Chris Barrow’s Blog

CUPERTINO, California—April 22, 2009—Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2009 second quarter ended March 28, 2009. The Company posted revenue of $8.16 billion and a net quarterly profit of $1.21 billion, or $1.33 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $7.51 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.05 billion, or $1.16 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 36.4 percent, up from 32.9 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 46 percent of the quarter’s revenue.
Apple sold 2.22 million Macintosh® computers during the quarter, representing a three percent unit decline from the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 11.01 million iPods during the quarter, representing three percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhone units sold were 3.79 million representing 123 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter.

I met a man with an abundance mentality today. The first I have met for some time.

He believes that:

• his young team will do a good job
• his new and inexperienced practice manager will rise to the occasion
• his associates will be productive
• his existing patients will keep coming and
• will refer others
• that new patients will arrive in sufficient numbers
• that he is a great clinician

His practice needs a considerable refurbishment, a complete rebranding and a complete marketing and patient journey make-over, new financial monitoring systems – in fact, “the works”.

There is no way that the business would win any awards at the moment – it desperately needs a facelift (I described it as a 1992 dental practice frozen in time).

But he stayed very calm (because he is always very calm) and simply asked me to show him and the team how to create a 2012 dental practice.

I’ve had a great day, doing what I do.

But an even greater day working with a quiet leader.

I doubt that his profile will ever rise in the media, in the profession – he was ego-less.

But I have 110% confidence that, in a few years time, he will probably send his practice manager and team on stage to pick up an award – and stay, quietly, at the back of the room.

It’s so long since I met anyone like that – it took me the first hour to figure out what the hell was happening – and the rest of the day inspired by his leadership, management and attitude.

He made me confident and peaceful – I know he does that for his team and I’ll bet he does it for the patients.

Fabulous.

Unflappable.

Abundance.

My new cappuccino cup and saucer arrived in the mail on Saturday from Alex Jones at Pensitone Dental Care in South Yorkshire.

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Its part of a complete re-brand of both private and NHS practices that has involved Cathy Johnson in creating new patient Welcome Packs, referral business cards, a refurbishment of both premises and a complete re-think of their business model over the last 12/18 months.

Alex was one of my speakers at The Brits last autumn.

Branding continues to increase in importance as one of the ways in which potential clients positively differentiate your practice from the competition.

Some people just want the dentistry – cheap as chips.

Others want a branded “experience” (just like all of us who happily pay £3.00 for a coffee in Starbucks, Cafe Nero, Costa Coffee on a weekend).

Alex has created a dental practice that caters for the latter group – and they joining his practice in large numbers – even out there in a Yorkshire village.

Coffee cups, Molton Brown and individual hand towels in the toilet, USB sticks, Ipod shuffles – all that stuff works!

p.s. – Alex sends me a photo of the coffee machine:

• this morning my first 30-minute run in ages – thank you Ashley for the inspiration #
• Next stop Totnes. Wacky bollocks #
• Newquay airport this morning – the red eye to Manchester for a meeting at IDH – and then on to Glasgow! #
• working in my office in IDH – yes – I have one! First time this year…. #
• Excellent meeting on corporate social networking and online reputation management #
• @LauraHorton1 my pleasure #
• just had coffee with Paul Tipton and then bumped into Trevor Ferguson – small world indeed! I bet you wish you had been a fly on those walls #
• Early morning solitude in Bothwell #
• feeling great this morning after an excellent evening and stay with the Cunninghams – nicer people you could not wish for #
• watching a dental implant placement – fascinating #
• number of fee earners X average daily production X number of clinical days = predictable result #
• Branding http://yfrog.com/07pkxj #
• BDA West of Scotland AGM & then me on stage & then sat on my own in a crappy rstrnt. Billy no mates 2nite #
• heading out for a jog in Central Glasgow #
• The Swallow Hotel – Paisley Road West. Another totally crap hotel – but the bottle is half full! #
• watching light bulbs going on – I love this…. #
• explaining to Gemma what Twitter is #
• Glasgow flight 2 Manchester nxt after an inspirational team training day. Train 2 Preston before I’m done #
• @CrownWealth what’s your perfect client? So I can recognize them #
• on an evening train to Preston – arrived from the airport to the platform with 4 minutes to spare – perfect #
• Room is cupboard sized but it’s a Marriott and that will do nicely #
• 3 most famous nurses? 1. Hattie Jaques 2. Florence Nightingale 3. Abi Titmuss. So I heard as I ear-wigged a group of NHS CEO’s last night #
• cracking day with Lifestyle Dental – heading for Manchester Airport #
• Flight number 5 of 6 coming up. Phillippa has just won National VA 2009 (new starter) So pleased & proud! #
• @Dentalassessor my pleasure and privilege in reply to Dentalassessor #
• @markoborn thanks for the mention in reply to markoborn #
• And now… Flight number 6 to Cornwall and a 40-minute drive home! #

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When I arrived at the Preston Marriott last night, I was dog-tired after a crazy week (so far) and a long day.

