Part of my job is to comment on what I see.
 
Here is what I see:

• small to medium-sized treatment plans being postponed due to cash flow issues
• maintenance and hygiene books getting gappy again
• continued strong sales of cosmetic ortho, implants and denture stabilisation
• patients keeping their disposable income in their pockets
• patients still investing capital in dentistry

 
Here is what I think:

• folks are still getting back up to speed after the Jubilee celebrations
• and now they are watching Euro 2012
• and getting ready for Wimbledon, The Open, The Olympics, other sporting events, open-air rock and classics concerts
• and their own bbqs, summer holidays, weddings, other family events

 
Here is what to do:

• sell what’s selling
• ramp up your recall systems
• make sure your telephony and front desk are “on it” with answers to FAQs
• review every new patient yourself – don’t farm them out to associates
• offer an incentive to your hygiene/therapy team for internal referrals
• double your marketing activity (but in the right areas)
• triple your efforts on word of mouth referrals
• network like hell
• be prepared to reduce expenses quickly
• watch the numbers like a hawk

 
I suspect we are all going to have to work very hard until September to keep things going at the right pace.
 
That Jubilee weekend has sent SME’s into a tough summer.