Patient compliance signs. A radical approach:

I don’t know about you, but when I walk into the physician’s
office, I can’t believe the posted signs at the front desk:

“Payment is expected when services are performed.”

“You must update your insurance information at each visit.”

“Cell phones must be turned of in the exam area.”

Etc. etc.

You need a rulebook to go to the doctor.

Why not be a different kind of dental office and take an
unexpected and fun approach to these every day issues:

Tear all the signs
down…NOW!

Put one new sign up periodically for fun. Signs like these:

"HIPPA Notice:
We can’t tell anyone that you’re here, but you can! Make sure to check into our office on Facebook right now and let all your friends know you go to the best dentist in town!”

"Payment Policy: You no longer have to pay for treatment at the time of your visit! Make sure to ask us about convenient payment options that will put a smile on your face.”

"Cell Phone Policy: We value your time. Keep your phone ON and feel free
to text and e-mail while you wait. If you are one of the few who still talks on the phone, make sure to put it on speaker! We’d like to invite your friends to come see us too!”

Remember: If people like themselves better when they are in your office, they will want to repeat and refer. Don’t be the traditional, stuffy, stodgy, no-fun-to-be-with health professional. Put a smile on your patient's face and they will tell everyone about you.

A Habit for 2012 Success

I spent some time this week with a group of dental students from all over the world at the Alpha Omega International Dental Convention. We discussed the Common Denominator of Success - the things that make dentists and professionals in general successful.

Among the many factors that create the Common Denominator of Success is habit. One of those habits is setting and reaching goals. For over 20 years, I have asked 4 basic questions that are the standard for staying on track with goals. Ask yourself how closely you adhere to these 4 questions:

1. Do you have goals?

2. Are your goals written down?

3. Do you review your goals every day?

4. Do you keep them with you or have them in a place where you can see them every day?

There is some magic in being able to answer all of those questions with a “yes.”

Several years ago I was speaking at the gathering of three high schools in New Braunfels, Texas when I asked all of those 4 questions to the graduating seniors. There was only one student who was able to answer all four questions with a “yes.” Upon further inquiry, he shared that his father had taught him this goal setting system when he was in middle school. As a result, he set his sights high and was able to take state in track and get a full ride scholarship to the university of his choice. There are more stories like that than I could ever have time to write.

There is some magic in making a decision and sticking with it until it has been accomplished. The biggest step is the first step -- decide and then write it down.

Have a Happy New Year as you decide, write, review and accomplish in 2012.

Who is your competition...REALLY???

It is a question I ask groups nearly every week. Who is your competition? If you are in dentistry for example, you might make the mistake of saying that your competition is the dentist down the street. That kind of thinking might be seriously limiting your success.

Think about it:

· Over 50% of the people in any market do not go to the dentist on a regular basis.

· 80% of the population has some type of periodontal disease.

· You’re not everybody’s “cup of tea.” Not everyone is going to like your personal style or your way of doing business. They will go somewhere else. That is the bad news. The good news is that other people are not going to like the dentist down the street and would rather come to you.

“Competition” in a healthy sense of the word may be the best thing that can happen to any business for several reasons:

· To one extent, the more competitors there are, the more educated the market becomes and the more likely more people are to buy.

· Healthy “competition” creates the opportunity to differentiate and tailor your service to a more specific clientele that will be more satisfied because you are more closely serving their needs.

· “Competition” makes everybody better because you have to stay on top of your game to stay relevant.

I have always thought how much better dentistry would be if dentists, especially in the same market, were willing to share their clinical data. If they would compare and help each other improve clinically, the entire market would benefit as well as the patients in it. Besides, patients rarely make the decision about their dentist based on clinical quality. Unfortunately, they are not very good judges of clinical quality of care. Quality is the moral and ethical responsibility of the dentist.

So think of the vast untapped market of patients that are waiting to be served. In most markets, there is plenty to go around for everyone if you are properly positioned and move forward with a defined purpose instead of being threatened by the “competition.”

