Orthotown May 2024 - 38

The role of negative feedback
No practice is immune to negative feedback, and
in the world of orthodontics, where treatment
processes are intricate and highly personalized,
it's inevitable.
However, these moments of criticism are not
hurdles, they're invaluable opportunities. Negative
reviews off er a public platform to demonstrate
your practice's commitment to patient
satisfaction and your dedication to resolving
issues promptly and empathetically.
* Respond promptly and professionally.
Th e speed and tone of your response to negative
feedback are crucial. Aim to reply within
24-48 hours, which shows you take patient
concerns seriously. Keep your tone professional,
courteous and empathetic. Acknowledge
the patient's feelings and express your
genuine regret that their experience did not
meet their expectations.
* Take the conversation offl ine. While
it's important to acknowledge the review
publicly, aim to move the detailed discussion
offl ine. In the public response, ask them
to give you a call directly to discuss their
concerns in depth with someone from your
team. For example, " We are truly sorry to
hear about this experience. At [Practice
Name] we take pride in ensuring every single
patient experiences the best of the best care.
We take your feedback seriously and would
like to learn more so we can make things
right. Please give us a call. " (Most review
sites don't allow you to provide contact
details in your reply, but if allowed, be sure
to include your contact number.)
* Follow up. If you can identify which patient
left the review, follow up to ensure they feel
heard and are satisfi ed with the resolution.
* Request a follow-up review, when appropriate.
If you've successfully resolved the
issue and the patient is satisfi ed with the
outcome, it may be appropriate to ask them
to either remove their previous review or
update it so it refl ects their improved experience.
However, gauge the situation carefully
to ensure the patient feels completely comfortable
and not pressured to do this.
Conclusion
Remember that every patient interaction is a
step in a larger journey-a journey that can be
profoundly aff ected by the feedback loop you
create. From the fi rst consultation to the fi nal
reveal of a transformed smile, each review, survey
response or social media share is an opportunity
to enhance your practice and deepen
patient relationships.
Implement one or more of the strategies
discussed and start building your own feedbackdriven
patient journey today. Your practice will
grow stronger and you'll strengthen its bonds
with your community. Make every piece of
feedback count, turning insights into action and
patient smiles into meaningful stories. OT
Casey Bull is the chief operating off icer at
MyOrthoVA, a company that has created expertly
trained virtual assistants to orthodontic practices.
Bull also continues to support The Invisible
Orthodontist (TIO), where she drives TIO's mission
to provide member practices with marketing and
business management expertise. Her profound
understanding of the industry extends to the realm
of digital marketing, where she excels in overseeing
full-suite strategies, including website development
and optimization, paid advertising campaigns, local
SEO optimization and more.
MAY 2024 | 38 | ORTHOTOWN.COM
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Orthotown May 2024

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