The dental industry has endured many changes over the last decade. One major change is the increasing tendency by patients to review their dentists on various online sites, such as Yelp and Google. Though a patient’s desire to share his or her opinion may be nothing new, the widely diverse means by which he or she share opinions is very new to dentistry. Unfortunately, this is risky business for dental practices, as negative reviews posted on third-party sites can go unnoticed or unresolved, and frequently extend out of a practice’s control.
Previously, practices mailed paper surveys in an effort to create their own outlet for patients to provide feedback. However, this now outdated method is no longer convenient or sufficient for the modern patient’s high-tech tendencies. Now, patients require the immediacy and fast resolve that comes with a technologically-advanced world.
Dental practices are equally hungry for the direct feedback that comes with patient surveys, anonymous or not. Not only does this quick information provide an avenue to grow patient loyalty, but it also can increase practice revenue by securing data that accurately portrays and helps to evaluate business strengths and weaknesses.
So, what is the modern-day solution that appeases both the practice and the patient? Electronicpatient surveys!
By implementing an electronic survey service, practices can automatically text message or email customized questions immediately following a patient’s appointment, providing a secure outlet for patients to vent or share their thoughts while delivering actual data for the practice to assess. In addition, patients who receive these electronic surveys are much more likely to respond when compared with paper ones.
Since these electronic surveys are so immediate and so direct, a practice is afforded a much more relevant view of what is working and what is not. In turn, this allows a practice to provide quick damage control when needed. For instance, a patient may complain of a long wait time or other unsatisfactory experience at your practice. In this case, you will be made immediately aware of the negative response and can act quickly to resolve the problem. This high-touch approach to patient surveys corresponds directly to patient loyalty, as it allows you to show how much you do value your patients’ opinions.
Once you have either resolved an issue with an unhappy patient or thanked a satisfied patient for their great feedback, you can make any permanent changes you find necessary. However, this electronic survey approach ensures that you are making those changes based on actual real-time data, and not a mere hunch. This saves your practice money and time, while also resulting in greater patient satisfaction.
So, out with the old and in with the new: an electronic survey service puts you back in control of your practice, and works to grow your bottom line, too!
