I went to the dentist today. Now I don't mind going to the dentist, but we've just moved to a new practice and I walked in to the surgery in a foul mood. Why? Because the last time I went the dentist was 25 minutes late, failed to apologise for this and was, frankly, rude.
On top of this the paint was peeling in the waiting room, the chairs were filthy and there was a damp
patch on the ceiling above the dentists chair.
I left with a bitter taste in my mouth and a very poor impression of the practice.
Going back in today my hackles were up. I hadn't had a great experience last time and the practice's lack of a brand identity didn't reassure me that this was a surgery that took pride in itself or it's services. I was very tempted to walk out.
And then I met the hygeinist. Slowly, her communication, confidence and professionalism shone through. She managed to effectively communicate with me and I left feeling much warmer about the place. I'm still absolutely not a raving fan, but her professionalism has certainly made me look at them in a different light.
But why did the practice make this hygeinist's life so difficult? Why the shabby paint, the dated waiting room and the lack of a logo and brand identity? I would have been much more reassured, on time and in a better mood had they created the right first impression.
Many people think they don't need to think about branding because if their services are good enough their professionalism will shine through. Well newsflash! You are damaging your business and missing opportunities if you think that you don't need to worry about how your business looks to the outside world.
There is a serious branding opportunity with this dental practice: they need to get together as a team and work out exactly what impression they want to create to their target audience. They need to think about how they communicate that visually, but also in terms of the service they deliver. They absolutely need to sort out the waiting rooms and treatment rooms and they need a strong brand identity.
Will it cost them money? Absolutely. But once it's done, they'll win a lot more business, they'll instill confidence in their clients and they'll have a more profitable practice. What do you think?