Secrets of Being a Mentor

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." Ralph Waldo Emerson

There is no such thing as a “self-made” man or woman. We are all the product of the people we have met, the books we have read, and the mentors from whom we have learned. Sharing what we have learned with others is one of the responsibilities of the learned. Once you possess, it is in the giving away that you gain even more.

In Latin, “qui docet dicit” means, “who teaches, learns.” In other words, the best way to learn more is to teach and share what you already know. Thus comes the wisdom and benefit of mentoring others.

Here are some tips for being a good mentor, no matter your age:

Be open. Look for those who are looking. There are sincere seekers of truth everywhere. Be aware of them. Watch for the look on their face. Be on the lookout for their questions. Be receptive to their inquiries.

Be interested. Find out what the other person’s hopes and dreams are. Find out the direction he or she has identified. The most valuable learning takes place when it is relevant to the situation of the student. Find out what matters most to him or her.

ASK. We are generally more convinced by the things we have discovered on our own than by the things pointed out to us by others. It is in the asking that others discover. Ask questions like, “Have you ever considered…? What would happen if…? ”Would it make sense if…? Have you ever heard of…?” Questions are the key that opens the mind.

Share, don’t advise. The best mentors share the wealth of their experience and what they have learned from it. They never, however, advise the other person what to do. That is for the mentored to decide. No one knows the exact situation that exists better than the person in it. Give that person the best of your wisdom. Then leave the personal responsibility to decide how it applies to the mentored. Besides, you don’t want the responsibility for their actions anyway!

Be clear about your preferred method of communication. If someone is sincerely seeking your help, be clear on the best way to reach you. Phone, e-mail, text, etc. Don’t leave the person wondering the most appropriate way to reach you next.

Be prepared to learn a few things yourself! You can’t share without learning something from the person with whom you are sharing. Each year at our LEAP program for high school and college students (www.LEAPfoundation.com) we hold a Mentor Round Table session where top professionals from different fields come in to be interviewed by the students. The students sit one-on-one with the mentors and can asking them anything they want in order to learn more about their profession, their success and how they accomplished it. Last summer we had as one of our mentors, the most successful residential real estate agent from one of the wealthiest areas of the country. The Mentor Round Table was a transformative experience for him. As the students interviewed him, one student in particular was inquisitive and bold. The student asked, “So where do you go from here? You are very successful at a very young age. What’s next? Is this it?” What that student did not know is that this particular mentor had been pursued by one of the largest brokerage firms in the country that was offering him the chance to lead their office in his city. It was a significant advancement in his career, but he had been putting it off for a reason he could not identify except that he was comfortable where he was. The pointed questions asked by this student pushed him over the edge. After the Mentor Round Table session, he drove back to his office, signed the offer and faxed it back to the company. He was on his way to the next step in his own career. He thought he was going to share and help young students that day. In turn, he learned something about himself that inspired him onto the next level in his own career.

You can’t help others without helping yourself. Make mentoring a more integral part of your life. You’ll be amazed at the difference it will make in the lives of others. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes in your own life!

Managing Expectations

It is Friday night. You and that special person in your life have decided that it has been way too long since you treated yourselves to a nice dinner out. You have a favorite restaurant that you have not been to in years. As you drive up, you realize that the parking lot is packed. You manage to find a parking place near the back of the parking lot, quite a distance from the front door. After you walk by the line of people waiting to be seated, you ask the question that has been on your mind from the moment you saw the crowded parking lot: “How long is the wait?”

The first response from the hostess will ultimately determine your ENTIRE experience in that restaurant for the evening. If she says 30 minutes and you end up only having to wait 25, she is a hero. You are pleasantly surprised. She has exceeded your expectations. Conversely, if she says 20 minutes, you are pleasantly surprised at first. But your pleasure soon turns to disappointment when you have not been seated after 30 min. You have to go up and ask her again and again. When you are seated after 45 minutes, you are saying to each other, “If we had known it was going to be this long, we would have gone somewhere else.” Your server is now going to spend the next ninety minutes trying to overcome your initial bad experience. You may never recover!

