Competition stimulates demand

A client recently sent me this email: A new NHS practice has set up only 2 miles away from me. They have just started in January and are blanket leafleting the whole area. I’m not desperately concerned at present as I feel our customer service is excellent, but I just wondered if you had any advice from other practices who have had the same competition? Here’s my advice

1. competition stimulates demand – more people will be thinking about dentistry

2. you will lose 10% of your patients

3. after a year they will start to drift back – so leave the door open

4. the new practice will hoover up all the time wasters, tightwads and Which? magazine readers – goody, goody

5. service is your competitive advantage

6. time to turbo-charge your marketing systems – especially on-line and social media

7. create a hand-out for every patient detailing ‘reasons to choose us’

8. make sure you have loads of special offers and open evenings

9. make sure the premises/team/attitude is spic and span

10. make sure every patient takes away a referral offer

11. hold regular meetings with the team to review patient numbers, drift and new patient sign ups

12. DO NOT DISCOUNT – ADD VALUE