Almost every business owner would agree – growth is essential. Without new customers, a business cannot grow.
Dr. Markov
As a private practice owner and pediatric dentist at VK Pediatric Dentistry in Arlington, Virginia, I am intimately aware of just how important and necessary new patients are. But with a dentist at every corner, I find myself asking what are people actually looking for when they pick their provider? Sure, some people are price driven. But others may be looking for something else.
I have many responsibilities at my office: I am responsible for the clinical care to provide the best quality care possible for my patients; I am responsible for my team to remain hardworking, happy, and always put the patient first; I am responsible for the customer service and experience that each person walking into the office receives. Although all of these can and should be constantly improved, I recently had an interaction that made me evaluate what we are doing for our overall experience.
A family I was seeing for routine care mentioned they had been to Disney World recently. The parents were shocked at the customer service provided not just for their children, but for the entire family. Although the trip was everything the kids could have asked for, the parents left thinking it was fun for everyone.
As many know, Disney basically wrote the book on customer service but it brings up an interesting point: Are we providing an experience for just the patient getting treatment or are we providing an experience for everyone that walks through our door? If it’s not the latter, it should be. Often our patients are satisfied with our great care but what about their spouses, their children, or anyone else accompanying them at their appointments?
It is a mindset change, but after I’ve established that my patients are comfortable, I try to make sure everyone else is as well. Whether it’s asking to hang their coat or providing iPads to play on for children who may be waiting, the small things can add up to a big difference in overall satisfaction.
In the words of Walt Disney: “My business is making people happy!” And it’s ours too.
Dr. Peter Markov is a pediatric dentist and owner at VK Pediatric Dentistry in Arlington, Virginia. He graduated dental school with honors from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and completed his residency in pediatric dentistry at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He is passionate about children’s oral health and children’s dentistry. When he is not practicing pediatric dentistry, you can find him out golfing in Northern Virginia, hiking in Mclean, and sightseeing the D.C. monuments and restaurants.
