ways to help the patient “own” their dental situation. It’s easy for us as giving, approval-addicted dentists, to let the patient “give” their dental needs to us. The reality is that their needs are theirs. We can offer treatments to help.
When the patient has not worn retainers adequately, TELL them, and NO, you should not make new ones for free.
When acidic plaque finally manages to start new decay, NO, you should not restore for free.
When the 12 year molar fractures due to apparent clenching, grinding, or just plain occlusal forces, even though it had a restoration before, NO, you should not take care of it for free.
But - remember - HOW you say it is everything. Loving, gentle explanation of what has happened in their mouth, with their teeth, without any judgement or finger-pointing is critical. Keep it informational.
Here's an example of how you can explain a diagnosis to a patient:
“Our human bodies are a tough place for teeth to ‘live.’ There are amazing pressures from biting, chewing, clenching. Teeth will always move and change from these pressures for our whole life. BUT - when you’ve had braces, you want the teeth to stay in the beautiful, functional position they’ve been put. So, the wear of your retainers is so very important. Your teeth need more wear than they’ve been getting. 7 out of 7 nights, (or 24/7, or whatever they need.)"
Communication and information is crucial. Diagnose thoroughly. Tell the patient what is going on. Otherwise, how can they know? Write scripts so your staff can communicate how the human body varies, is vulnerable, and will ALWAYS, ALWAYS change over time.
Say please and thank you frequently. Graciousness and kindness are what they want to experience as well as what you want to experience. You give it and watch it come back to you!
There's lots to think about and incorporate:
Time to get started! Go for it!
Start today, and let me know how it’s going.
Before you go further, read that quote from Zig Ziglar a couple of more times. That’s a WOW!
The question is, what do you want? That’s the “rub”. Work to figure out what you do want. So often we hold life in our hands like water, squeezing tightly to hold onto the water, and life trickles away.
“We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” ~ Joseph Campbell
We need to figure out who we are, what we are here to do, to create, to become, what we truly want.
So just what DO we want, anyway?
I would venture a guess:
You want to Be Loved.
Nurture relationships with patients and their parents. These are the people who make your practice possible. Fall in love with them.
Creating love between your company (you and your staff) and those you serve will be absolutely priceless. You’ll go home amazed every night to think how much you are enjoying serving and loving everyone.
And, the funny part is that a love and caring-focused culture in a practice is a rarity and most fail in this department. Yet this is a great opportunity - to love and be loved by those in your practice.
“Do what you do so well that they will want to [experience] it again and bring their friends.” ~ Walt Disney
What else do you want? You want to enjoy every minute of your life.
While that seems obvious, few of us do this. We function by rote, and habitually. As Michael E. Gerber says, practice “Internal awareness and external intention.” Do what you are doing intentionally. It’s the Ram Dass thing, “Be here now.” Be present this moment. Let the fear float away like clouds.
“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.” ~ Earl Nightingale
Any other wants? You want to have a successful business. It’s what you do for a living and to support your family.
In our orthodontic and dental practices we are the doctor, the manager, the business owner, the entrepreneur. These are big roles that often feel overwhelming and complex. We go into these roles assuming that because we know how to provide orthodontic or dental care, we can do it all. We have a huge job!
We have a plan - or perhaps we should say a “wish list,” of what we assume the practice will accomplish.
As my recent blogs have discussed, our business plan, our dream, vision, purpose and mission need to be systematized so the system accomplishes what it should.
All these wants - and more - are dependent on YOU. You are the key. But - what to do?
Here are some benchmarks to help:
Benchmark 1. WRITE down what you want. Sit down in a quiet place where you will not be disturbed, with no phone, no computer, no TV, or other media. Take your pad of paper and pen.
Start with “want to be loved, enjoy every minute of my life, and have a successful business,” which are true for all of us.
Then think about you. Who are you? What did you come here to do, be, create, experience? Write it all down.
Plan to refer to the list as you go through your next week or two, and edit as needed, or just review and remember what YOU want.
Benchmark 2. Begin developing your relationships with the patients and parents in an even more meaningful way. Be real, be honest, be genuine. Genuinely interact. Use their name, as you greet and talk to them. Their name is the sweetest word in their world!
Show them - and TELL them - you are HONORED to evaluate and treat them. The great orthodontist Dr. Walter A. Doyle often reminded his students, "They are not YOUR patients; You are THEIR doctor. "
Listen. For the moments you are with each patient, focus on that person (or the parent with them.) Stay focused, and do not let your mind wander onto the trillions of other things in your day.
Develop ways to help the patient “own” their dental situation. It’s easy for us as giving, approval-addicted dentists, to let the patient “give” their dental needs to us. The reality is that their needs are theirs. We can offer treatments to help.
When the patient has not worn retainers adequately, TELL them, and NO, you should not make new ones for free.
When acidic plaque finally manages to start new decay, NO, you should not restore for free.
When the 12 year molar fractures due to apparent clenching, grinding, or just plain occlusal forces, even though it had a restoration before, NO, you should not take care of it for free.
