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THINKING BUSINESS
a blog by Chris Barrow

Start again!

If I had £250,000 spare I would open a brand new private dental practice. Why?

  1. because that’s how much it would cost to do a “proper job”

  2. because new-starts don’t have any “baggage”

What do I mean by “baggage”?

  1. “baggage” is existing patients that have been trained to expect something for nothing and to expect the principal to deliver

  2. “baggage” is a maintenance book that the principal feels obliged to maintain

  3. “baggage” is team members who are resistant to change

  4. “baggage” is existing clinical and common area facilities that need to upgraded

  5. “baggage” is associates, hygienists, therapists and auxiliaries who are in their comfort zone

  6. “baggage” is the absence of marketing and a patient journey

  7. “baggage” is the absence of tight financial controls and effective monitoring of financial KPI’s

  8. “baggage” is less than 20 new quality patients per month, per full-time dentist

  9. “baggage” is a membership scheme with declining numbers

It’s simply amazing how well “new starts” are doing in the current climate, offering what I described in last week’s ezine as “the shortest route to the money” in retail dentistry:

  1. tooth whitening

  2. facial aesthetics

  3. invisible braces

  4. white “anything”

  5. dental implants

  6. membership

  7. KEDO’s

as long as it’s delivered concierge class in a way that suits the chosen demographic niche. I’m meeting principals whose businesses and booming. Every week. And I’m off to Glasgow in 48 hours to network with more of them – I wonder if the mood of the BDA conference will be about “confidence”? And if you already have a dental practice – what do you do? Close it down this Friday afternoon – do what General Motors have done – but without the Chapter 11. Forget the past – and re-open your business next Monday morning with all “baggage” exorcised – and start again, knowing what you know now.

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