Managing expectations may be the most important responsibility that a hostess has. It paints the entire dining experience from the very beginning. It could determine whether the dining guest returns and refers. It is one of the most important first impressions. Keep in mind, it is not the wait time that matters, it is your perception of the wait time.

Contrast a skilled hostess at a fine restaurant who knows how to manage expectations to my experience with one of our local orthopedic surgeons. One of our daughters suffered from several fractured vertebrae last fall as a result of her intense workouts on the high school swim team. On one occasion, we checked into the immense waiting room at the surgeon’s office. After 45 minutes, our daughter started to get restless and said that she really needed to get back home to study for her exams the next day. I went to the receptionist and asked how much longer it would be. She said she would check. Fifteen more minutes with no response, I returned to the front desk and inquired again. A nurse soon came out and reprimanded me by saying that they had no idea how long it would be and that we would just have to wait. “She (the doctor) is an orthopedic surgeon and that is just the way it is. If you want to see her, you’ll just have to wait until she can get to you.” It was almost as if she was telling us that we should feel honored to be in the doctor’s presence. Somehow she had forgotten, or was not aware, of the dozens of choices we have of orthopedic surgeons within five miles of their office. By the time we finally saw the doctor after nearly two hours of waiting, our expectations were so shattered that we could hardly hear anything the doctor said.

Managing expectations is one of the clear points of differentiation between surgeons who get sued and those who don’t. Surgeons who don’t get sued are very good about using “orienting comments” to always manage patients’ expectations. They say things like, “The first thing we are going to do is review your x-rays and MRI results. Then we will do an exam and talk about your treatment options.” In other words, they are good at looking ahead and letting the patient know what he or she can expect next from the experience. That simple information has the power to transform the experience into a positive one.

Every day, in every business, managing expectations is one of the keys to a “yes.” Even if the experience is going to be less that what I originally expected, the use of orienting comments can keep my perceptions positive.

For example, imagine how I felt the other day when I received a phone call about 45 minutes before my scheduled dental appointment. Desiree, the appointment coordinator, greeted me and said, “Mr. Anderson, we have had a patient that needed a little extra care this morning so we are running a little behind. We are going to be able to get started with you about 30 minutes after your scheduled appointment time. Do you have some errands you need to run on your way to our office? We respect your time and want to make sure this works for you. We should be able to have you seated at 1:30 and have you out by 2:30 PM. How does that work for you?”

First, the disappointment of not being seen on time is overshadowed by the advance notice and the demonstration of respect for my time. Managing my expectations results in my being even more enthusiastic about my choice of a dental office. I’m going to tell everyone!

Managing expectations on the front end is just the start of using orienting comments. Their use is important throughout the entire client experience. Even though you go through the same routine with every patient every day, the patient has not had that experience. Let them know what they can expect. The motto in the office should NOT be “no unpleasant surprises.” It should be “No Surprises” at all. If the patient knows what to expect every step along the way, he or she will be more satisfied and more inclined to repeat and refer.

Every day, with every client, customer, patient or whatever you call the people with whom you do business, ask yourself in advance, “What is this person most likely expecting?” How can I manage those expectations to make sure he or she has a positive experience? That one skill may be the only difference between an enthusiastic client who repeats and refers and the person who never returns.

Make it Easy

Here is a simple leadership truth to live by:

Make it easy for people to do what you want them to

do and

hard for them to do what you don’t what them to do.

That simple truth can be applied to just about every area of practice and life and when you abide by it, it will make everything so much easier for you.

The best illustration of this is in setting up the systems in your practice to make it easy for patients to keep their commitments and hard for them to no show or cancel.

Here are just a few examples:

1. Separate the time of payment from the time of service so patients don’t get the “financial flu” on the day of treatment. (Easier to show up on the day of treatment.)

