Samad Syed, author and CEO/founder Healthcare Saas Expert at SRS Web Solutions.
One-star reviews on Google can be devastating and potentially lead to lost patients; the fear of this can be overwhelming for dentists. But instead of reacting impulsively, I urge those in the industry to understand how a one-star review is not the end of the world—rather, it is an opportunity to turn the tables for your practice.
I’ve worked with countless dental practices to help them transform their negative reviews into powerful tools for growth. The secret lies in a strategy I call the three P’s: people, process and policy. Focusing on these areas can help smart practice owners turn their one-star reviews into wins for their business.
1. People: The Backbone Of Your Practice
When a negative review surfaces, you may instinctively blame your staff, for they are directly interacting with the patients at the front line. Instead, you should consider that most mistakes happen due to staff members lacking proper training or support.
Inadequately trained staff can lead to misunderstanding patient expectations, a breakdown in communication and even a mishandled procedure. For consistent positive reviews, equip your staff with technical skills and train them with soft skills to manage patient relationships and expectations.
I encourage you to invest in regular training sessions on a variety of topics, such as patient communication and conflict resolution, as well as the latest dental techniques and technology, to prepare your team to be your first line of defense against negative reviews.
With a culture that encourages continuous learning, your team will feel supported and confident, and as a result, they will be less likely to make mistakes that lead to one-star reviews.
2. Process: Building A System That Works
Well-defined processes are essential to ensure more structured and consistent operations. They reduce the risk of mistakes by clearly outlining the actions each individual should take in any given situation. You can help ensure a seamless and pleasant patient experience by employing explicit step-by-step procedures to guide interactions and tasks across the patient’s journey.
Toward this, it’s important to review and refine your processes. Take the time to audit your current processes and identify any gaps or areas that frequently go wrong. Ensure all the procedures are clearly documented and easily accessible to your staff.
If there are any areas for improvement, involve your team in the process since they will be following these procedures daily. I’ve found that process refinement can significantly reduce the likelihood of receiving negative reviews.
3. Policy: Your Safety Net When Things Go Wrong
Without clear policies, things can still go wrong even if you have the best people and processes in place. Policies help resolve problems quickly by ensuring a consistent approach to common issues. They help reassure the patients that their concerns are your top priority.
For example, imagine a situation where a patient demands a refund after five years for a crown that has since deteriorated. The situation can quickly escalate if there is no clear refund policy in place, potentially leading to frustration on both sides and, ultimately, a one-star review. However, if you have a well-communicated policy, you can handle the situation calmly and professionally with clearly defined terms and conditions for refunds or warranties.
Make sure to review your existing policies regularly to ensure they cover all possible scenarios—from billing disputes to treatment guarantees. It is equally important to communicate your policies to your patients from the outset, either during the initial consultation, in the patient welcome packet or through your practice’s website.
Turning 1-Star Reviews Into Wins
Now that you understand the 3 P’s, you can begin to see how these elements are integral to protecting your practice from the impact of negative reviews. But are you concerned about the one-star reviews that have already been posted? Do you wonder how to turn them into wins for your practice?
1. Respond Promptly And Professionally
Acknowledge patients’ concerns by responding as quickly as possible to the reviews and apologize for any inconvenience they may have experienced. Avoid defensive or argumentative replies; instead, express genuine concern and a desire to make things right. Invite the patients to discuss the issue offline to show that you genuinely care about their experience and are committed to resolving it.
2. Learn From The Feedback
Analyze negative reviews to gather valuable insights from harsh criticisms and determine what went wrong. Identify whether it was a people, process or policy issue. Use the information to make improvements in your practice to avoid similar problems from arising in the future. This process of continuous improvement lets your patients see that you take feedback seriously and enhances your reputation as a practice that is willing to make changes to keep the patients satisfied.
3. Encourage Positive Reviews
Last but not least, make an effort to collect more positive reviews from satisfied patients. Encourage happy patients to share their experiences online and make it easy for them to do so by providing links to your Google review page in follow-up emails or on your website. The impact of negative reviews can be diluted by a steady stream of five-star reviews, which can eventually improve your overall rating.
Conclusion
One-star reviews can be daunting for any practice, but they don’t have to spell disaster for your growth. Embracing the three P’s strategy—people, process and policy—can help prevent negative reviews from happening in the first place and also lets you turn existing ones into opportunities for growth and improvement. Smart dentists see challenges as opportunities to learn and improve from their mistakes.
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