THE BENEFITS OF TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THE PRACTICE THAT EMPLOYS YOU.

YOU ONLY HAVE ONE CHANCE TO MAKE A FIRST IMPRESSION!

Setting the bar high! Creating an atmosphere in your office!

In addition to our own specific positions in the office, we're all Sales People!

Our patients are our best referrals!

Nordstroms is known nationwide for it's excellence in customer service. It defines it's service from the

customers point of view....... not the employees self-evaluation.

Let's look at how we can interact with our patients in a successful way:

1. Like-ability: Our ability to make others feel comfortable.

- How would you treat a guest in your home?

2. Appearance of being self confident and at ease.

- When you are at work, the office is your home. (ownership)

3. An ability to laugh at yourself.

- Humor is not a reflection of stupidity, it's an awareness of “the situation”.

- Humor allows everyone to relax.

- Laughter will instill memories of fun and a positive experience.

4. Show a genuine interest by maintaining eye contact, asking questions and listening.

- Pause in your hurried day.... the patient will notice.

5. Convey a sense of energy and enthusiasm!

- “who knew someone could get so excited about a retainer”

6. Be well rounded, well intentioned, well informed and well mannered.

- Your personal actions and conversations are a reflection of entire office!

- It's ok to say “I'm not sure. Let me find someone who knows the answer”.

7. Make introductions of others with enthusiasm and compliments.

- Demonstrates a strong team!

- Unity of working towards the same goal for the patient.

(excerpts from “How to work a room” by Susan Roane)

WE ALWAYS WANT TO EXCEED OUR PATIENTS EXPECTATIONS!!!

KNOW THE DOCTOR THAT YOU ARE WORKING FOR!

Every office has a different “tone” reflecting the doctor and his expectations.

a) Super fast paced / Efficient

Our Challenge: Not to look exhausted and to make the patients feel important and not rushed.

* Have patients arrive 15 minutes early to avoid potential back-up.

* Watch body language. Do not act hurried / panicked!

* A 30 second pause at the beginning of appointment “grounds” the visit and

makes the patient feel important.

b) Calm / Caring

Our Challenge: How to keep the “sloth doctor” on schedule(and not to chew our wrists!).

* Never appear irritated with his/her slow pace.

* Smile and jokingly say to each waiting patient,”Dr. Smith cares so deeply

about every patient. Aren't we so lucky?”

*Accept, don't ignore this pace. Have fabulous current magazines. Have a coffee

and tea area. Provide mind bender games.

* When scheduling a “fast paced” patient, suggest appointments first thing in

the morning or first appointment after lunch.

c) Energized / comical

Our Challenge: To act stable and laugh with our patients as we watch our “Dr. on Crack”

perform!

* Be the calm before the storm.

* Share the doctors personality (admiringly) with the patient before he/she

storms into the room.

* Sometime this type of whirl wind doctor has so much going on that they

lose track of time. Have a strong treatment Coordinator.

THE IMPORTANCE IS BALANCE. WE MUST BE THE ”YIN” TO OUR DOCTOR’S ”YANG”.

OWNERSHIP OF POSITION!

Pride in our practice and professionalism of our staff

a) Appearance – Demonstrates a cohesive team

Basics: Allow time for hair and make-up.

The effort will be noticed by patients and interpreted as an act of professionalism.

Attire:What ever the office chooses, look like a team!

Scrubs:always matching scrubs, never different patterns

white under shirts and white footwear

Professional clothes: match in some way

Tan pants and blue shirts

Black pants and white polo shirts

Vests with office logo on them.

White shoes/ Black shoes

With everyone dressed in the same way, you'll appear like a cohesive, professional team!

b) Vocabulary – Everything that you say at work is a reflection of the entire practice.

Be aware of your audience and always be topic appropriate

Be inclusive in your conversation whether it be including a co-worker or patient

Be mindful of how you say things and how they might be interpreted

Teach the team to say common phrases in the same way

Examples: To say: “this patient is a challenge”. Means: “this kid is out of control”.

To say: “we will encourage the lower jaw forward”. Means: “we're going

to push his jaw forward with this appliance so someone in the

family has a chin”.

To say: “you were blessed with a terrific profile”. Means: “wow you do

have a huge nose”.

To say: “no problem”. Means: “it kind of is a problem but I'll do it”.

To say: “it's my pleasure”. Means: “I am here to help”.

c) Attitude – Always remember that you represent the doctor

Leave your personal agenda at the door.

- a co-worker with different personal beliefs can still be an amazing team player

The staff is your “work family”

- they will be there for life's ups and downs.

Never speak unfavorably about your coworkers or boss.

- this will weaken the team

- you are forcing others to take sides.

Be communicative.

- use your morning huddle to “rate yourselves”

- ie: “I'll need a little support today” or “I'm great, ready to go” or “The baby was

up all night, whats my name?”

d) Goals – Like minded thinking!

Define your goals and expectations of each other and the office.

Agree to have everyone welcome each patient.

Agree to being helpful and asking others if they need anything.

Set a staff goal (ie: 25 starts this month = $50 for each staff member)

THE IDEA IS TO HAVE THE SAME GOALS IN THE CARE OF OUR PATIENTS!