With dental offices popping up on every block, what’s the most effective way to give your dental practice a solid online presence?
Accomplished dental practices have understood that thinking beyond the parameters of clinical excellence is required for business success. How do they master a stellar online reputation without incurring a heavy cost? We’ll discuss this, along with why it’s so important for your practice to hop on the bandwagon.
Recent statistics prove that the vast majority of potential clients check online reviews before scheduling an appointment, with Google reviews being the most popular. Having a large number of 5 star ratings and positive reviews has become vital for winning over new patients.
Let’s breakdown 2 essential steps to gaining a platinum online reputation for your practice.
Step 1 | How & When to Request Patient Reviews
Did you know that patients are more likely to leave a 5 star rating and positive review immediately after checkout, more than any other time? Their visit is still fresh in mind, and most patients are happy to share their positive experience.
How should you ask for those reviews? Two methods have been widely used including:
- Verbally asking upfront
- Automated Text/Email message
Which one do you think ranks as most effective? According to patients, text messaging with a direct link for leaving the review, stands out above the rest as the most well-received method.
The take away from this is that standardizing your patient review system via text messaging immediately after checkout, will win you the most 5 star ratings and positive reviews possible.
Step 2 | Follow up Negative Reviews/Ratings with a Questionnaire
Research shows that today’s patients are more critical than before. An invoice error, insurance misunderstanding, or excessive wait time can shatter your practice’s image. That one unsatisfied patient’s negative review can easily put off potential clients, if not clearly resolved for all to see.
Responding to negative reviews or low ratings online is critical to show that you truly care about patient satisfaction and that you go above and beyond to provide the best quality services.
A huge benefit of embracing an automated reputation management system is that you’re given the ability to maintain negative reviews and low ratings internally, sending them a questionnaire to resolve their concerns. This helps safeguard and build your online reputation faster.
Conclusion
Scaling up your dental practice’s online reputation is crucial for building a growing patient base. By making it easy for patients to leave reviews via the most preferred method (automated text messages), at the most effective time (after checkout) is a prime step to implement.
Resolving negative reviews is critical to avoid potential clients from being put off. Find out how mConsent’s Reputation Management platform boosts your online reputation at the most affordable rate around.
