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Have you ever been out and about and heard something that just sounds so wrong?

I was buying a DVD in a retail store last week when I heard what seemed to be the same thing said by two different sales people.

I was lined up waiting for an available checkout person and this is what I heard.

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One sales person called out:

“Next!”

The other sales person was calling out:

“May I help you?”

Both sales people said the same thing.

Didn’t they?

One sales person said it was my turn while the other sales person asked if she could help me.

Both sales people really said the same thing but *my* response was very different.

The difference was that the sales person who asked if she could help me, asked me a question.

Asking a question was polite.

The sales person was offering to help me, rather than making me feel like I was just next, and a number in the line.

How fascinating that we can say something very similar and it can mean the same but create a different response.

I then went into a large department store and was served by a very enthusiastic sales person who asked me at the end of the transaction:

“Is there anything else I can help you with?”

This is a brilliant question to ask a customer yet often not asked.

My day of shopping highlighted how we need to think carefully about what we say to people.

Asking customers or patients questions is a great way to offer help.

It made me think about what we say in our Dental Office and what we could say to help our patients feel important, recognised and special.

When you make an appointment for a caller, do you ask this at the end of the call?

“Is there anything else you are concerned about?”

Or do we just end the call and say goodbye?

Asking this question is so polite and helpful and also opens up the opportunity to help the caller further when they come in for their appointment.

When your patients arrive at the practice do you say this?

“Have a seat.” 

Or do we say……

“Please make yourself comfortable.” 

Same, same, yet so different.

When a caller rings your practice do you say this?

 “Brown Dental” 

Or do we say……..

“Thank you for calling Brown Dental This is Jayne. How may I help you?”

Can you see how we can replace or add on to what we say to make it so much better?

Make what you say and ask your patients more effective.

Make it about helping your caller/patient.

Make them feel important and they will make you important.

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This blog  features simple practical ideas that are easy to implement tomorrow in your Dental Office, impacting immediately on your Patients’ Dental  Phone Experiences, and ultimately, improving your practice profitability.

At present I have availability for only ONE new private client. For more information on how I can improve your Dental Office’s Phone Numbers contact me, Jayne Bandy at  jayne@theDPE.com

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