The next five years in UK and Irish dentistry are all about retailisation, a process that’s already in full swing but has some way to go. The dental practices and small groups that have already nailed this are outperforming the corporates and redefining the market.
The ones that haven’t, where the patient journey is clunky and opportunities are systematically missed, will fail unless they change. The treatment coordinator (TCO) — known as a sales manager in any other business — is going to be their salvation.
You don’t necessarily have to move to a retail location to retail dentistry, but you do need effective treatment coordinators. It’s a job that’s talked about a lot in dentistry but isn’t done well, and that’s partly because there’s a vagueness around the role.
We have developed a defined, prescriptive TCO role that brings clarity and comes through reliably on the bottom line in any dental practice it’s introduced in, even allowing for the fact that every dental practice is different. Our TCO workshop maps out the ideal sales process and works with you to make it fit with your current resources and limitations. This course is the product of working with talented TCOs over the past three years in a large number of practices that I have been consulting to.
Looking ahead to 2030, wellness will be the biggest industry on the planet, costs will continue to rise and the fourth industrial revolution — AI — which has already transformed some treatment modalities, will sweep all before it. But there’s no point in worrying about any of that until you sort out your sales process. It’s the bread and butter of your business.
Here’s an outline of our TCO workshop. I suggest dental practice owners or business managers attend with their TCOs so that the role is integrated fully into the business.
TCO WORKSHOP
Running in Cornwall in 2020 on:
- 26th-27th February
- 20th-21st May
- 23rd-24th September
- 13th-14th November
To book a place email [email protected]
Fee
£1,750 + VAT per person
Objective
To develop an effective patient journey for your practice or practices that results in improved conversion ratios of high value dental and facial treatments. You leave the workshop with your inbound handling, nurturing, TCO patient consultation, and before and after meeting the clinician protocols clearly mapped out and documented to realistically reflect your business’s constraints and strengths.
Key deliverables
- Process management helicopter view
- Implementation and dealing with constraints
- Performance reporting/ pinch points
- Prospect conditioning
- Team structure
- Nurturing
- Shaping the marketing investment
The team
Workshop director — Jonathan Fine (JJF)
Communications expert — Martin Crump
Location
Accommodation is at the 5 star St Michaels Hotel & Spa. All meetings and meals are across the road at The Rathgowry.
Your preparation
- Please send me your Kolbe 4 numbers, which help me understand your behavioural preferences
- Please map out in detail the patient journey at your practice from your website to agreeing the treatment plan, highlighting areas that work well and areas that don’t
- Produce a SWOT (strengths/weaknesses/opportunities/threats) of your practice from the patient’s perspective
- What follows is the job description for a TCO, please highlight areas that are different in your current role
TCO JOB DESCRIPTION
Proactively manage the non-clinical relationship with potential and existing patients, with the aim of optimising the uptake of treatment plans, while consistently providing sensitive and ethical service delivery.
Key responsibilities
- Manage all enquiries from new patients, providing information on the treatments available in line with the clinical and brand standards of the practice. Ensure fast, relevant and structured follow-up to all enquiries, with the principal aim of booking a first appointment with either the TCO or clinician. The timing of this appointment will vary depending on the patient’s frame of mind; often it will be necessary to ‘nurture’ over an extended period until the patient is ready to make an appointment.
- Effectively manage the new business objectives for the practice by month, by quarter and annually — which means ‘ownership’ of the sales budget.
- Manage new patient initial consultations/pre-conditioning to establish clearly what the patient’s goals are. This process may include the use of before and after shots, photographing the patient and using an Apple TV link to display the photo on a large screen, which helps in creating a focused conversation. Medical history is taken, funding requirements are discussed and expectations are managed. The role of TCO is explained and re-enforced and the patient is reassured that they will be seeing the TCO again following the consultation with their clinician.
- Proactively play a pivotal role in the practice’s marketing system, meaning running/monitoring the marketing performance reporting systems that the practice operates, which reports new patient acquisition by channel and treatment type. In addition, play a leading role in advising the business manager or principal on the marketing mix each quarter.
Other responsibilities
- Managing the systems for follow-up contacts and recall contacts
- Managing the systems for treatment plan reactivation
- Managing the systems for referrals and written and video testimonials
- Overseeing outbound campaigns, proactively managing all follow-ups and monitoring the responses
- Providing information on the practice membership plan (where appropriate) and proactively signing up/converting members
- Involvement in practice open evenings, events and other marketing campaigns
Manage the reception and client lounge. To include:
- Meeting and greeting all patients, providing a customer-focused and seamless patient journey according to the practice’s brand standards
- Ensure the ‘front of house’ is maintained to a high standard and complete daily housekeeping tasks, according to the practice’s brand standards
Assist the fee-earners in take-up of treatment plans. To include:
- Discuss treatment options with the patient, identify any concerns and objections, answer their questions and gain agreement to a treatment plan that meets the patient’s needs
- Ensure that all the relevant paperwork is completed promptly and accurately and that all patient records are updated and maintained, according to practice procedures
- Proactively contribute to regular practice meetings
Skills and attitudes
- Excellent communication skills, verbal and written
- Excellent listening skills and an empathetic approach to patients
- Dedicated to providing a first class patient service experience
- Proven sales ability: can spot opportunities, understand and communicate the benefits to the patient, handle objections and close business
- Builds trust and rapport quickly with a wide range of people
- Good organisational skills
- Excellent follow-up ability on all tasks
- Ability to work as part of a team, and alone when required
- Good IT skills
- An ability to bring energy and enthusiasm to any situation and always act with honesty and integrity
- A ‘can-do’ attitude, with the desire to learn new skills and take on new challenges, showing initiative
- Prepared to work according to the practice systems and brand standards
- A professional appearance
Reporting line to principal / business manager
TCO WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
Day one
15.00
Welcome / introductions / aims
15.30
The dental marketing system
16.00
Measurement and reporting
17.00
The role of the TCO
Take home task — working in groups of three
19.00
Dinner with communications expert guest speaker
Day two
09.00
Presentations
10.00
Knowing your strengths and weaknesses
11.00
The patient journey
12.00
The TCO patient encounter including nurturing
14.00
Roleplays
15.00
Performance reporting — closing the loop
15.30
The TCO role in your practice
16.00
Present the TCO in your practice
17.30
Wrap