At least it wasn’t the Holiday Inn Express – counting my blessings – Marriott can be relied on for a good night’s sleep. Their beds are always good.

Lovely hotel set in the grounds of an old country house in Broughton, a few miles North of the city centre.

I lived here for a short time 25 years ago – and loved the area (out for a run this morning along Garstang Road brought back many memories).

The receptionist was busily checking me in, going through her “brand standards”, when another guest arrived behind me.

This is 9.30pm and the hotel reception is deserted bar the three of us.

The new arrival is clearly a regular – a distinguished looking gentleman.

As soon as she sees him, she breaks eye contact with me, ends our conversation mid-stream and reaches round to pick up his key, waiting in an envelope with his name printed on the cover.

He queries the choice of room.

She suggests he take a look and if not happy she will move him.

I have been abandoned – the baton dropped.

I had my key and was organising a taxi for 7:45 this morning to take me to a dental practice nearby.

She and he are chatting about what type of room has been allocated – to him.

My blood pressure is rising, my chest tightening – I’m just too tired to cause a scene.

So I wait – until he has been satisfied and wandered off to check his room.

And she then returns to me.

Unforgivable.

And at 5:45 this morning my room phone rings out and the overnight duty manager tells me that my 5:45 taxi is waiting outside.

Stupid cow.

I don’t want a multi-tasking receptionist, thank you very much.

They get stuff wrong.

Bloody good job I was up and about – if I had wanted a longer sleep there would have been hell to pay.

Make sure your receptionist doesn’t ever do that with a patient – had I been at a first consult for dental implants, I would have taken my business elsewhere, however good the dentist.

Sometimes we just experience a run of mediocrity in our lives – and the last 12 hours in Glasgow have been that run (which I hope this catharsis will end).

Cheers for David, Dawn and the team at Spring Grove Dental for an outstanding day at The Dakota yesterday – a full team meeting with many members of staff contributing presentations on their areas of responsibility. So much so that my designated half-day “Chris Barrow show” turned into a 90-minute web marketing review at the end of the day.

The team at Spring Grove “own” their jobs – and that’s a testament to David for “getting out of the way” and Dawn for her superb leadership skills.

Cheers also for Robert, Arabella and the team at the BDA West of Scotland branch, who made me very welcome at their AGM last night (in the hallowed halls of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons).

I have to say that there were times in the evening where I felt as if I were doing a sales-pitch on the wheel to a gathering of Druids at Stonehenge (“what’s wrong with rolling stones on logs?”) but even the most die-hard, over-55 NHS principals were gracious in their welcome and their attention as I over-viewed UK market conditions.

It seems a shame that they are struggling to attract younger members and also struggling to pay their bills due to budgetary restraints. I hope that Peter Ward (who was in attendance) took that message back to Wimpole Street with him. The profession needs the BDA to survive and prosper and not to stagnate as other trade associations thrive.

Those very same budgetary constraints (theirs, not mine) found me checking in at The Holiday Inn Express on West Nile Street last night – and wandering (lonely as a cloud) next door to the equally depressing Di Maggios for a late bowl of minestrone at 9.30pm.

My room cost £79.00, a rip off – although I have to admit surprise at just how comfy the bed was and how good a night’s sleep I enjoyed (although I’m so knackered that they could have driven a hoover through last night and I would have stayed in a coma).

The rest of the establishment was designed to make any resident feel that this was a rehearsal for their last 5 years in a care home operated by Somali pirates.

On checking in last night, the chirpy girl at reception asked me (as she swiped my credit card) “would you like to charge any extras to your room, such as a bar bill or movies?”

She managed to say it, and look at me “knowingly” in a way that made me feel as if I was browsing Rubber Weekly in a Soho porn shop.

I blushed and said “no thanks” with the same shame that I’d feel if I had been caught trying to steal the free blow-up doll out of the magazine.

I then asked if there was an iron available in the room.

Not a chance – they were all “out” – handed to an army of reps busy pressing their shirts for tomorrow.

Promised my turn when one was returned, I asked again at 10.00pm last night, 6.00 and 7.00 this morning – no chance.

I’m wearing a shirt today that looks like I’ve just got back from an all-nighter in Ibitha.

This morning’s receptionist was a young lad of Eastern European origins who sported some outstanding characteristics:

• the default answer to every question – “sorry, no”
• a gigantic yellow-headed spot in the middle of his cheek
• a shaved head
• a propensity for attaching small metal trinkets to as many parts of his exposed body as possible

It looked like somebody had thrown a fried egg into the front door of a staple factory.

I went out for a jog this morning, returned and got the hell out of there, booted and suited, to get some breakfast anywhere else that I could.

