I just got back from a holiday in Taiwan. It’s an amazing place and well worth a visit. I was recommended to go to a restaurant called Din Tai Fung. It was excellent.
What particularly amazed me about the restaurant (apart from the food) were the systems. The place operates with incredible efficiency. The whole experience from arrival, to waiting, to seating, to order taking, to food delivery, to payment is completely seamless. I can’t recall ever being in a dental practice where things were handled as well as in this restaurant.
Here are some examples of how this restaurant wows its customers.
Arrival — The restaurant does not accept bookings but when you arrive you’re greeted immediately. Do you greet your patients immediately they arrive?
Standards — The kitchen is fully visible behind glass so you can see immaculately clean and well-dressed dressed chefs preparing the food. Can patients see the sterilisation area in your practice?
Waiting — You’re given an estimate of how long you’ll have to wait. Do you tell patients how long they’ll need to wait?
Seating — The moment your number is called someone comes to seat you. The table is preset for the number of diners. Tea arrives immediately as does a container to put your bag or umbrella in. Do you offer your patients a drink and take care of whatever they’re carrying?
Ordering — You order via the internet. As a courtesy they will advise foreigners if their choices are appropriate. Do you go over treatment options clearly with patients?
Food delivery — As each item arrives the staff tick it off on a printed order slip that’s to your table. Do you have check-lists in your office to prevent mistakes and make sure nothing gets missed?
Payment — If the payment queue gets too long extra staff step in immediately. Do people help out if there is a bottle neck at your front desk?
The importance of good systems in a dental practice cannot be over-estimated. If you get your systems right your practice will operate precisely and effortlessly and impress your patients. If your systems are poorly-planned then your life will be exponentially harder and your patients will be unimpressed.
Take the time and think through your patient interactions, from when they come in the door to when they leave. It is an effort that will repay you every day of your practicing career.
6‑handed dentistry boosts productivity, and lowers stress. Most dentists overlook this workflow but it can add hours of productivity to every week.