If you're the only dentist in town, patient loyalty probably isn't a problem you face. However, for most dentists, competition in has dramatically increased over the past several years and the battle for new patients only gets harder. What if you're the only dentist in town and a new practice opens up just down the street? What can you do to increase patient loyalty?
While it's important to keep the patients you have, there's a difference between patient retention and patient loyalty. Most patients on a regular treatment schedule only visit their dentist one or two times a year. The time between office visits is one of your best opportunities for fostering lasting, dedicated, loyal relationships with your patients.
Loyal patients are your best source for referrals and reducing marketing costs since you don't need to promote your practice through traditional channels in order to gain new patients. Your devoted patients are usually the most informed about your practice and are fully aware of the great service you provide. They also appreciate the personal attention you give them and recommend you to friends and family. In short, loyal patients are your best marketing tool.
Communication is key for maintaining healthy relationships with patients to keep them engaged and loyal to your practice. Your practice website is a great avenue for providing information about practice events, news about new staff members or events, up-to-the-minute treatment options, post-operatory instructions and preventive care information. Social media sites, such as Facebook and e-newsletters are great ways to communicate fun information or timely news to patients as well.
Appointment confirmations, especially for busy people, are one of the best ways to keep patients loyal. Forgetting an appointment and having to reschedule is a nuisance for most people. Eliminate this annoyance by sending voice, email and text confirmations, ensuring patients make it to all of their appointments on time. Patients also expect cancellation notices in case of an emergency office closing. No one wants to arrange for time away from work or school only to discover their appointment has been cancelled. Reaching out with an automated call is a great way to keep patients happy.
TeleVox offers a many tools for patient convenience. Online bill pay and online viewing of account information is not only a great added value for patients but also for your staff.
|
When you send follow-up emails and patient surveys, you gain effective ways to reach out to your patients just after appointments and can easily provide follow-up consultation and monitoring after any procedures. |
|
T.LINK EC online patient engagement – Communicating with patients to keep them loyal is easy with T.LINK EC. Online viewing of account information, custom marketing emails, appointment confirmations and more.
HouseCalls automated messaging system – Keep in touch to keep patients loyal with appointment confirmations, recalls, account balance notifications, emergency closing announcements and more via phone, email and text message.
WebPlus website design and hosting – Give patients an easy way to find information about your practice. Websites are a valuable resource for patient information.
