{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2F97b257ab-7add-4558-9ed6-348f162f95ad","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"120: It's Not All About New Patients: How To Easily Grow Your Practice Without Spending a Ton of Money - Laura Hatch","description":"Laura Hatch from Front Office Rocks is here today to talk about how it is not all about new patients and how to grow your practice without spending a ton of money. Laura is an experienced front office manager who has opened two successful practices. She soon discovered that there was a gap in training for front office team members and decided to fix that by opening Front Office Rocks.\n \nLaura also has a new book out called Step Away From The Drill: Your Dental Front Office Handbook to Accelerate Training and Elevate Customer Service. Laura is a good friend of mine and an expert in customer service, phone, and front office best practices. We discuss how to use technology and a personal touch to keep your current customers happy, loyal, and well cared for while still creating a welcoming environment for new customers. \nYou can find Laura here:\nFront Office Rocks\n@dentalrockstars on Twitter\nLaura Hatch on LinkedIn\nFront Office Rocks on Facebook\nStep Away From The Drill: Your Dental Front Office Handbook to Accelerate Training and Elevate Customer Service\n \nShow Notes\n \n[01:54] Laura Hatch is an office manager who got into dentistry in 2002. She is in San Diego and opened a practice in a very competitive market. \n[02:35] She realized that there was no real training for office managers. She has had to hire employees and reteach them over and over. \n[03:09] She saw a pain point that there needed to be a way to teach new hires instead of insisting on hiring people with experience in a certain software product.\n[03:19] She started an online resource that offers training on how to do everything that is done at a front desk. She started this business about 5 years ago, and it has really took off. \n[04:12] Laura does everything online and also recently just wrote a book called Step Away From The Drill. \n[04:45] How dentists often throw team members into the role without any real training.\n[06:14] Front office people are the first and last impression for every patient. They are front office rock stars.\n[06:52] Investing in a team member is not a cost it's an investment.\n[07:20] As a team member, investing in yourself is one of the best things that you can do.\n[07:28] Complementing and respect also goes in both directions. Your doctor needs to complement you and you also need to complement the doctor.\n[07:50] The importance of getting the communication started. Dentists aren't actually trained in communication with team members in dental school.\n[08:42] Today, we're going to be talking about new patients.\n[08:55] Every office needs new patients to making sure your team does an amazing job on the first phone call is important.\n[09:17] How trying the new employee out on the phones is the worst thing you can do.\n[09:28] So many dentist are about new patient, but it's so important to keep your current patients happy.\n[09:50] If you're losing patience out the back door you're not growing.\n[10:25] You don't want your current patients to feel like they are just a number or a hole in the schedule that needs to be filled.\n[10:47] How important it is to retain your current patients.\n[11:56] Existing patients are more valuable than new patients. They already trust you and want to go to you.\n[12:40] Front office people need to let the dentist know if they need more help. They also need to be as efficient as possible.\n[13:11] Patients in the office and patience on the phone are both valuable.\n[13:48] The phone should be answered minimally Monday through Friday from 8-5. There are companies that can help answer phones.\n[14:23] People in the front need to be good at multitasking.\n[15:19] You can take care of all of the patients at the same time. Putting someone on hold feels twice as long.\n[16:29] Have some type of system that lets you know how many calls you get at certain times of the day.\n[18:40] People are paying more out-of-pocket now than ever before. They want to feel value for what they are paying.\n[20:50] Hygiene reappointments are very...","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/ccb1974a-713d-47b0-ab23-ef1a8e523ef0/bps_show_itunes.jpg"}