Do's and don'ts for customer service

Patients will recommend your practice only when you provide them with a great experience. If the customer service is mediocre at best, patients won't have anything good to say about your practice to others. But by exceeding patients' expectations during interactions, you put your practice in the best position to generate word-of-mouth referrals.

Create more value during the patient experience. In uncertain times, patients look at every dollar they spend. Strive to exceed expectations during every patient interaction. Make sure your reception area is attractive, clean, and well maintained. Provide amenities such as water, coffee, and tea. It's amazing how much these seemingly little things affect the patient experience.

Don't forget to tailor services to each patient. Every patient has different needs, so you must avoid the cookie-cutter approach to patient care. Address all individual needs to create superior customer service.

Dr. Roger P. Levin is CEO of Levin Group, a leading practice management and marketing consulting firm. To contact him or to join the 40,000 dental professionals who receive his Practice Production Tip of the Day, visit LevinGroup.com or email [email protected].

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.