But - remember - HOW you say it is everything. Loving, gentle explanation of what has happened in their mouth, with their teeth, without any judgement or finger-pointing is critical. Keep it informational.
Here's an example of how you can explain a diagnosis to a patient:
“Our human bodies are a tough place for teeth to ‘live.’ There are amazing pressures from biting, chewing, clenching. Teeth will always move and change from these pressures for our whole life. BUT - when you’ve had braces, you want the teeth to stay in the beautiful, functional position they’ve been put. So, the wear of your retainers is so very important. Your teeth need more wear than they’ve been getting. 7 out of 7 nights, (or 24/7, or whatever they need.)"
Communication and information is crucial. Diagnose thoroughly. Tell the patient what is going on. Otherwise, how can they know? Write scripts so your staff can communicate how the human body varies, is vulnerable, and will ALWAYS, ALWAYS change over time.
Say please and thank you frequently. Graciousness and kindness are what they want to experience as well as what you want to experience. You give it and watch it come back to you!
There's lots to think about and incorporate:
Time to get started! Go for it!
Start today, and let me know how it’s going.
- Published on
"Whether you realize it or not, your practice makes a promise to its patients. The promise will be derived from what the patients experience in your practice. " -- Dr Chris Baker
The Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building, is in the United Arab Emirates, where Dr Chris' practice is located.
Dr Chris Baker's excellent book on childhood oral health is, "Your Child's Smile."
With two patients sitting in the reception room, "Dr. T" told his front desk staff he would be back in awhile, and went out the back door of his office. He was excited! The new special tires ordered for his beautiful Jaguar were in. He was off to collect them!
Two hours later, Dr. T returned to see the patients who had waited that long, as well as the additional five patients who had arrived in the interim.
True story. I got it from his receptionist who was left trying to help the patients feel okay that they were waiting so long.
Another dentist I know of typically has patients scheduled for 11 a.m., but regularly arrives at his office at 1 or 2 p.m. to the waiting patients. One patient told the receptionist to call him when the doctor “gets there.” It was amazing this patient actually was willing to come back! (This doctor’s reputation as an elite, outstanding cosmetic practitioner will only go so far.)
Whether you realize it or not, your practice makes a promise to its patients. The promise will be derived from what the patients experience in your practice.
If they experience chaos and long waits, your presented promise is chaos and long waits. This is because that is what the patients experience.
The promise will help patients decide whether they want to be part of your practice - or not.
Remember, your promise is defined to the patients by what your patients experience! Everything they experience in your practice. And, their experience is defined by their perceptions.
Whether you realize it or not, your practice makes a promise to the patients who come.
The promise may be stated or may be unstated.
I know, I know - you have a poignant ‘mission statement’ that evokes emotion in the reading of it. No matter - if the patient experience is different, your promise is that of their experience.
And you may have hired marketing consultants. Or marketing people - to create - well, marketing materials. Like websites, like brochures, like Facebook pages, like signage, and so on.
Yet - what exactly are you marketing?
Are you marketing what you want to market? Will your marketing show how your practice is totally stand-out and offering (and delivering) what no other practice is promising? (OR DELIVERING?)
What do you want your promise to be? Are you marketing that? Are you keeping that promise?
Ideally, your promise is one which expresses your positive passion and one which no business in dentistry actually delivers - except your practice!!
That’s what keeps your patients coming — because — you have provided them value that makes them happy, feel cared for, loved, and special, not to mention healthy!
Yet, look at how far from the ideal most businesses fall:
• A 2012 study published in Forrester Research found that customers reported their experiences as good or excellent only 37% of the time. That means 63% got a rating of “OK,” “poor,” or “very poor” from their customers.
• After an experience the customer/client experienced as poor, 89% of folks went to a competitor. Source: RightNow
• Would you believe that as many as 60% of people will pay more for a better customer experience? Source: Desk
• And the Genesys Report looked at the average annual value of each lost-to-a-competitor business relationship. Can you imagine what your lost income and joy is, because of the patients who have walked out your doors to go to another office, OR who have just given up on dental care?
• A 2009 study in China by Zhang and Pan showed that a non-financial measure, customer satisfaction, is significantly associated with contemporary and future financial performance. Furthermore, the enterprises with higher-level customer satisfaction enjoy higher profitability. Customer satisfaction is proven to have a direct relationship with financial success.So, making your patients happy makes you happy, too!
What else, after all, is your goal?
What is your promise? My passion and promise in my practice is love. Love and Orthodontics. Caring. Joy.
Whatever your passion is, make it your promise. Remember (as mentioned in my Oct. 16 blog "An EXCELLENT dental practice: What makes the difference?" ) your product in your business is your promise. The dentistry - excellent, outstanding dental orthodontic care - is the commodity you deliver.
That’s great. There are lots of capable, outstanding docs out there. But what makes you stand out? What is different? What is not available in other practices? Whatever it is, is your promise. Build your commodity — outstanding care — around your promise.
Now - market your promise. Some ideas: We market our promise of love and caring by loving and caring - Genuinely and exuberantly. Truly finding ways to express our love. Writing thank-you notes for every little gift or food a patient or parent brings to the office. (And they do!) Greeting every patient and parent as soon as we see them.