2. Change the message on your appointment card to emphasize their commitment to you and the appointment time instead of “inviting” them to cancel 24 hours in advance. (Easier to keep their commitment. See: “The Best Cancellation Policy.”)

3. And change your after-hours phone message to say: “If you have a dental emergency or a conflict with your scheduled appointment, please call the doctor at 777-7777. This system is not monitored for scheduling changes.” (Hard to cancel an appointment.)

There are many more specific applications in the area of cancellations, but let’s take a look at other areas of the practice where you can make it easier for patients do to what you want them to do and hard to do what you don’t want them to do.

Sometimes it is as simple as making small changes in the way you present things:

1. Instead of giving someone a “chance” to do something, give them a “choice” to do one of two things, either one of which would work just fine for you. For example, instead of saying, “Can you come in on Monday?” Ask would Monday at 10 AM or 2 PM be more convenient for you? Or instead of asking them “if” they want fluoride treatment, ask, “Would you like mint or grape flavored fluoride today?”

2. Make it easy to say “yes” with a clear plan of action. Instead of presenting multiple options with the pros and cons of each that will only give the person too many things to think about and weigh in their mind, you can say instead, “Can I share with you what I would do if this were my mouth that would be the best course of action based on what you said you wanted?”

3. Instead of making a request, ask for a commitment. Instead of the hygienist making a request when doing the homecare demonstration by saying “It is important to brush and floss every day,” the hygienist can ask for a commitment by asking, “Will you bush and floss every day?”

Finally, make it easy for the team to do what they ought to do and hard to do what they shouldn’t do.

1. Instead of having to go through the office rounding everyone up to come to the morning meeting, set an alarm clock for 3 minutes before the start of the meeting in a place that will be heard all over the office. Then everyone knows they have 3 minutes to get to the meeting and you don’t have to hound everyone. Plus, you will start on time.

2. Want the bathrooms in your office to be spotless throughout the day? Create the same chart log that many restaurants and airports use that is signed with the time by the person who cleaned and tidied up the bathroom last and then give a small reward each week to the team member whose name appears the most on the log. (The log does not have to be posted in the bathroom.)

3. Do you want every team member to come to the morning meeting with a more positive attitude with which to start each day? Make the first item on your morning meeting agenda “The best thing that happened in our office yesterday,” and let everyone know that they may be called on to share at any given day. That way, everyone will be thinking of the good things that happened yesterday as they drive to work each day.

If there is anything that you are trying to make work better, patients that you would like to be more cooperative, or a frustration with something or someone, just remember, “Make it easy for people to do what you want them to do and hard for them to do what you don’t what them to do.” It is a simple formula for success.

Make sure to join us for an upcoming special webinar with dozens of ways to make it easier for your patients to say “yes” on Tuesday, April 5 at Noon Central. It is FREE to all Crown Council member offices. For more information and registration, just e-mail us at Answers@TotalPatientService.com.

Dealing with the DIFFICULT Patient

Challenge
Years ago we had a bookkeeper that was “difficult.” (Or so I thought.) It seemed like every time I presented any type of idea to her, she found multiple reasons why it would not work or why it was not a good idea. For example, one day I was talking with her and suggested that it was probably time to hire another team member in the accounting department because we were growing and the amount of work was expanding. She immediately responded that she was too busy already and had no time to train and manage yet another person. It would be easier to just do the work herself. That is how it went with just about every conversation we had.

All of us have had at least one fellow team member or multiple patients like this. It seems like no matter what we say, they take the opposing point of view to the extent that we label them as being “negative.” If it is a patient, it is the one that no matter the treatment plan, he or she comes up with multiple concerns including why the timing is not right and why the treatment won’t work because…

The truth is that these “negative” people are not negative at all. They are just “wired” differently.

Everyone “sorts” or organizes information differently. Some people “sort” information by “likes” and some by “difference.” Those who sort by “likes” organize things by how they are “like” other things. If you give them an idea, they immediately think of all of the other things they can think of that are similar or “like” it.

