How missed sales opportunities cost healthcare providers – and what dental practices can learn from BUPA

Are you missing sales opportunities in your dental practice?

Last Friday I attended a full BUPA Health Screening - a birthday gift from me to me.

It's a considerable financial investment, but as I enter the "classic car" stage of my life, regular pit stops, MOT checks and services are becoming more important to me.

The assessment itself was excellent.

Over 90 minutes with Will, my 24-year old Healthcare Assistant - initial interview, all sorts of tests, basic physical once-over and a full analysis after a strenuous Wattbike session.

An hour with Dr. O'Callaghan, who walked me through the test results thoroughly and added some useful lifestyle tips.

Well worth the investment - by the way, I'm as fit as a flea - and the reassurance that brings is brilliant.

Now - I want to take you back to my arrival at the BUPA centre.

Well situated just outside the lovely market town of Tarporley in leafy Cheshire. Plenty of on-site parking and a lovely ambience as I walked into the reception area.

After checking in with the mature and very well presented lady behind the desk, I asked a very simple question.

Me: "I notice on the posters that you also provide a PrivateGP service here?"

Receptionist: "Yes - that's right".

Me: "We moved into the area 2 years ago, and I've been looking for a Private GP - there's a service in Wilmslow and Stretton that is independently owned - but as I'm already a BUPA member - I may as well look at yours. Do you have a brochure or any details I could look at please?"

Receptionist: "No - but you can just go and look at the website."

🙄

Me: (thinking to myself) - well that will make a good blog post..........

I wonder what the lifetime value of myself and Annie as Private GP subscribers would be?

Note to BUPA - your receptionist was very pleasant (in a British Airways senior crew kind of way) - and was doing her best in the absence of a system - but you need to do some sales training there methinks - or maybe have Will, the healthcare assistant, ask me if I was interested?

There is every chance I would have signed up there and then.

Please may I repeat - I'm not having a go at any individual here - my whole experience at BUPA Tarporley was first class.

It just pains me to see perfectly good sales opportunities lost.

And, of course, it begs the question as to whether the same might be happening in your dental business today.