Sarah Barnard, regional support manager from Practice Plan, looks at three key things you should consider when selecting a plan provider.
Running a dental practice is a team effort, the members of which aren’t necessarily just those on your payroll.
I know from my 13 years working in a dental practice and 30 years in dentistry just how much is involved in making your practice a success. Quite simply, there’s a huge amount to do.
Your team is integral to helping to share that workload and make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible. But your team isn’t just limited to those working directly in the practice.
It also includes your external partners; one of the highest compliments I receive is when a practice manager or owner tells me they feel I’m an extended part of the team.
That’s exactly how your plan provider should feel, like another member of the team helping to grow your business; another pair of hands to get stuck in and another pair of ears to listen to your challenges.
Because while the core work of being a plan provider is administering the Direct Debits, there is so much more we can do to help relieve some of the burden and support you to build a thriving practice.
If you’re thinking about introducing a membership plan into your practice it can be worthwhile asking potential providers what more they can do for you beyond just Direct Debit administration.
Below are three things to consider when selecting a plan provider to partner with:
How committed will they be?
If you’re looking to work with someone that you can view as another team member, you need to feel comfortable that the person you’ll be working closely with is someone you can trust to have your best interests at heart.
Do you feel that they’re someone you can build a long-term relationship with and that they have the knowledge and experience to advise and guide you? Do you get the sense they’ll invest in regular contact and really getting under the skin of your business?
Working closely with someone on the outside of the practice can bring a fresh pair of eyes to a situation and not just their own, you can also benefit from their network of contacts. Consider asking them what events they organise and how they can connect you with other local dental teams so that you can share best practice.
Can they support you to grow your brand?
Practice owners or managers are often expected to wear many hats, and it can make life less hectic if you’re able to offload one or two of those so that you can concentrate on other areas.
When looking for a plan provider, examine what wider business services they offer that could help to plug any gaps in your knowledge.
For example, if you’re planning to build a strong brand and increase your presence in the market, having access to a design and marketing team can be a big help – especially if they’re in-house and already understand your business and the message you want to convey to patients.
They could help you to freshen your existing brand, undergo a complete re-brand, or introduce practice-branded plans for the first time.
What access to data can they give you?
Working efficiently and profitably goes hand-in-hand with having access to the right data about your patients and how your practice is performing.
With this information you can more easily spot trends and work proactively to ensure you’re offering the best service to patients, that your practice is moving in the right direction and that the financial figures are all stacking up.
However, sometimes accessing and analysing this data can be time-consuming. Your plan provider may be able to help you with this.
Ask about what support they can offer in terms of data audits, software tools and online services that give you the information you need at your fingertips.
The right plan provider for you is the one you feel you can trust to work together with you to build a profitable and sustainable practice. With these three questions, you can start to work out as early as possible who the best fit is for you and who will be there as a partner to help your practice thrive.
Moving plan provider is easier than ever
If you’re feeling underwhelmed by your existing plan provider, it’s easier than ever to make a move and join Practice Plan with Easy Switch, our seamless bulk transfer process.
This means that the risk factor of worrying about losing patients has been hugely diminished as there is no disruption to them and they don’t need to take any action.
If you want more support to reach your goals and grow your practice, contact us for a no-obligation chat about how we could help by emailing: [email protected] or calling: 01691 684165. Find out more at practiceplan.co.uk/switch.