Those or sort by “differences” or opposites immediately think of how things are opposite or different from what they are hearing. If you give them an idea, they immediately think of how it is different from what they know to work. For example, you suggest a new marketing idea to the team. An opposite sorting team member will immediately share the challenges and difficulties with this idea by saying things like, “that won’t work because…, I used to work in a practice that tried that and it did not work, the office down the street tried that and it was a disaster!” Having an opposite sorter in the room when you are working on new ideas presents some challenges! Presenting treatment to an opposite sorter is tough as well unless you know how.

Solution
After several years of working with the bookkeeper on our team, I realized that she was an opposite sorter. (It takes me awhile sometimes!) As soon as I came to that realization, I immediately changed my approach. I went into her office the next day and said, “I was thinking yesterday and had this crazy idea. In fact, it is so crazy, I am sure it won’t work.” She asked what the idea was. I said that that I did not want to waste her time with useless ideas that would not work, but I was thinking that adding another team member in the accounting department might lighten the load for everyone and help us be more responsive to our customers. I concluded by saying that it would probably take too much time to train and manage a new person so it would not be feasible. With that, I turned and started walking out of her office. But she would not let me leave. “Wait a minute,” she said. And then she started listing all of the reasons why it was a good idea and how we could make it work!

Because she is wired to think of opposites, she immediately took the opposing side. That is how she thinks. And it is good that she does. As an accountant, she spends her days analyzing and making sure there are no numbers out of place. If she sorted by likes, there would probably be multiple accounting errors every day.

Let’s go to the treatment room. You suspect that you have a patient in the chair that sorts by opposites. Nothing you say seems to connect. He or she takes the opposite point of view on everything you present. To make progress, just agree by saying, “You may be right! This may not work for you.” Then start listing all the reasons why it may not work. If the person is a true opposite sorter, he or she will immediately jump to the other side and start talking about how it will work!

Caution
There are few people who are “pure” opposite or sameness sorters. Most have a mixture of both so proceed with caution. But the next time you find yourself frustrated with what you previously thought was a “negative” person, remember that he or she may be sorting the information received differently than you are. The moment you take the correct approach, you may find that the “difficult” person is not difficult at all! He or she just thinks “differently” than you do!

Four Magic Words

February 14, 2011 marks the 105^th birthday of my grandmother “Nana.” While she passed away in the mid 80’s she has been a positive lasting influence in my life. She was and continues to be one of my favorite people.

Here’s why…

As a young man in my early teens, I would ride my bicycle over the Nana’s house about a mile and a half away and spend an afternoon or morning each week mowing her lawn, pulling her weeds and sprucing up the place. Nana had severe arthritis that made it difficult for her to move around much. She was always so grateful for the help and let me know by always having a big plate of cookies and milk waiting for me at her kitchen table when I finished. We would sit together as I ate the cookies and talk about anything: politics, school, sports, or the news. She was a great conversationalist, as the years in age that separated us seemed to evaporate away in the conversation. Before I left, it seemed she would always ask for some help with what were simple tasks to me, but difficult for her like opening a bottle or reaching a box on a shelf. I walked out of Nana’s house an inch or two taller for having been with her.

On Memorial Day as a freshman in high school, the phone rang and my dad hurriedly drove over to her house. He tenderly carried her out of the house in his arms as only a son can that loves and respects his mother and rushed her to the hospital. In just a few short days, she was gone. Days later after I helped carry her casket out of the church at the conclusion of the funeral services and helped place it in the hearse, I stood next to my dad and started to cry. I’ll never forget what he said in that moment. He put his arm around me and said, “It’s OK to cry.” In that moment I realized that I didn’t just miss my grandmother, I missed my friend.

