Maybe this makes me weird, but I really enjoy going to my dentist.
Don’t get me wrong – I’m no masochist.
I don’t understand why modern dentistry means scraping my gums with sharp hooks.
And then making comments when my gums bleed. Uh, hello? You just jabbed some tender flesh with a metal spear! Of course it’s gonna bleed!
What I like about my dentist is their level of service. They make me feel like a welcome guest whenever I walk in the door. They smile, greet me by name and seem genuinely pleased to see me. And it doesn’t cost them a dime.
But it does make them money.
First, let’s take a typical visit. I like them. I feel valued. It’s generally a positive experience (even with the pokey stick). They take good care of me. I’ve even written about the level of service at my dentist before.
For each visit, when I check out, I make an appointment for the next exam exactly six months later. A couple weeks before the next appointment I start getting reminders for my upcoming appointment – emails and texts that make it easy for me to confirm an appointment that’s already on my calendar.
The end result is that I get to the dentist regularly and show up every six months.
Let’s say I had a different dentist. One who didn’t provide such a good experience. Of course, I’d still go to the dentist. I mean, I may not like this hypothetical dentist, but I dislike cavities even more!
Let’s say this hypothetical dentist even had the same reminder tools.
But if I don’t enjoy the experience as much, I’m more inclined to stall going for my check-ups. I reschedule my appointments. Instead of taking the next available opening, I push it out a little bit.
All of a sudden, instead of getting to the dentist every six months, I’m getting there every nine months. It happens so easily, I barely notice.
Getting to the dentist every nine months is still pretty good – right?
Maybe it’s fine for my oral health, but let’s look at it from the perspective of the dentist.
With my current dentist, I make the appointment and (for the most part) I keep the appointment. Easy for them, easy for me – very little time required of the office staff.
With the hypothetical dentist, I’m more likely to postpone. Maybe a few times. It creates more chaos for their schedule. It takes more staff time. That costs money.
Even more, with my dentist I show up every six months. That means four visits every two years.
In the other scenario it’s three visits in two years.
Four visits vs. three visits is a difference of 25%.
25% more visits mean 25% more revenue.
For just one patient. One client. One customer.
Multiply that across all of your customers and that adds up fast.
Your revenue is tied directly to your customers’ experience.
You can have all the tools (like the two dentists) but if you’re not engaging customers how they want to be engaged, you’re missing out on big opportunities.
And some small shifts add up to big money.
If your business isn’t hitting the numbers you want, consider customer experience.
Your customers’ experience is the least expensive, most impactful way to grow your business.
Grab a copy of my FREE Action Guide to help you boost the customer experience in your business.