Chris Barrow’s Blog

For the faint-hearted, this short video contains explicit language that may offend – for the rest of us, enjoy one of the funniest videos I’ve seen for a while…..

How happy am I that the following current or former clients have been short-listed:

Most Attractive Practice

Ollie and Darsh
The Courtyard Huddersfield

Most Improved Practice

Penistone Dental Care

Best Dental Team

Cahill Dental Care Centre Ltd

Haslemere Dental Centre

Private Dentist of the Year

Michael Cahill

Best Community or Charity Project

Aesthetics

Bringing me all out in goose bumps.

See you down in London!

Enlarging upon my Tweet of a few moments ago.

I’m very much looking forward to meeting over 70 new people today as we bring the “Business School” material to a new IDH region – a typical CB day of holding a new room and making new friends.

The challenge that haunts me is the sheer weight of business development and personal organisation that I have sat on my desk (for the next couple of days) in Altrincham.

This and I am blessed with a fantastic personal assistant to whom I genuinely cannot delegate the “things” I want to do.

The real problem is that I’ve slipped into too many “delivery” days and not enough “planning and preparation” days – a predictable malaise at this time of year (especially when there are bills to pay).

The paradox is the need to generate income versus the need to plan carefully – and I’ve been wrestling with that pig for most of my adult life – personally and on behalf of clients.

At the risk of repetition, my 2010 calendar was completed on Saturday – and allows for a considerable increase in business development days – but until New Year it will be head down and work, work, work.

Tomorrow, at my desk, I will have to get through a lot of stuff…..

For today – the audience awaits.

• awake at 03:30 and sat at desk by 04:30 – crap – gremlins #
• Odd job man arrives and parks white van outside my window. Radio 1 at top volume. I want to kill him. #
• 2010 calendar done – free, focus, studio and buffer days – that makes me feel VERY good #
• another 04:00 start – simply because I'm on fire with enthusiasm this morning #
• IDH workshop in Exeter – slow start but warming nicely – bringing to the boil…. #
• The 18 posts on my "stats in dentistry" yesterday make interesting reading. Practice Plan workshop today – Bromsgrove – could be a hoot! #
• 2 clients short-listed for the Private Dentistry awards – how happy am I? Proud daddy feelings. #
• Your home page must be about the potential new patients and not about the practice #
• It's been a perfect day #
• off to Ollie and Darsh – woo hoo! #
• free wifi at Starbucks on Dale Street Liverpool – how cool is that? #
• Fantastic coaching day. Now a quick pizza with my daughters #
• busy, busy, busy. Make a list, A, B, C the list. Do the A's first. Come on CB – stay focused… #
• Manchester to Newquay. Flying home #
• RT @guylevine: hi – any chance you could RT my last tweet or just http://bit.ly/70d3Y – i think its quite funny! Always happy to RT U #
• Why are Friday flights always full of nob-heads? Oops – does that mean I'm…. #
• Annie happy with new car, me happy that 2009 calendar is fixed and 2010 calendar is done – now for a night of Strictly and Dexter.. #
• Another delayed flight… #

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Dentists spend too much time thinking about one type of margin.

The margins that are associated with teeth.

And not enough time thinking about an equally important subject.

The profit margin on the work they do.

Real life example:

• special offer on Invisalign – £2900 (cheapest price in town)
• plus free home whitening
• plus a further £300 discount on the Invisalign if you become a member of the practice (£18.00 per month)

Result.

Loads of patients and work – some profit but not enough profit.

Busy dentists running around with their hair on fire, patients by the dozen – profit and loss figures that don’t look healthy enough.

What’s missing?

A careful evaluation of the lab and materials costs, regular checks on internal costs – and a serious re-think of the marketing strategy.

Decisions about changing the offer – the effect of which will be to reduce the number of patients and increase the overall profit.

Its about margin – think retail.

Do you know the margin on everything you do?

If not, you need a coach.

​

As soon as I arrived at the Exeter Chiefs rugby stadium yesterday morning, I somehow knew that the day would be a good one.

I’ve been presenting workshops for enough years now to reflect upon the key ingredients for a successful day:

• Venue – a bright, modern, well lit, air-conditioned lecture room. Plenty of easy on-site parking. Easy to find. Excellent AV facilities. Good catering and, above all FRIENDLY AND HELPFUL STAFF. My thanks and appreciation go out to the conference department at the location, who did a wonderful job;
• Sound – I make a point wherever possible to use the audio systems or my own JPL speakers to get some loud-ish music going first thing in the morning (currently working my way through 28 hours of Paul Okenfold podcasts). The music lifts the delegates as they arrive – otherwise you have a wake at the start. Keep the music going during the breaks – don’t let the crowd sink down;
• Layout – round tables of up to 10 with a great big gap in the middle of the room for me to prance about;
• Catering – plenty of good tea, coffee, biscuits – and God help you if the lunch isn’t hot, comforting food with a decent dessert;
• Limited paperwork – delegates don’t want to be weighed down with print media – but they do want some memento of the proceedings – keep it concise;
• Powerpoint without death – “yes” to slides but “no” to small text and lots of words – simple visuals and few bullet points;
• Breaks – plenty of them. 10:30 (15 mins), 12:30 (45 mins), 15:00 (15 mins)
• A sense of humour – if you want people to absorb serious points, make them laugh about you, about the work we do and about themselves – study stand up comics who tell stories and not jokes.

and, above all, educate, entertain, challenge and use as many “real life” examples and as little “theory” as possible.

Oh – and by the way, keep the dementors away – or if they are there, head them off early in the day.

You know who I mean.

The people who think that you and your message are rubbish – even before they have heard it.