In the years since, I have reflected back on that relationship and wondered, how did an 80+ year-old woman capture the heart of a teenage boy? One of the critical ingredients was simply this: She allowed me to help her. We like the people we help. In fact, a Natural Law states “People like you better when they are helping you than when you are helping them.” Think about it, when someone asks for your help, it is a subtle compliment. They think enough of you and what you have to offer, that they invite you into their life to add something that they can’t do themselves. It is a sign of humility and vulnerability that compels us to like the person we are helping just a little bit more.

The story is told of how Benjamin Franklin befriended a political adversary. Because Franklin knew that the man had an extensive personal library, he sent him a note asking if he could borrow a certain book Franklin was certain that he had. He happily agreed and eagerly cooperated. From that day forward, the relationship changed. The man became more affable toward Ben. They seemed to agree more than disagree all because Ben did one of the most powerful things a person can do…he asked for help.

I love to watch young children because they provide insight into the deep seeded human psychology! Notice, for example, how the face of a child brightens when asked “Would you like to help?” It is a compliment. It is an expression of the value you place on their worth as a person and what they have to offer. It is hard not to like the people who ask us for our help.

So, whether you are working to build a better relationship with a fellow team member, client, family member, or your kids, four of the most powerful words you can utter are “I need your help” or “Could you help me?” The effect is powerful. The impact? Long-lasting.

So, could I have your help as you read this? Go ask someone for his or her help. You’ll be amazed at the response and what it adds to your relationship.

The Law of Integrity and how it applies to YOU

If you have been in any of our seminars or presentations you know that I am a student of natural laws of nature and human behavior.

One of my favorites is the Law of Integrity that states: we want to be consistent with who we say we are. For example, if you have made a commitment to be somewhere for a friend and told your friend that you will be there, something inside of most people pulls them very hard in the direction of fulfilling that commitment. Similarly, if I have proclaimed that I am affiliated with a certain political party, I will have a tendency to act in ways that are consistent with how people of that persuasion are supposed to act. The Law of Integrity also has far-reaching implications in how you interact with your clients as well as how you interact with yourself.

Here’s the powerful, personal application…

Any student of success knows that a fundamental requirement of success is to make sure that your goals are written down. That is well known. What is not so well known is why. Enter the Law of Integrity. Think about it. When you write something down like a goal, you are making a proclamation that you are or are going to be a certain way or do a certain thing. The moment it goes down in writing, the Law of Integrity kicks in and goes to work bringing your actions in harmony with the commitment. Does it happen over night or in an instant? No. It takes time, but the accumulation of small and large acts alike over a period of time creates results. Those results are going to closely match the written statement of your goals if they are kept in focus over the long run.

So if you are really serious about a future outcome, put the Law of Integrity to work by writing down your goal. Review it every day. Then, while you go to work, the power of the Law of Integrity will be at work for you, quietly guiding your thoughts and actions to bring you closer to your goal.

Common or Uncommon Problems

One of the core values of the ToPS Institute and the Crown Council is the value of mentors and the idea that it is better to “copy genius than it is to create mediocrity.”

To that end, each year I go on a quest for new mentors and new ideas. One of the most fertile grounds is outside dentistry where I find things that are working that would apply well to another situation.

My first idea/mentor quest of the year took me to Las Vegas, NV where I had the unique opportunity to sit down one-on-one with the CEO’s of three of the top hotels on the strip. Not only are these guys hard to corral, even when you do, it is hard to get them to open up. But open up they did. The things they shared could fill volumes, but there is one concept that really struck home that is immediately implementable by any leader of any business TODAY!

Here it is…

Imagine your leadership responsibility being that of heading a multi-million dollar enterprise that combines alcohol, gambling, and some other of most lethal sins of man. (I don’t think I need to explain in more detail!) Managing the every-day crisis and disasters would take up one’s full time as well as one’s capacity to handle stress.

