I’m often asked whether a dentist should send a survey to new patients. On one hand, surveys provide information that you can use to improve your customer service. On the other hand, consumers are inundated with surveys.
You’re probably asked to complete a survey at over half of the stores and restaurants you visit…the request is often printed on the bottom of your receipts, along with a promise to enter your name to win a bazillion dollars if you complete the survey. The survey craze is a national problem. Just yesterday, a popular radio station featured the topic of “too many surveys” on their morning show, here in Dallas-Ft. Worth. When is the last time you completed a survey, just to offer constructive advice (not to register a complaint)?
Why to Have a Survey
That said, surveys for new dental patients can be a good tool for improvement and quality control. You’re in and out of your office every day, and you probably think you know the impression you make on new patients. However, you aren’t on the phone when they call, in the front office when they arrive, or at checkout when they leave. You may not know how long they waited to see you, whether they were greeted with a smile or frown, and what the “temperature” is in your office. The kicker is, if you are not going to review survey results and take action toward improvement, surveys are a waste of time for you and the patients who complete them! Read More