In the top of the hour-glass is all the money you spend on branding, interior design, equipment and marketing.
In the neck of the hour-glass is your reception and front desk team.
In the bottom of the hour-glass is all the dentistry that you deliver and all the referrals you will ever get.
There are three classes of people who have to pass through the neck of the hour-glass:
- complete strangers
- existing patients
- word of mouth recommendations
The neck of the hour-glass is where you need your best communicators and your most robust brand standards and protocols.
I visited a practice recently in which the owner told me that he employed a “timid receptionist” – which I pointed out was an oxymoron.
If passing through the neck of your hour-glass is less than perfect, people will look elsewhere and all that investment will be lost.
Your reception and front desk have to be expert communicators, fearless advocates of your cause and ambassadors of your core values.
They must be your star players – your centre-forwards – your best of breed.
Marketers help you to attract people to your practice.
Customer service, sales and TCO trainers help you to keep people at your practice.
They cannot influence what happens in the neck of the hour-glass.
Are your reception and front desk team Champions League?
