Your patients deserve exceptional service – and so do you!
Featured Products Promotional FeaturesPosted by: Dental Design 8th April 2022
Excellent customer service should never be underestimated. A positive experience when buying goods, or using a service, means you’ll likely become a repeat buyer or user. Loyal relationships are then established, which can be of mutual benefit to all parties involved.
In your practice, the most obvious form of good service is what you offer to your patients – the quality of care you provide. This starts the minute they get in touch, when they’ll want to talk to someone who is informed, knowledgeable, kind and helpful. If they don’t get their questions answered, or aren’t happy with the tone of the response, or how promptly their call or email was answered, many will simply go elsewhere – and that’s long termers, too. Good service supports quality treatment; both are required if you are to become a practice with an enviable reputation.
Good service isn’t a complicated recipe, it’s about understanding people, looking at the basics of what they want and need, then delivering. But this isn’t only about patients; exceptional customer service is what you should expect from all your manufacturers or suppliers. When you choose those who guarantee ‘exceptional’, you will be amazed at benefits to every element of your dentistry.
A company or business that prioritises customer service means you’ll be working with people who want to help you to do more. Every practice is unique, and busy schedules and waiting lists mean it’s sometimes hard to step back and see what should be changed or could be improved. Dental manufacturers and suppliers can be a fantastic resource in terms of insight into what works, or doesn’t, in other successful surgeries. They are also a rich source of feedback from other professionals who use a certain product and find that it genuinely enhances workflows, as well as their results. When you have a good relationship with one, you can tap into their knowledge.
Peace of mind is another key benefit of great customer service. Even if equipment has never gone wrong in all the years you’ve had it, when it does and there is no one who can help, and fast, this could result in you having to cancel appointments.
A manufacturer or supplier who is dedicated to exceptional customer service will always be looking out for new opportunities. If something is about to be launched, you’ll be the first to know, so you can invest in items that will add value to every appointment. In a saturated industry, it is easy to become overwhelmed by promises; digital solutions are particularly fast-moving and, unsurprisingly, this has meant many dentists have been reluctant to invest. Is the ‘latest’ product going to be out-of-date soon, or need regular software updates? Do you suspect you’re only going to require a fraction of its functions on a regular basis? A good manufacturer or supplier won’t give you the hard sell, they want you to buy the right material/tool/piece of equipment for the kind of dentistry you like to practise, and that complements what you already have.
Great customer service comes from companies who want to listen. You are seeing patients every day; you know what would benefit you now and what treatments are in demand. Also, you will be identifying patterns in behaviour and expectations, for example less desire for an extraction if conservative root canal therapy can be delivered safely, quickly and comfortably. A manufacturer or supplier who listens to what dentists need to help more people comprehensively will be dedicated to sourcing or developing products to help them achieve their goals.
Great customer service from a manufacturer or supplier happens when they understand the challenges for elevating clinical outcomes, and getting more patients to say ‘yes’, then work with professionals to find a solution. COLTENE is a manufacturer dedicated to offering exceptional customer service, to building relationships and to always looking for ways to help dentists do things more efficiently, at less cost to their practice and the patient. Its portfolio includes products that are market leading yet is expanded only when there is full confidence that a new material, tool or piece of equipment will upgrade outcomes and standards of care. Its endo range includes the game changing CanalPro™ Jeni, for autonomous digital navigation of the complex canal anatomy to give consistently reliable results. The Jeni will guide you through routes and obstacles, making root canal treatment faster and less stressful. Endodontists have given the Jeni exceptional reviews, and this reassurance is why COLTENE has established long-term partnerships with so many of its customers.
Customer service is not just about reliability, it’s about relationships. It’s knowing that you are only going to be offered practical, high-quality solutions to help you do more. It’s knowing another company wants to listen and take on board your suggestions. Great customer service means peace of mind, so if you’re not getting the best from a manufacturer or supplier, make this the year for change.
Mark Allen, General Manager at COLTENE
For more on COLTENE, visit www.coltene.com,
email info.uk@coltene.com or call 0800 254 5115.
