The 12-week waiting list

We are all in the same boat when it comes to:

• our cost of living rising more rapidly than at any time in the last 30 years;

• queueing at airports;

• having to wait for the delivery of good affected by the supply chain.

Even the mighty Apple warned (at yesterday's developers conference) that delivery of it's new M2-powered laptops will be delayed (although I'm sure they don't mind one bit (sic) that scarcity creates demand).

Once warned, we are prepared.

• I filled the car on Sunday and expected it to be expensive;

• I'm flying to Dubrovnik and Geneva in the next two weeks and expect to arrive earlier than usual to check in;

• Anything electronic will take longer to arrive.

So I'm going to suggest that a 12-week wait for a dental appointment is no big surprise, given dental deserts and continued staff disruption due to Covid.

As in all things, customers/patients just don't like surprises.

The only reason that a patient will get angry at being told they must wait is if they didn't already know it was going to happen.

The sooner you get a newsletter out to them to explain the delay and the reasons for it - the better.

Otherwise you are throwing your FOH team into battle every day.