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What’s Up With Dr. Ron?

April 29th, 2008

It has been since January when I last posted on this topic and I am astounded that so many readers have emailed me to find out what the heck I’m up to. Thanks for your interest. This update you will discover that what I have been about is my family and friends, which to me is the essence of my life. To learn more, click here.

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Clients Extraordinaire

April 29th, 2008

I look for opportunities to recognize and spotlight my clients for the unique things they do; participate in; offer; win; or get accolades.

This post is about two of my remarkable clients: Dr. Ron Stanich and Dr. Chris Ruszkowski.

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Learn to Market Your Practice by Getting Out of the Office

April 14th, 2008

Early in my dental career, I decided that the best way to learn was to mimic brilliance and as such would take my team on one-day excursions to other dental offices so we could emulate their success and shorten our learning curve.  It was wildly successful.  In large part because we “got out of ourselves”; we got out of our work environment to see what others were doing well.

One of my friends and talented dentist, Dr. Catherine Vetrano has shared a similar process she is using with her team, however with a unique twist.  She and her team are going out on May 1 for a team appreciation night.  They intend to visit the businesses of some of their patients for their evening.  First they will go to a local winery owned by a patient.  She will “serve” them wine for a “wine tasting”.  Next they will go to a restaurant owned by a patient where her son is the chef.  She will capture photos to use for their next newsletter.  Not only will Dr. Catherine be marketing her practice by buying from her patients of record, she and the team will be evaluating the level of “service” and learning how to more exquisitely service their patients.  All done while having fun and recognizing her team for their contributions to her success.  Brilliant!

Oh, if you think this is simply a “cutesy” idea and of little value, let me finish the rest of the story………..When Dr. Vetrano was discussing this idea with another patient he quickly quipped that his mother has a local winery and does an evening of a gourmet cooking school.  They serve the meals outside, Tuscan style, on her farm.  Dr. Vetrano and team booked their early fall outing with yet another patient.  With any luck, her patients Mom will become a patient.

Dr. Vetrano demonstrates that by “getting out” and observing others and working with your patients that our teams can learn; evaluate service; and grow.   To learn more about Dr. Vetrano and visit her beautiful dental website click HERE.

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The Tax Man Cometh–Some Comic Relief from Coach Ron

April 14th, 2008

For those of us who have not filed for a tax extension, the gureling tax season is rapidly coming to a close tomorrow, April 15th.  My clients tell me this time of the year adds a LOT of stress to their already “robust” lives.  Some of you may have been scrambling to complete your tax returns and get them filed on time to the IRS.  I have been told by accountants that as many as 1/3 of all the returns come into their offices during the two weeks prior to the deadline.

So, I simply wanted to offer up some relief…something that is “easy math” instead of all the IRS requirements for calculating deductions, Alternative Minimum Tax, and college expense receipts that seem never to get put into the shoe box.  Click here to play the Guess Your Number game.  Perhaps you will like these number results better than what your tax bite will be.

Oh, one more…….this one is guaranteed to be fun.  You know how relaxing and stress releasing it is to squeeze Bubble-Wrap?  Now is your chance to do an entire page……..and then go back and do it again.  Click on Bubble-Wrap above.  Turn up your volume and have a ball with this.

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Another Way to Recognize Staff–The RED Chair Approach

April 8th, 2008

You’re going to love this post as I am asking you to PARTICIPATE.  I have a client who is soooooooooo frustrated with his staff because they continually “test” him and his patience (his words).  According to him, they just are not following the “rules” and need  to be disciplined.  When I explained to him the approach that my wife, Mrs. Arndt, Kindergarten teacher, takes with her children, he became excited.  However, he put a unique twist to my coaching ideas.  He wants YOUR feedback.  That’s correct, he has asked me to querry my readers what they think about his approach to managing staff behaviors.  So, have fun with this.  Click on the link that says RED Chair and after you read it and ponder your thoughts, come back here and type in your response in the COMMENT box below this post.  Enjoy……….this should get your attention.

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STAR Program to Encourage Great Teams

April 8th, 2008

The number one upset I hear from dental teams (all over the country) is the following:  “the doctor does not value; appreciate; nor recognize me for what I do and bring to the practice.”  For some doctors they tell me it is nothing but ”whining”; for another doctor it is “simply the “stuff “you have to hear every day (her exact words to me); and to other doctors it is a wake up call to take action.

