The Initial Interview - a key to dental practice (and a restaurant's) success
Lynn D Carlisle DDS
How engaged are your patients during the recession? (See Gallup research at the end of the article.) The Initial Interview/New Person Experience is what sets a relationship-based dental practice (and restaurant) apart. It transforms the patient's, dentist's and team member's experience by engagement in and with your dental practice. It is especially valuable in the current recession. Here is a hidden gem from my restaurant experience on a recent trip.
I occasionally would take my team to local restaurants who excelled in customer service. Afterwards, I would ask them what they learned from this experience that we could apply in our practice. (An excellent team meeting exercise and topic.) Restaurants are truly where you are "served". But, being truly served in a restaurant is a rare experience - just as it is in a dental office. As I have mentioned before, road trips are one of my favorite things to do. Last fall, during a month long road trip back East, Kirsten and I ate at a restaurant near the Jersey shore in Holmdel, New Jersey. It was a chain restaurant - Houlihan's - and we had no expectation of being "served". It was just another night of eating out on the road. We were greeted at the door and were escorted to our table - pretty standard stuff. The waitress asked us if we had been to Houlihan's before - we said "no". Still pretty standard stuff. Then a manager, Michael Sharkey, came to our table and introduced himself and said the waitress had mentioned to him that it was our first visit to Houlihan's. He asked where we were from and what was important to us in a restaurant. We had a pleasant conversation about both. We shared that we were on a month long trip to "bag" the last three states in the lower 48 that we had not visited - North Dakota, Minnesota and Delaware. More conversation ensued We thought "aren't they nice". Then a little later another manager came to our table and in an informal way, she started talking about the vision and mission of Houlihan's. Then it dawned on me: "I'll be darned, they have systems in place for a "New Person Experience" for people who visit their restaurants! They are doing an Initial Interview with us!"
they have greeted us and remembered our names
they have found out what is important to us
they have started establishing a relationship with us
they have told us about the mission and philosophy of their restaurant
they have made us want to come back All in a relaxed informal way that engaged us and led us to ask questions about them and their restaurant. They were passionate missionaries for and stewards of their restaurant. After we had finished our meal, I asked our waitress to request that the second manager, Robin Scofield, come back to see us. She did and I interviewed her. I asked "You have systems in place to greet new people to your restaurant don't you"? She grinned and said "Yes, how did you know?" I explained that I did a very similar thing in my dental practice. She was impressed and shared more about how they train their waiters and waitresses to serve their customers. How their restaurant group's mission was to truly serve their customers. I asked her how they were weathering the recession and she said "We are doing well, we have some very loyal customers. (See Gallup research below) We have not reduced our staff and continue to have two managers on duty during our busy times". I asked if all Houlihan's restaurants had similar systems in place. She answered that she didn't know, but her restaurant group of 18 in New Jersey and New York did. She said: "I am passionate about my work and how we engage our customers. It totally changes the way I view my work. I know our regulars by name and be sure to make their experience the best." So if you are in the Jersey shore area, go by the Houlihan's restaurant in Holmdel and experience a wonderful "New Person Experience" in action. Say hello to Robin for me. If you are not in the Jersey shore area, take your team to local or regional restaurants that excel in service and see what you can learn about service for your dental practice. (And have great meals)
Gallup research supports the importance of engaging clients or customers:
A key finding of the survey results -- one supported by years of similar research into customer service -- is the importance that survey respondents place on the customer experience: Customer experience is the reason they shop where they do. Retailers' most effective strategy for fending off competitors is focusing on creating an emotionally engaging experience for their customers. Read the complete Gallup article including "Six Tactics for Engaging Customers" and "How engaged are your customers?".
Waging the War for Shoppers' Wallets
To order an in depth e-book on the Initial Interview/co-diagnosis process and engaging patients go to:
Revised and Updated: Transform your exams - the co-diagnosis process by Lynn Carlisle DDS
More on road trips, excellent restaurants and hotels: ISOC takes a road trip. The Carlisle chronicles; Chapter 2
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I sent this article to Robin and she reported "I am just about to leave Holmdel for a brief period. I promise I will be back, but we are expecting a baby girl in the next few weeks!"
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