My dentists are two lovely ladies from ireland, Mary and Kathleen Macarthy and their practice is on the Brighton Rd in South Croydon I tell you this not to encourage you to join them, they don't need to advertise, but so that you will know that the people I am describing are real.
These ladies should be writing this blog because they have customer service down pat, every time I visit I am amazed at their skills.
Now let's face it a visit to the dentist isn't something any of us looks forward to and I'm no exception but these two ladies do everything they can to make the experience as pleasant as possible.
When I walk to the door and ring the electric door buzzer I know what will happen next, Kathleen or Mary will come to the door themselves, it's a remote operated door so there's no need for them to get up but they would see buzzing someone in as just plain rude.
A warm smile greets me and a genuine interest in my well being is evident in everything they do, whoever welcomes me to the practice walks me to the waiting room and makes sure that I have everything I could want before returning to her desk.
Often if there is a delay one or other will pop in and explain why and have a chat, my whole family go there so we always have plenty to talk about, how's your mum and dad, and Margaret etc.
We talk about all sorts of things until whoever is seeing me is ready when she comes to collect me, with a smile I am led to the couch and invited to recline.
We talk about whatever is required and agree together on any treatment before it is carried out, ok a filling is a filling and I'm not goingto tell you that they never hurt me but what I will tell you is that they hurt me as little as possible, I have total confidence that whatever they do is absolutely necessary for my well being.
When the treatment is over whoever was operating will walk me to the office for a brief chat on any next steps repeat visits etc. before returning to her next patient, the other sister will deal with the administration and walk me to the door.
As I pass the surgery I'll get a cheery farewell and at the door the same from the other sister before I leave with a fresh smile on my face.
My doctor's is also in the Brighton Rd but I won't name it as I would not want to encourage anyone to attend there.
When I have to attend and believe me I rarely do I dread it, the surgery is grubby the staff indifferent at best and the doctor herself when she is there and normally I see a locum, is brusque and completely fails to listen.
I hate being late so I am always early for appointments, I'll arrive 15 mins early or so despite the fact that I know my appointment will be at least 30 mins late.
When I eventually get the receptionists attention he or she will grunt and point me at the waiting area, the waiting area for this surgery was originally decorated in the late 50's or early 60's and since then has seen not a lick of paint.
There has obviously been a flood at some point judging by the huge brown stain on the ceiling, there are posters on the wall that have been there at least 9 years as that's how long I've been going and they looked old when I first went !
The place is as inclusive as a private gentlemans club with none of the redeeming features.
This time I had to visit the loo, hmmm interesting experience fighting my way past broken toys to find a cardboard box over the pan, I turned and spotted another door to find a working example but no loo paper, I did a bit of searching and found a roll tucked away so all was well, apart from the cork ceiling tiles hanging off the ceiling and the smell.
When my long wait was over normally a buzzer goes off to signify that I may approach the doctor but today the locum I was seeing came and got me, we made our way up the dark corridor to the front room, as you would expect there is an examining couch, a desk and mountains of other stuff in there.
The place looks like it hasn't seen any organisation for years and with locums coming and going I'm not surprised no one takes any ownership of it.
I explained the reason for my visit stripped so an examination could take place, a few prods and squeezes later I was back in my clothes and receiving a blood pressure test.
Apparently my blood pressure is 90 and it shouldn't be above 85 but no ideas on what to do about it were forthcoming before I was dismissed.
I wandered back down the dark corridor and out of the surgery unremarked into the fresh air.
What a contrast huh?
I wonder why?
Do my dentists have fewer patients?
No that I can see, their appointment book is always full and they start at 8 and finish at 7.
Do my dentists get paid more?
I don't believe so, it's been a long time since I worked in payroll for the NHS but at that time Dentists were very badly paid in comparison to Doctors, no they are not private dentists by the way.
So what is it then?
Well they do all the things I've discussed before, "Live the vision", "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you", "Care" but they do one more thing too.
When I walk into their surgery they treat me like a visitor to their home, another classic lesson there so I'll repeat it.
Treat customers like visitors to your home.
When I talked to them about this they said that that was what they were taught at dental college and it's served them well through their careers, in their own way they are also seekers after customer service truth as they both admitted to watching how it goes when they are out and about, it's a small world it seems.
John Anslow
http://www.ffriar.com
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