iDentistry The Journal identistry_jan_april2019 | Page 19

The Journal
A dissatisfied patient has been known to pull off
nine or more patients (as per studies). Some
health care managers treat the same as a high-
risk, high-reward case, but logically speaking,
there are no major risks at all in this. You just
have to do your job with full zeal and aplomb
and let the system work its course. High patient
satisfaction does pulls in new patients, courtesy
the value of ‘tongue’ (word of mouth). It may be
called old-fashioned and obsolete but as a
marketing strategy, word-of-mouth still triumphs
much more efficiently over other jazzy, costly
ways and means of advertising, promotion and
marketing tactics. The psychology behind this, if
put in one line is “Sharing your experiences”.
Your most unhappy customers are your
greatest source of learning.
~ Bill Gates
25. Earn more by giving that extra zing in
patient care: Various surveys have exemplified
that patients are always willing to pay more to
get treated from the dentist of their choice.
According to the various patient satisfaction
surveys, health care practices with high patient
loyalty can command a higher price for their
superior services without losing profit or market
share. In other words, greater patient
satisfaction lends dentists, the ability to charge
higher prices for the same services as fellow
colleagues are offering for low. The reason lies
in providing that extra zing in patient care which
you can achieve by patient satisfaction. There is
also that sensitive issue of flaunting high OPD’s
amongst friends and colleagues. Treating
quality over quantity always takes precedence
in my purview. A dentist has a very short shelf
life to earn money because his neck and back
are always at a risk. So, I think it is always better
to treat less (in number) by charging more so
that your neck and back bear less of
stresses.This aspect has many facets and so
many hidden benefits too.The more
personalized and comprehensive care you give
to your patient, the more satisfied your patient
would be and less traumatized your body will
19
be. This reinvigorates the dentist giving him
further zeal and motivation to delve deeper into
the patient psyche understanding him more and
delivering beyond his ways and means. The
number of quality patients goes on increasing
who can afford you and your services and it
automatically filters out the less important ones
or say limits the quantity automatically. The
dentist motivation levels increase to keep the
existing ones happier so that they don’t keep
coming back for the same issue again and
again because that extra time along with
detailing helps the dentist to always treat better
and charge more willfully.
We make a living by what we get but what we
make a life by what we give
~Winston Churchill
Discussion
To be successful in our practice via marketing;
internal or external, we ought to have a firm
marketing plan which must address the below 6
key points:
1. Objective/ Goal: What are you trying to
accomplish?
2. Your Target (Patients in our case): Who are
you trying to reach?
3. Strategy: How will you progress to achieve
your goal?
4. Tactics: What special activities you are going
to invest in?
5. Timeline: Till when will you achieve your
goal?
6. Budget: How much are you going to spend?
Unless we have answers to these 6 key
questions, we really can’t expect any project to
finish profitably.
Vol. 15
No. 1
Jan-April 2019