Dentistry is a very seasonal business. One day, you can have the bulk of people coming in, and the next day, you might face an empty clinic. Oral health is very important for well-being but unfortunately, it is something that not most people take seriously. Therefore, attracting new patients is a herculean task. In this case, how do you as a professional ensure you have a regular income?
There are several ways, like taking up freelancers in your free time, adding services to your existing practice, and so on. However, one of the easiest ways is to retain the existing patients! Patients are what keep your business running. But attracting new patients can be quite difficult with the immense competition in the market. But you can always increase patient loyalty!
Dental visits are not really a desirable experience. Patients are phobic of the environment of clinics and are very likely to experience discomfort. However, if you treat your patients exceptionally, respect them and connect with them on a personal level, they might actually look forward to their dental visits and be more frequent.
Retaining patients is much easier than getting new ones. You already have a well-framed rapport with the existing patients and that can simplify the treatment procedures. Additionally, your loyal patients through reviews and references can get you, new patients, too!
Here we have collated 7 strategies by which you can increase patient loyalty and enhance your dental business:
1] Listen
Showing your patients that you genuinely care is the easiest way to ensure patient loyalty. For this, you need to give an ear to all their complaints and expectations. If your patient comes to you criticizing your services, do not get offended or try to defend yourself; listen to them completely and assure them that you will look into the matter. Listening to your patients doesn’t imply solely listening; you need to keep a check on social media, research what potential patients are expecting, what are the recent advancements in your industry, and so on. Once you pay careful attention to the needs of your patients, you will undoubtedly increase customer loyalty. You can also directly ask them for feedback and work upon them.
2] Respond
Patients won’t take you seriously if you simply listen to them and leave it at that. Only when you act upon the requests of the patients will they believe your concern to be authentic. Respond politely to the expectations or complaints. Work on bringing about modifications that the patients desired. Even if you can’t actually make a huge difference, the patients will certainly notice the effort you are making, which will portray that you value their opinions. And, this will create a sense of reliability within them, which will lead to patient loyalty.
3] Give Discount or Offer Dental Membership Plans
Incentives are a great way to lure patients back to your service. Offer the patients discounts for regular check-ups or encourage them to get dental membership plans. Dental membership plans are not only beneficial to the patient but also to you as a professional. Patients will get a variety of services covered under membership plans and since they have an amount invested in membership plans, they are most likely to make full use of it; causing regular visits and increasing loyalty.
4] Think Like a Customer
If you put yourself in the shoes of the patients; you can have a better idea about how you should run your business. Think of yourself as a patient and analyze the things about your service that irk you. Once you are able to identify your shortcomings, you can easily work on them and bring about a positive change.
5] Provide Rock-solid Customer Service
Nothing beats a quality service. Train your employees to communicate efficiently with the patients such that it will engage them. Keep things simple. For instance, make arrangements such that patients face minimal to no inconvenience. Keep the appointment procedure easy and have your clinic furnished in a way that the setting of the clinic is comforting to the clients rather than anxiety-inducing.
6] Maintain Transparency
Never keep your patients in the dark. Keeping them informed is your duty and when you do so, you develop trust within them. Maintain transparency in all aspects whether it is billing, treatment, or functioning of your businesses. Keep your patients informed.
7] Educate Patients
Educated and informed patients are very easy to deal with. Satisfied patients will in high probability come back to you for further process. Many patients derive satisfaction from being informed and getting acquainted with their issues. Let your patients know of their condition and the course of action with the alternatives available. Help them understand how the problem could interrupt their lifestyle. This will help them recognize the severity thereby increasing their visits.
All in all, be aware of their needs and adhere to them. Show them you truly care. This can be done by following up, focusing on each patient, building a personal relationship, being empathetic, and so on. Remember! Comfort and quality treatment lead to satisfaction, which in turn, leads to retention. Also Read: Dental Instruments and their Functions
