I am often asked why I am so passionate about the role of brands in the future of dentistry, and what I mean by that. The evidence in all forms of media from press to digital is that, slowly but surely, dental practices are following other high street healthcare providers suchas pharmacists, opticians and chiropodists by adopting branding and marketing strategies. That’s because, along with every other healthcare business, dental care practices need to work out how to grow customer numbers and improve patient care.
Research conducted by Oasis with over 8,000 patients shows that word of mouth is still a primary source of new dental patients, with just under 40 per cent mentioning this as one of the reasons for choosing their current practice. But while in the past a sole practitioner or dental partnership could rely solely on personal reputation and local referrals for their custom, today’s modern practice needs to build trust and reassurance through a clearly communicated brand.
Potential patients have a clear choice when it comes to choosing a dental provider, and they are prepared to exercise it. More than half of patients who change dentists cite dissatisfaction as their main reason to swap – whether that’s with the dentist, pricing or service.
When making that move it’s no longer a question of only consulting one’s local surgery: today’s empowered consumers said they want convenience, choice and transparency – as well as modern facilities, a range of treatments, quality of service and value for money. Although every dental practice aims to maintain a loyal customer base, more patients are switching between providers than ever before. Up to 30 per cent of patients under 30 are looking to or have switched practices in the last two years, and they are likely to compare prices and treatments before deciding which practice to spend their money with.
This is the point where astrong brand benefits patient and practitioners, and researchdemonstrates the importance of branding to customer choice in dental care. A strong brand helps reassure patients, for example, inour survey 82 per cent of Oasis customers said they felt more assured about their dental care because Oasis is a national brand.
I strongly believe therefore that to compete in this new environment,dental practices need to pay more attention to how they portray their brands, how they communicateinformation abou the services they offer and how they ensure that brand values are embodied within the organisation.
This last point is vital, because branding is about much more than marketing and communications materials. Indeed my view is that, contrary to common belief, marketing materials and advertising copy are the least important element of a branding strategy. The brand of any successful business should be based on a core vision and values that govern all aspects of a company’s activities.
How does this happen in practice? At Oasis our approach has been to develop quality standards for every process that is undertaken in our dental surgeries, from note-taking in initial consultations to clinical procedures and billing. We endeavour to ensure these standards are reinforced by training, our clinical policies and clinical support team. As a result, we have the opportunity to reinforce the vision and values of the brand by everything that we do. As is often said, it really is about living the brand, and that applies as much to a good independent practice with a strong local name as to a national corporate.
However, while it’s important to look internally at performance and ensure standards are maintained, it’s also vital to monitor external conversations about the brand and to extend transparency of data beyond the company website.
The metrics brands can use to measure patient satisfaction can include scores collected internally following treatment. Practices can then publish patient feedback on their websites.
Lastly of course, should they occur, it’s important to see any customer complaints as an opportunity to monitor quality and improve customer care too, rather than simply as negative comments. In fact, the way in which companies handle complaints can make a huge difference to sentiment towards a brand as well as to its reputation inthe marketplace. Social media has an increasing role to play here, andpatients who are treated fairly and with respect when they complain are far more likely to remainloyal to a brand, and promote it, than those who are ignored or whose complaint is not taken seriously.
So I am passionate about branding because it means running really good, patient centric practices, and communicating that well to an increasingly selective and demanding patient base.
Dental practices that want to succeed in the more competitive dental marketplace can learn lessons from successful consumer brands, who were the first to understand the need to listen properly to their customers and to make sure that every patient interaction is positive. Word of mouth is likely to remain the key source of new patients in the world of dentistry, and a well-run and visiblebranded approach to practice management has the bestchance to extend the reach of your loyal patients’ recommendation aswide as possible.
References available on request.