I don’t think a week goes by where I am not coaching around this issue of recognition and appreciation.  It is a BIG problem in managing our human resources.  We doctors often forget to pause and thank our committed team members.  Once such office took our coaching call to heart and really took this issue seriously.

Amy Russell, the Business Coordinator for Drs. Rummel and Schumacher, a very successful and well-respected dental practice in Columbus, Ohio developed a unique way to recognize and encourage her dental team members.  She calls it her STAR PROGRAM and she has graciously agreed to share her simple yet positively effective plan.

Amy is surveying her dental patients and wants and needs her staff to actively participate in getting the surveys out to their patients.  As a way to encourage her team and to recognize positive behaviors she developed a plan that enables staff to earn 4 hours of paid time off and spend the time being pampered at a Spa.  If you want to learn more, click on the two blue links below:   this link lays out the guidelines;  this link opens the photo of how she is keeping score.  If you need more information or you want to give Amy a KUDO, you can contact her at:  amy@columbusdentists.net

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How to Reduce Past Due Recare Visits

April 2nd, 2008

One of my clients, Dr. Hud Heidorf (winner of the Dr. Pete Dawson Passion for Dentistry Award) and his team have a novel way to invigorate their patients who become past-due for their dental recare visits.  His Business Coordinator, Pam, describes the simple process as follows:

“We identify, via a computer search, those patients who are 3 months past-due for their routine dental maintenance visits.  They are sent a short, personalized letter stating that they are “missed” and that they are concerned for their health and invite them to schedule their recare visit today.  Also in the letter is an inducement….it describes that if the patient calls to schedule their visit within a certain period of time, their name will be entered into a drawing for a fun gift.  The gift can be a $50 gas card; a dinner certificate to a popular restaurant; or we just get creative.”

Now you might think this is superfluous; a waste of time; or a lot of work for little result.  Well, here are there results on their most recent recare initiative:  Pam mailed out 110 letters to past due recare patients and scheduled 35 people within the designated time frame.  That’s a 32% return on effort.  Calculate your typical recare fee and you can quickly see the math makes it all worth while.  If you want to learn more of the details, you can call Pam at Dr. Heidorf’s office at 440-835-4848 or email her at:  heidorfpam@aol.com

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What’s Your Plan to Market in this Economy?

April 2nd, 2008

One of my clients asked me this question on one of our calls:  “What should I be doing to market my practice during these challenging economic times?”  As I pondered this thought I think about 269 different ideas flew into my consciousness all at one time.  This can be answered from many different perspectives.  Marketing experts, in droves, have written books on this very question and many would tell you that “any time” is a challenging economic time.  When I observe those clients who are prospering, their marketing plan and practice strategy has been founded on building and maintaining RELATIONSHIPS.  Now I know that some will “po-po” this idea as foolish; short-sighted; and not quick enough.  I frequently hear and read those who would tell you to engage in major post card campaigns; or hire a marketing firm that will develop you a new logo…a new brochure…a newsletter…a new yellow page ad…and new letterhead.  None of which really address the issue of creating relationships…and misses the point entirely.  It’s personal connectedness and not mass mailings that encourage patients to choose to remain in your practice and referr others.

As an advocate of developing a strategic plan to close the gap from where you are to where you want to be, I asked my client the following questions as we began the process of orchestrating how he and his team can become better known by their patients; then more likable; so they can be trusted even more so by their patients.  The more they are trusted the more dentistry the patient elects and the more they talk about you to their family and friends.

Coaching Questions……….

• What is your vision for your practice?
• What makes your practice distinctive and unique?
• Who is your Director of WOW?
• What strategies make cultural and economic sense for your practice?
• What actions will you take; by when; and who will be responsible?

I then suggested my client read the book by Donna Cutting, The Celebrity Experience (Insider Secrets To Delivering Red-Carpet Customer Service).  To discover a host of easily implementable ideas for your practice, click on the title above and scroll down the page to order your own copy at my website.

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Attitude–Smatitude Can She Suck Spit or Not?

