Dental Tribune United Kingdom Edition

17Business Management TribuneMarch 28-April 3, 2011United Kingdom Edition • Give extensive verbal and written instructions on CQC interviews and inspections • Provide ongoing support to maintain your registration • Enable you to get on with running your practice We have over 5 years’ experience of working with the CQC and have helped more than 400 clients through the process of CQC registration. We will: Call 01202 510066 Email regulatorysolutions@lasermet.com or visit www.lasermet-rs.com for more information HasCQCRegistrationgottoyouyet? Ifyouhavetickedtheboxestosayyou arecompliant,howdoyouproveit? You should call us….! We carry out CQC compliance audits and provide all of the follow up paperwork. And if you are not yet registered you should call us now! LasermetCQC_DT_A4Ad_Mar11.qx8_(v) 16/03/2011 09:32 Page 1 swered • An agreed practice greeting • Asking for the client’s name and then use it to address them • Telling them that you can help them • Asking them how they heard about the practice and record- ing their reply on the appropri- ate form • Explaining the basis on which you can offer treatment, be it NHS or Private • Reassuring them that you will provide them with a pri- vate emergency appointment at xx:xxhrs today and that Dr X will attend to their pain. • The amount they can expect to pay If they wish to go ahead with the appointment: • How/when the fee is payable to book the appointment • What information must be re- corded for practice computer • Giving address/direction/ parking information • Information on arriving for the appointment what happens/ timings • Asking them if they have any questions about today’s ap- pointment • Information/Advise on what they need to bring/do/eat before they attend the appointment • Telling the patient that you are lookingforwardtomeetingthem later today and say goodbye. • Preparing Welcome Pack to give them when they attend • Alerting the clinical team that there is an additional patient for today’s list If they don’t go ahead with the appointment: • Asking if they would like to receive some information about the practice • If yes, taking their address and arranging to send a welcome pack in today’s post with a let- ter signed by you • Telling them how to find the website • Saying goodbye and telling them that you hope you might be able to help them in future • Explaining the follow-up pro- cedure for the practice A system like the one described will enable your reception team to: • Appear approachable • Feel able to take charge • Appear knowledgeable • Meet your customer’s expecta- tions • Appear confident and capable • Make the patient feel very well looked after • Give a consistent message Potential clients are there- fore much more likely to say yes to coming to your practice. Systems will also make the practice manager’s job a lot easier, helping them to focus on creating and managing the systems and the team, rather than juggling managing with actually ‘doing’. By ensuring that the practice has systems, principals are freed up to focus on running the business and carrying out top quality den- tistry, rather than feeling they have to do everything in the practice from reviewing the ap- pointment book to changing the light bulbs! DT ‘Most dental prac- tices want to deliver a fantastic customer service for their patients but some are frustrated with the reality of achieving this. About the author Ernestine Wright is a founding part- ner and managing director of Breathe Business. Ernie joined Breathe from Reuters where she was a senior direc- tor. Her principal responsibilities at Reuters were largely concerned with people and process. Her last major project at Reuters was as lead direc- tor setting up a joint venture with Dow Jones, which involved bringing togeth- er teams from two very different com- panies and cultures running their UK business. With a background in results focused on marketing and sales, Ernie recruited and led successful business teams across three continents. Ernie is Breathe’s lead coach on people and business management, which trans- lates to helping dental practices per- form better through improved proc- esses and focused motivated teams. Ernie’s passion is people development and she enjoyed recruiting and nurtur- ing the Reuters “stars of the future”. She draws on her years of experience in the corporate world as a senior di- rector for Reuters. She helped Reuters set up a joint venture with Dow Jones, running their UK business. With a background in marketing and sales, she has set up and led successful busi- ness teams across three continents. Ernie specialises in coaching dentists and their teams on leadership, sales and marketing as well as building high performing teams.