CDS Member News and Articles

Professional News Articles : FRONT DESK by Mary M. Byers, CAE : The Friendliness Factor

The Friendliness Factor

July 3, 2008

I listened intently recently as a friend described an unpleasant experience in a healthcare provider’s office.

“What went  wrong?” I asked.

“Nothing,” she replied, “except that the receptionist wasn’t friendly.”

I thought it was interesting that something as simple as unfriendliness was enough to spoil my friend’s experience. I asked what the receptionist could have changed to make her visit more positive. The lessons are beneficial to anyone in a dental office:

A smile is important. “She didn’t smile at me once,” said my friend—and that was enough to get the encounter off to a bad start. The lesson? Smile at patients even when you don’t feel like it. How you greet them sets the tone for their experience with you. As a consultant, I’d add my own piece of advice: smile especially when you don’t feel like it. Doing so will help lighten your mood and make you more approachable, even when you’re grumpy.

Be friendly. Greet patients and exchange a few words with them in order to make them feel welcome and establish rapport. When it comes to this type of exchange, “small talk” isn’t really small—it’s a big deal and it goes a long way toward establishing a connection among you, your patients and the practice.

Leave your problems at home. Though it’s sometimes difficult to separate work and family, leave personal issues at home as much as possible. Problems with family members shouldn’t overshadow your ability to serve patients.

Be helpful. If there’s a problem, be the first to call it to a patient’s attention and to offer a potential solution. If you can help, offer to do so. My friend noted that the receptionist informed her that her insurance referral hadn’t come through—and then sat at the desk in stony silence while watching my friend pull out her cell phone to solve the problem. It would have been much better if the receptionist had offered to make the call herself or offered another solution.

Slow down. Though the schedule may require a little hustle on your part to keep up, don’t get so focused on it that you forget the human side of health care.  Walk with an elderly patient to the front door, bend down to talk to a toddler accompanying his mother, and be willing to help a patient understand her insurance benefits. Little things make a big difference when it comes to offering excellent patient care.

Be polite. Good manners are just as important as friendliness. Be sure to use the words “please” and “thank you” generously. Other words patients like to hear are, “I’m sorry that happened, but we’ll take care of it.” Sometimes, what you do isn’t nearly as important as how you do it.

Even a tense exchange with a patient can result in a loyal relationship if it’s handled well. Make people more important than issues and you’ll find it easier to remain calm - even when a patient makes things difficult.
In short, remember the value of the “Friendliness Factor.” People like to do business with others that they know, like and trust. And when you’re friendly, they’ll be more likely to want to continue to entrust their dental care to you.

CDS presents Front Desk, a column addressing problems dentists and staff members experience in the office. Front Desk is prepared by Mary M. Byers, CAE, a professional speaker and freelance writer. Ms. Byers may be reached at mbyers@marybyers.com or www.marybyers.com. Send suggestions for topics to be covered to review@cds.org.

© 2008, Chicago Dental Society