In pressing these CEO’s for details, the CEO of the one of the most prestigious properties on the strip simply said that the multitude of situations that have to be handled each day are unimaginable to most people. Each day is packed with tough calls and challenges. All of them have to do with people. But it is just part of the job. It comes with the territory. He said that every day he gets up knowing that he is going to have to deal with some of the most bizarre people problems on the plant. So early on, he set up the management systems to handle the typical, every day variety problems. We will call them “common” problems. With systems and qualified associates in place to handle common problems, it frees him up to deal with only the “uncommon” problems that require a higher level of sophistication and judgment. It is a common sense management idea that is uncommonly practiced by most.

So what are your most common, every-day patient and team member problems? Do you have a system and the people in place to deal with these “common” problems or are you having to deal with every problem in your office like it has come along for the first time; like it is a “special problem.” If your leadership style is one that meets every problem that comes along like it is an “uncommon” problem, then you are worn out, burned out, and fed up. Living each day by dealing with EVERY problem like it is unique and different will wear out even the most gifted leader.

Here is a list of “common” problems for which a system should be designed and a person assigned in the office to deal with it:

• Patient requests for a discount.
• Patients who show up late or no-show.
• Patients who don’t pay.
• Lab work that is not back for an upcoming patient.
• Broken equipment or equipment that needs repair.
• Quantity of supplies to order.
• Patients who complain that their insurance did not pay, etc.

Now you add to the list…

With the “common” and “uncommon” problem idea in mind, remember that sometimes the most alarming patient problems can be solved with a little personal attention from the doctor. Some patients just want an audience from the “boss.” They want to feel special. Others just want their problem solved.

So make your list of common and uncommon problems today. The common problems are easy to identify because you deal with them so frequently. That’s when you need to get to work on the solution and the system for handling that problem easily in the future.

Make your leadership role more enjoyable. Find common solutions to common problems and delegate the solution so you only have to deal with the “uncommon” problems that only come a long every once-in-a while. That’s your job as the leader. That’s the way to run a responsible business that works for you instead of you having to work for it all the time.

Natural Law of Cooperation

Life is full of what I call natural laws. The natural laws of human behavior are similar to natural laws in physics and nature. Gravity for example, is a natural law. What goes up must come down. In life, if you attempt to violate a natural law, there are consequences. You don’t break the natural law. It breaks you. The same applies with natural laws of human behavior.

So here is a critically important natural law of human behavior. It is what I call the Law of Cooperation. It says that someone needs to be the partner with whom that patient can work to get what he or she wants. In other words, someone needs to cooperate with the patient to be on his or her side to help facilitate a solution to whatever the problem or desire might be.

Sounds simple, right? WRONG!

Too often, there are huge barriers that stand in the way of abiding by the Law of Cooperation. Here are just a few:

Obstacles:

• Thinking that it is all about the teeth. It is easy to get trapped into thinking that dentistry is about teeth! No so. What patients want is a solution to their total problems, not just their dental problems.

• Lack of listening: Do you really hear what your patients are saying? Or do you just cut to the chase to go after whatever the diagnosis indicates that the patient “needs?” Remember, we all do what we want to do, but not necessarily what we need to do.

• TELLING instead of ASKING. Telling the patients what we have to offer instead of first asking them what they are looking for only leads to frustration and low acceptance.

The True Test:
If you want to know if you are abiding by the Law of Compensation, just ask yourself, “Am I helping the patient get what he wants, or am I just trying to get him to do what I want him to do.”

Cooperation starts with mutual understanding. If you literally feel like you are sitting on the same side of the table with your patient helping her get what she wants, they you are abiding by the Law of Cooperation.

For the most up-to-date skills to help every team member achieve the highest level of case acceptance, make the “Total Immersion” course by the Total Patient Service Institute part of your 2011 continuing education plan. For dates and locations, go to www.TotalPatientService.com

VIP Service?

Question: How do you know if you are really providing “V.I.P. Service” to your patients?

Having concluded our ToPS Total Immersion course in Las Vegas last week, we were checking out of one of the big name hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. This place is so big that it has three registration and checkout areas in three different parts of the hotel for guest convenience.

