24 Oct 2014  •  Practice Management  •  3min read By  • Laura Horton

Turn Your Patients into Fans.

Laura Horton explains how going above and beyond expectations is the key to creating dedicated fans and attracting new patients to your practice.

How do you know whether your patients are fans of your practice? Some might say that you could measure something like this by looking at the practice figures (though the result would be a straightforward number or percentage of the local population), but others might say you measure it by looking at the growth of a practice; your practice isn’t growing if it’s attracting hundreds of new patients but has the equivalent amount leaving at the same time.

I think patients are a key indicator of a successful practice, however, I don’t necessarily think that looking at patient numbers is the best way to measure this. Instead, it’s important to know whether your patients are as happy as they could be – are they dedicated fans of your practice?

If your patients are happy with the service they receive whilst at your practice, they’ll likely share the story of their experience with those closest to them, i.e. family and friends. However, should they be truly impressed by the service they receive, they’ll almost definitely encourage family and friends to sign up to the same practice – and a personal recommendation is one of the most influencing factors in a new patient’s choice of practice.

It’s all about going above and beyond the expected level of service. Most patients will be expecting a polite, friendly and efficient welcome from your staff and the treatment they receive is just as important – expectations are that it’s of a high standard and must be good value for money. Offering the expected will not ‘wow’ your patients which means they’ll not become the dedicated fans you strive to have.

What will make my patient experience unforgettable? From adding some little extras into a patient’s treatment plan or a staff member who remembers what they discussed with the patient at the last appointment, a personal service goes a long way.

Give it a go! Aim to go above and beyond your patients expectations and take a look at what impact it could have on your business. You’ll find that your patient retention improves and the army of dedicated fans you’ve created will be ready and raring to round up more new patients.

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