I was online ordering something from Amazon today and realized that I needed something else after I had already completed the order. I logged back in, ordered the item, paid my tab and hit “Complete My Order” again. It then struck me on how quick and convenient that was for me, for all of us. There is a very good reason that Jeff Bezos is the world’s wealthiest person. What you may not know is that Jeff has been writing his shareholders a letter each year since 1997. This past one was particularly interesting in that he gave some insight as to why he thinks his company has been so successful and it really all boils down to treating customers (patients in our case) as if they are the most important part of your business… WHICH THEY ARE!!!
Some of my friends all tell me that we go into the office too early in the morning and they can’t understand why. We usually arrive up to an hour before our first patient comes through the door for their appointment. Dr.Ryan and I meet with our assistants and hygienists to go over specifics about each patient and the procedures we will be performing that day. We also make sure that the bathrooms are presentable, the fish tank is clean, the plants look healthy, the reception area organized and the operatories ready to treat patients. I have worked in offices where the doctor shows up a few minutes before the patients arrive (sometimes even AFTER the patients are there) and just walk right in a start working. That is a recipe for disaster and it does not respect our patient’s best interests. For the past 40+ years we have been doing just what Bezos has been doing since 1997; setting expectations and living up to them. We live it, our team believes it, the patients see it. If they don’t, they (you) will move on to an office that does care. We work everyday to prevent that from happening!
If you would like to read his last letter, here is a link. Just click on “Letter to Shareholders.”
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97664&p=irol-reportsannual
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