If you think your life is crap – spend a weekend at The Holiday Inn Express – you’ll either finish yourself off in your room or realise that life where you are isn’t that bad.

They should change the name of the chain to Dignitas.

So off I walk down West Nile Street to the corner of Sauchiehall Street – and I have to make a choice:

• Starbucks or
• Pret a Manger?

Opposite corners.

You know how much I love Pret – so they are a clear winner?

I walk in the door of Pret to see a line of tired, glum, sad faces behind the counter.

That’s a first – it never happens.

It just did – I’m so upset I could cry.

What’s going on? Glasgow is one of my favourite cities and I’m meeting slap faces?

I walk across to Starbucks and a happy, smiling face greets me and we have a bit of a chat and laugh whilst I order my cheese and Marmite panini (bliss) and double-shot cappuccino.

I hope somebody from Pret is reading this – get into that store and tell them all that if they don’t sharpen their act you’ll…. you’lll…. you’ll send them all on a training course at The Holiday Inn Express.

I want happy smiling faces – not just coffee.

Here goes for a management team training day with the Scottish Region of IDH – I’m looking forward to kicking my ‘stuff’ off with them.

Yes – looking forward to 2 full days of team training here in Glasgow PLUS an evening presentation to the BDA.

Life is busy and I continue to be amazed at the opportunities that exist in dentistry.

Changing the subject slightly – I have to share with you my quote of the day yesterday from my friend Guy Levine.

“The front page of your web site is on Google”

Meaning that the first place many browsers see your name is as a result of a search.

If your site isn’t optimised then you are handicapped from the start.

• up since 4:30am working on finances – couldn’t sleep. At least it’s done. #
• @rtm:dentistry article #
• having fun mind-mapping my marketing workshop #
• interviewed by Cardiff dental student James Belcher this morning – a budding entrepreneur using Audacity on his Macbook to record! #
• needed a break – on the bikes down to Swanpool Beach #
• Dawn drive to London – time to think #
• Watching the game at The Globe off Baker Street this evening #
• My afternoon invested in web marketing, e-commerece and on-line coaching #
• Recession = efficiency + innovation + confidence + energy #
• Blooody hell the Globe are showing Arsenal! #
• Phew! Made it to the Sports Bar and Grill in Marylebone with sausage and mash. Happy me. Now come on you Reds. #
• Now I’m sat watching the match next to Bill Oddie #
• Nice one Ronnie. Even happier now. #
• Early start at Melia House – usual West End insomnia #
• off to do a “Gordon Ramsey” on a dental practice in London #
• Had lunch with Henry Olsen yesterday – what a fascinating and delightful man – check out http://www.henryolsen.com #
• Saturday morning and I cannot relax because I have about 85 emails unanswered from last week – on the sofa in solitude #
• emails all answered – post opened and sorted, “to do” list written for the next few days, laundry in progress. Now for lunch and a bimble. #
• How come I have too much to do and not enough money? That’s the wrong way round! Physician heal thyself. #
• Wembley here we come…. #
• Great day out, lousy game and result, late finish for us – expected home at 00.30 – ouch. I have a tan though. #

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I want to recommend and congratulate the team at The Anchor for making my stay here last night and today such a superb experience.

Their web site is here. CLICK HERE

My room was booked at very short notice following a change of travel plans and, on arrival last night at 7:00pm, they could not have done more to make my stay the highlight of the week.

Beautiful, spacious room. A bed so comfortable I could have slept for 24 hours! Free wifi throughout the building (I’m sat in the ancient bar area working since 5:30) and a lovely dinner last with with Tim Thackrah whilst we “shot the breeze” and caught up.

As always with customer service, its the little things that mean the most – the “chocolates on the pillow” as described by Michael Gerber.

My most memorable was as I decided to leave the hotel restaurant and retire for the evening at 10:00pm last night.

Passing the bar, I heard “would you like to take a bottle of still water up to your room sir?” and was presented with a complimentary bottle.

I know it might sound daft on a wet Friday morning – but it just made me feel that my custom was appreciated.

Of course, what goes around, comes around – Tim and I were chatting about using their private dining room for his Study Group meetings and for management meetings.

So the “long term value” of my stay here last night could run into hundreds of pounds of business – and, of course, Tim will invite his referring dentists here – and they have family, friends, colleagues and patients – and so it goes.

Everyone in a business needs the right:

Knowledge – how to do the job

Skills – how well the execute the job and

Attitude – how well they behave.

And the team at the The Anchor have all three and more besides.

Bring your dental team here and simply say “that’s how it’s done”.

As for me?

Been working since 5:30 this morning on all sorts of projects.

I have a full day of coaching ahead and then a long drive back to Falmouth – there’s a part of me that wishes Annie were on her way up country for a lazy weekend at this place!