March 12th, 2008

John C. Maxwell in his book, Attitude 101 reminds us that there is only one thing more contagious than a good attitude and that’s a bad attitude.  For some reason many people think it’s chic to be negative.  I was “observing” in a prospective client’s office for a couple of hours and while within earshot and clear vision of one of the Chairsides I witnessed the following:  when she went to get the patient from the reception room she “blurts” out her name and mispronounced it as well.  When the patient gave “Chilly Chairside” the correct pronunciation, I heard her say: “whatever”.  She walked 10 feet ahead of the patient without turning or saying a word as she escorted the patient to the treatment room where she was abruptly told to “sit in the big chair”.  This was a high-fear patient and when explaining this to “Chilly” there was not one hint of compassion or a desire to take the time to explain what was to come next.  Much to my surprise, the other Chairside, I will call “Caring” pulled “Chilly” to the side and urged her to be more kind and compassionate and to take the time to ask questions and listen to her patient.  Her reply: “hey, I’m doing my job.  I’m not being paid enough to be a babysitter”.

What do you think of that attitude?  I’ll bet you’re saying right now: “none of my staff are like that.  They really take good care of my patients.”  Are you certain?  When I revealed this situation to my prospective client he was dumbfounded and told me I must have heard this incorrectly.  Go figure that this clown thinks I make this stuff up????  In addition, he told me “Chilly” was the best Chairside he had ever worked with.  After further probing I discovered that he hired her almost “on-the-spot” because of her 18 years of chairside experience.  “Forget all those goofy questions” he admonished, “I need someone who can suck spit, hand me what I need, when I need it, so I don’t skip a beat.”

Wow, I thought.  This guy is clueless about hiring “right”.  If you want outstanding results in your business, you need good people with great talent and AWSOME attitudes.  I have learned that attitudes are habits of thought, and as such, I quickly assessed the habits of this doctor and team.  Incidentally, this prospect wanted me to “fix” his business problem as his income was well below industry averages and he wanted to know “what was I going to do for him”.  Guess what my answer was?  I’m not able to do a thing for you…as a matter of fact, consistent with my core values, you and your office are not a fit for me as I cannot “fix” anyone.

This guy and team had a depressing attitude toward taking care of the customer.  I had to wonder about the quality of employees he was hiring?  It certainly explained why his practice was deteriorating.  I did not accept his offer to work as his coach, yet I did send him a document to remind him of the attitude of exceptional customer care.  If you want it, click on this line to get your copy of “Because the Customer“.  You may want to use it as talking points for your team?  If you want to get a copy of John Maxwell’s easy to read book, click here to visit my bookshelf.

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Leadership—It’s ALWAYS Your Core Values

March 12th, 2008

One of my clients called me with a conundrum regarding a patient.  He had done a 3 unit bridge just over 2 years ago and the patient presented with the complaint that the bridge “felt” a “little” loose.  Upon examination my client discovered that the root had fractured on one of the abutments and the bridge needed to be replaced.  He was uncertain on how he wanted to handle this situation.  Two of his staff urged him to instruct the patient the bridge needed to be replaced and to charge the customary fee as they had their daily goals to meet.  He felt uncomfortable as he noticed that the occlusion was not perfect and may have been a contributing factor to this root fracture.  This was a wonderful patient that he did not want to alienate and yet there was no way he could be held responsible for “natures” challenges.  When he called me (while the patient was still in the chair) and explained the circumstances I asked him one simple question:  Dr. Leader, what do your Core Values compel you to do?  He read two of them to me:  #1 “Honesty & Integrity in all that we do”; and #2 “Provide a WOW experience for patients and turn them into missionaries for our practice”.  With that, he paused and told me he knew exactly what he needed to say and do with his patient.

His decision was made clear because of HIS Core Values.  You may want to learn more about what having written Core Values can do for you and your business…and life choices by reading a kool book called: You Can’t Send a Duck to Eagle School by Mac Anderson.  Click on the title to go to my bookshelf if you want to order your own copy.  In the book you will read about the comment made by Sheldon Bowles:

• Goals are for the future; VALUES are for now.
• Goals are set; VALUES are lived.
• Goals change; VALUES are rocks that you can count on.

Oh, what did my client ultimately do?  He told his patient that he appreciates him greatly; was unsure of why the bridge failed and that occlusion may ahve been the cause; however, because he expects his dentistry to last longer than two years, he was remaking the bridge……………at no additional cost to the patient!

My client, Dr. Leader went to bed with a clear head and heart as he made his decision on the VALUES he lives daily.  He also “lived” his core values in the presence of his team.  This is yet another example of the quality individuals I get to coach.

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