They believe that customer service has no place in dentistry and that asking team members to smile, make eye contact and adopt the mantra of “no problem, leave it with me, I’ll get it sorted” is an affront to their core values or qualifications.

“I didn’t come into dentistry to have to be nice to people.”

Yesterday, the dementors stayed away – and the day just rocked.

http://www.coachbarrow.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/teeth.pdf​

This from The Sunday Times (courtesy of Barbara Thankappan).

What does it tell us?

• Great weekend – another very busy week begins.. #
• fantastic time with the lads over the weekend – now – back to my profession! Business development day – and a very long "to do" list #
• @coachbythesea that's a very kind comment – thanks for the smile on my face this morning in reply to coachbythesea #
• I have an uncomfortable phone call to make at 10:30 – and its an elephant in my room – can't think straight #
• the elephant has now left the room – as usual it turned out to be a mouse disguised as an elephant – head now clear.. #
• Day 7 of 11 and the first of 4 hotel nights. Another Hilton, another bar meal http://bit.ly/dAopY #
• @oliverharman thanks both for the birthday wishes in reply to oliverharman #
• So apparently "whitening Wednesdays" is a new idea? I'm sure the team at Ollie and Darsh disagree Moral: always check the source #
• There's a Christmas tree in reception… #
• My favourite whitening suggestion from a dentist client was "Mingers Mondays" – not very PC I suppose.. #
• just loaded Snow Leopard – why is that exciting me? I'm clearly bored this evening. Need to go and read a book in the bar. #
• just activating my 3Gs and syncing – OMG it's beautiful – I am such a gadget freak… #
• free wifi in my room and a monsoon shower – I'm already feeling good about today #
• @RichardCharon of course.. in reply to RichardCharon #
• here we go – full day workshop – feeling in the mood for a good time #
• Exhausted and uplifted after a splendid day. A solitary evening of rest and reflection. Job well done CB #
• Day 10 of 11 – a solitary business development session in Bristol and then off to Northern Ireland #
• Here's a 30-minute interview on communication skills with myself and Sharon Sayler #BlogTalkRadio – http://tobtr.com/s/657226 #
• Praise where its due for Cadbury House in Congresbury who have looked after me well for the last 36 hours #
• 5 hours of business development – now off to Belfast #
• Ryanair. Oh dear #
• @RichardCharon send copy when you are ready #
• That guy who was a judge on the early TV talent shows. Pop promoter, small, round face, receding hair, slightly large front teeth. Name? #
• Tea and a ham sandwich £7.20. and would you like to buy nicotene substitute fags, a scratch card or a cuddly toy? At least I'm 20 mins early #
• well done to all the Tony Hatch spotters yesterday #
• Day 11 of 11 – anticipations – a challenging day of coaching, my journey home and my beautiful lady #
• today we decide how the best get better – a plan for the next 3 years #
• Mission accomplished – next – a 2-hour drive to Belfast, followed by a 3-hour drive from Bristol to Falmouth – coming home! #
• Makes flight with minutes to spare. #
• Third son, first night at Uni. Calls to say he is fine and dandy. One down, two to go in next 2 weeks. #

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Dear Chris,

I am just feeling a little unsure as October approaches. This is when Denplan write to all the patients to inform them of our 2010 fees, with a 5% increase as discussed with you before. I was really hoping by now to be 100% definite about building the new practice and I am still a way short of being able to announce this. I was hoping to send out a newsletter about the new practice prior to the fee increase. Please can you let me have your thoughts on this.

Working with a savvy dentist who had frozen his plan price “in view of the recession” but had increased FPI prices by 25% – nobody noticed or complained and he has increased his cash flow considerably.

Patients notice increases in regular payments – fact – check ups and hygiene.

I suggest you freeze the Denplan increase, make sure you clearly define the demarkation line between “maintenance” and “cosmetics” and then significantly increase your prices for cosmetics – and THEN – get out there and sell cosmetics!

And before Denplan throw a fit (I have no beef with them) – I would say a similar thing in respect of any membership scheme.

​

Liker many others. I was pretty unimpressed with the options O2 offered to upgrade to the new IPhone 3Gs – assuming that us “early adopters” would be rewarded by jumping the queue, or paying less.

Sadly, no such thing – wait until January 2010 was my legacy, unless I wanted to pay a fortune.

I had resigned myself to a life of phone envy.

At the risk of creating a flurry of false claims – I DID genuinely (honest – I promise) drop my iPhone in Harley Street 2 weeks ago and crack the glass. Phone still working (thank goodness).

Prophetically foresighted, I had paid the extra for insurance on the original phone so:

• call to O2 insurance
• “like for like” insurance in place subject to a £25 excess
• no units currently in stock but we’ll send one asap

2 weeks go by and nothing – until Monday, when I’m called en route and advised that a new unit will be ready Tuesday and “where would you like us to send it?”

I’m working in Hampshire all day and so advise them of the practice address.

Nice O2 lady informs me that “because we have kept you waiting, we will offer a complimentary upgrade to the new iPhone 3Gs.”

I, of course, almost faint at the wheel, recover my senses and offer a profuse thank you to Louise from O2.

New phone dutifully arrives and my clients are gracious enough to allow me to set the phone up by linking to my Macbook Pro in their lovely practice (which has free wifi).

Last night, as I drive from Hampshire to Bristol, I am interviewed live for a Pacific Coast internet radio show, via Bluetooth on my sparkling new toy.

Later in the evening I have a chance to play with some of the facilities and swoon at the coolness and the velocity of the responses.

Happy boy – CB enrolled as a member of O2’s sales force.

Going beyond my expectations – and so I broadcast my happiness to my virtual community.

A little bit extra is all it takes.