Managing customer complaints plays an integral role in improving the goodwill of your practice, maintaining a positive reputation, and ensuring that customers continue to return to your practice. Such factors don’t just play a crucial role in ensuring the success of your practice but will also largely impact the value of your practice if and when you decide to eventually sell it. To effectively manage and, ideally, prevent complaints, it is a good idea to have a solid understanding of what patients dislike. Here are some of the most common complaints about dental practices to be aware of.
Rude interactions
Visiting the dentist can be stressful for many people. As such, it is extra important to treat patients with respect, kindness, and patience. Otherwise, you may end up with some complaints regarding employee interactions. To minimize complaints regarding poor interactions with the staff at your practice, it is important to train your staff on how to respond to customers who are being especially difficult without being rude or losing their patience.
Long wait time
One of the biggest complaints that dental practices receive is that wait times were too long. On a list of ideal ways to spend free time, sitting in a dental office waiting room probably isn’t too high on many people’s lists. Patients may begin to complain if wait times become too lengthy. While long wait times can be unavoidable, you can help patients pass the time by improving their waiting room experience. By providing entertainment in the form of magazines or televisions and updating your seating to be more comfortable, your patients may not be quite as upset about having to wait a few extra minutes for their appointment to start.
Poor communication
Nobody wants to be left in the dark when it comes to information regarding their oral health. Lack of communication is a common complaint from patients. Before you provide treatment for your patients, make sure that they are aware of what to expect before, during, and after. Then, once the treatment is over, make sure to give them a thorough rundown on how it went. You should also take time to respond to any questions or concerns that they have. Doing so will help ease their anxieties and establish trust.
Henry Schein Professional Practice Transitions is a leader in dental practice transition planning, financing, sales, and valuation. We are dedicated to helping you get the most advantageous deal possible when purchasing or selling your dental practice. To get started selling your practice or purchasing a dental practice, contact us today.
