Coach Barrow

“Hi Chris

I’m in need of some help and hopefully you’re the man who can! I’m having a few problems with a new patient to the practice and would like her to find another dentist. This lady has been rude to my receptionist when she couldn’t get an appointment for her children until the 9/6/06. The kids needed a 50 min appointment and she wanted it after 4.30 in the afternoon. She then said she was told when she joined the practice that she was told we stayed open to 8pm- not the case. As we haven’t covered this yet I was wondering what wording we should use in a letter or phone call asking her to find another dentist.

Many thanks”

First thing I want to do is remind you of the conflict resolution process – I wrote about this in the ezine a few weeks ago as follows:

By very popular request, I am jotting down here some notes on the method by which I handle conflicts in both professional and personal situations.

Credit, first of all, to my wonderful personal coach, Michael Myerscough http://www.therelationshipgym.com/relationship_coaches.htm

Who taught me this process a while back – it has been invaluable and I have spoken on this at length in DBS workshops, in connection with solving disputes in teams and with difficult patients.

So let’s start with a summary, followed by an explanation, of how I have taken Michael’s wisdom and adapted it to my own needs:

Step 1 Permission
Step 2 Perception
Step 3 Feelings
Step 4 Changes

Professional example:

Step 1

“Mr Patient, before you take a seat in the dental chair this morning, I wonder if you would like to take a seat over here. I do have to discuss a non-dental issue with you before we begin. Do I have permission to give you some very direct feedback?”

(Assume patient agrees)

Step 2

“My perception is that when you arrived at our reception desk this morning, you made a number of comments to my receptionist, and in a public place, about our prices and our time-keeping. My further information is that these comments were made in a style that my receptionist found rude and upsetting.”

Step 3

“I would like to explain to you how that is making me feel.

It is making me feel that you do not value the clinical skill and customer service that we invest in so heavily at this practice.

It is making me feel that a key member of my support team has been hurt and had her confidence weakened.

It is making me feel embarrassed that other team members and patients may have overheard this exchange.

It is making me feel stressed that I will have to deal with the leadership and management issues that this episode raises.

(Optional extra comment – “Was that your intention?”)

Step 4

“So what I would like to do is request a change.

That change is that if you have any genuine concerns about our clinical skills or customer service, that you would address those concerns with me as the owner of the business, rather than with individual members of my team. Is that OK?”

If, at Step 1, the patient refuses to accept direct feedback.

“In that case, Mr Patient, I am afraid that we are unlikely to be able to meet your customer service requirements at this practice and I would like to invite you to find another dentist.”

Once that process is complete, if the patient shows no sign of change then its time for the last conversation:

“Mrs. Smith

After having given some thought to the situation, I have reached the conclusion that at X Dental we are not going to be able to meet your customer service expectations and so we would like you to find an alternative dental practice.”