With the staff, we review our patients in the morning meeting to remind ourselves not only what orthodontic needs they have for this visit, and their payments status, but where they were going on vacation after the last visit, what special concerns they were having with their braces. We often walk into the room and for us girls, giving and getting a hug - with the mom, as well as with the patient.
Share recipes, share child raising, share laughs. If the parent is a dad, we find commonalities with him. Basketball (I went to dental school at the University of Kentucky, after all,) other sports (I grew up in Texas), travel, professions, and so much more.
Can you imagine? Relating, person-to-person costs nothing and brings us joy as we absorb the hugs and smiles and love returned to us. This is the parent’s, patient’s and our experience.
Market that.
And deliver on the promise!
Two hours later, Dr. T returned to see the patients who had waited that long, as well as the additional five patients who had arrived in the interim.
True story. I got it from his receptionist who was left trying to help the patients feel okay that they were waiting so long.
Another dentist I know of typically has patients scheduled for 11 a.m., but regularly arrives at his office at 1 or 2 p.m. to the waiting patients. One patient told the receptionist to call him when the doctor “gets there.” It was amazing this patient actually was willing to come back! (This doctor’s reputation as an elite, outstanding cosmetic practitioner will only go so far.)
Whether you realize it or not, your practice makes a promise to its patients. The promise will be derived from what the patients experience in your practice.
If they experience chaos and long waits, your presented promise is chaos and long waits. This is because that is what the patients experience.
The promise will help patients decide whether they want to be part of your practice - or not.
Remember, your promise is defined to the patients by what your patients experience! Everything they experience in your practice. And, their experience is defined by their perceptions.
Whether you realize it or not, your practice makes a promise to the patients who come.
The promise may be stated or may be unstated.
I know, I know - you have a poignant ‘mission statement’ that evokes emotion in the reading of it. No matter - if the patient experience is different, your promise is that of their experience.
And you may have hired marketing consultants. Or marketing people - to create - well, marketing materials. Like websites, like brochures, like Facebook pages, like signage, and so on.
Yet - what exactly are you marketing?
Are you marketing what you want to market? Will your marketing show how your practice is totally stand-out and offering (and delivering) what no other practice is promising? (OR DELIVERING?)
What do you want your promise to be? Are you marketing that? Are you keeping that promise?
Ideally, your promise is one which expresses your positive passion and one which no business in dentistry actually delivers - except your practice!!
That’s what keeps your patients coming — because — you have provided them value that makes them happy, feel cared for, loved, and special, not to mention healthy!
Yet, look at how far from the ideal most businesses fall:
• A 2012 study published in Forrester Research found that customers reported their experiences as good or excellent only 37% of the time. That means 63% got a rating of “OK,” “poor,” or “very poor” from their customers.
• After an experience the customer/client experienced as poor, 89% of folks went to a competitor. Source: RightNow
• Would you believe that as many as 60% of people will pay more for a better customer experience? Source: Desk
• And the Genesys Report looked at the average annual value of each lost-to-a-competitor business relationship. Can you imagine what your lost income and joy is, because of the patients who have walked out your doors to go to another office, OR who have just given up on dental care?
• A 2009 study in China by Zhang and Pan showed that a non-financial measure, customer satisfaction, is significantly associated with contemporary and future financial performance. Furthermore, the enterprises with higher-level customer satisfaction enjoy higher profitability. Customer satisfaction is proven to have a direct relationship with financial success.So, making your patients happy makes you happy, too!
What else, after all, is your goal?
What is your promise? My passion and promise in my practice is love. Love and Orthodontics. Caring. Joy.
Whatever your passion is, make it your promise. Remember (as mentioned in my Oct. 16 blog "An EXCELLENT dental practice: What makes the difference?" ) your product in your business is your promise. The dentistry - excellent, outstanding dental orthodontic care - is the commodity you deliver.
That’s great. There are lots of capable, outstanding docs out there. But what makes you stand out? What is different? What is not available in other practices? Whatever it is, is your promise. Build your commodity — outstanding care — around your promise.
Now - market your promise. Some ideas: We market our promise of love and caring by loving and caring - Genuinely and exuberantly. Truly finding ways to express our love. Writing thank-you notes for every little gift or food a patient or parent brings to the office. (And they do!) Greeting every patient and parent as soon as we see them.
With the staff, we review our patients in the morning meeting to remind ourselves not only what orthodontic needs they have for this visit, and their payments status, but where they were going on vacation after the last visit, what special concerns they were having with their braces. We often walk into the room and for us girls, giving and getting a hug - with the mom, as well as with the patient.
Share recipes, share child raising, share laughs. If the parent is a dad, we find commonalities with him. Basketball (I went to dental school at the University of Kentucky, after all,) other sports (I grew up in Texas), travel, professions, and so much more.
Can you imagine? Relating, person-to-person costs nothing and brings us joy as we absorb the hugs and smiles and love returned to us. This is the parent’s, patient’s and our experience.
Market that.
And deliver on the promise!