Over the several days that we were there, I noticed that the “front desk” and taxi stand on one side of the building was less busy than at the front of the hotel. So I strategically planned our escape when were ready to checkout and get to the airport. We naturally went where we would not have to stand in line and wait. And we were right! There was no line at the taxi stand. The only problem was, there were no taxis either! (And no hotel employee to seen anywhere.) We waited for a few minutes. No taxi and no bellman.

I ran inside the hotel and into the place I was sure could solve my taxi problem. “V.I.P. Services.” After all, these are the guys and gals who know how to jump to attention and make it happen for the hotel’s high rollers, right? I told them the situation and asked if they could call a cab. “There are cabs out there,” they said. I pointed outside through the window so they could see for themselves. “Just ask the bellman,” they said. “There is no bellman,” I explained for the second time. “Then you’ll just have to walk to the front of the hotel to get a cab,” was their solution. (That’s quite the hike mind you.) Keeping my cool, I asked if there were any way they could pick up the phone, call the bell desk at the front of the hotel and tell them that a cab was needed at the taxi stand on the other side of the hotel. “Oh, yes! I guess we could do that,” they responded.

Answer: If your customer is the one making suggestions as to how you can provide V.I.P. Service, you’re not providing it!

Providing “V.I.P. Service” is about thinking on your feet. It’s about coming up with a way to solve the other person’s problem without being told. It’s about being a little creative. It’s about taking initiative.

Over one hundred years ago, author Elbert Hubbard defined “initiative” as “doing the right thing without being told.” Providing the right kind of V.I.P. Service requires initiative.

So what initiative would you take in these every day situations that are opportunities to provide V.I.P. Service?

· An “emergency” patient calls and there are no openings in the schedule today.

· A patient really wants to start treatment, but doesn’t have all the money and doesn’t qualify for third party financing.

· A busy mom just can’t seem to remember the appointments she sets in your office.

· You have a patient scheduled in one hour for whitening and you just discovered you have no whitening kits left in the office.

Every day presents opportunities to use your initiative to provide “V.I.P. Service.” It all starts with simply asking yourself, “how can I make this work right now.” That’s the kind of thinking that every office could use more of every day. It’s the kind of thinking that makes “ordinary” patients feel like V.I.P. patients who will tell everyone they know about you as a result.

Too many options?

A quick visit to the pharmacy this week turned into a major problem. Cheryl, my wife, needed some cough drops. Her brand of choice? Ricola. Easy enough, right? Wrong. When I found the display, I was immediately distraught. There were multiple options to choose from: Original, Cherry, Lemon, Honey, Green Tea, Mixed Berry, and then many of the same flavors in sugar free, menthol, and Echinacea. Good grief! I thought this was going to be easy. Not wanting to disappoint Cheryl, I immediately called her to go through all the options: flavor, sugar or sugar free, menthol or not, Echinacea or not. “Forget it,” she said. “Just get me some Dayquil!”

And such is life. Sorting through too many options creates too much stress so we opt for the less stressful route – no decision at all!

Now let’s step back into the dental office. How many treatment options are you giving your patients? One, two, three…five?

In an effort to try and find something that will work for the patient, many make the mistake of presenting too many options. Science has proven that the greater number of options we have to choose from, the less of a chance we have of making any type of decision. It is too confusing. It takes too much effort. It is too stressful. Since we are all susceptible to natural laws, we revert to the natural law that is stronger than choice: The Law of Least Resistance. “Matter tends to take the course of least resistance.” In other words, water flows down hill. We all tend to take the course of least resistance. Rather than sort through the mental process of options and alternatives, we look for the easiest way out…no decision at all.

Take the better path of a clear, recommended direction. Based on what you know about the patient, make a clear recommendation that makes sense to your patient tied to the benefits they are looking for.

The efficient way out for you is to just give the patient a lot of options because you have not done your research. The more effective way is to do your research, find out what matters most to the patient, and then make a solid recommendation that makes the most sense for the patient, their situation, and what they want.

Isn’t that the better option? It’s the only option that makes sense.