Riggs Partners

A marketing lesson from my dentist.

Now that I am an adult, I have been to a few dental offices. Some I have dreaded. Others I didn’t mind. I have patiently waited hours past my appointment time in an uncomfortable chair reading a two-month-old golf magazine. Then there was the time my dentist quit without sending any sort of letter or announcement to warn me about the stranger who was to be my new dentist.

But that’s all history now. I have the best dentist ever.

I came to the practice by a referral from my husband. Actually, not really a referral. It was more out of frustrated disgust. Unbeknownst to me, my dentist of many years had “retired” and sold his practice to a new dentist. When I learned this, I was in the chair. I didn’t leave in a huff. I let the nice new dentist clean my teeth then decided to find another new dentist who was a little closer to home.

My husband suggested I go to his dentist, Dr. Thomas Pitts. Initially, I hesitated since the office was all the way in St. Andrews. Yes, all the way. I live in the city. A drive on the Interstate defeated my whole closer to home qualification. So naturally I made my next appointment with them.

Ten years later, I am positively head over heels for this practice for so many reasons.

They are nice. Everyone who works there treats every patient with full courtesy. Do not confuse this with catering to customers’ whims and complaints. They treat you respectfully and they ask the same of you.

Snowflakes. Each year starting around December 1, they leave white paper, scissors and tape in the waiting area. They want you to make a cut-up folded paper snowflake (a la Kindergarten) and tape it to the window. They don’t mind if you leave the paper bits on the floor either. There’s only one downside to this, which is the next reason I love them.

I never wait more than five minutes. During December no wait is a bit of a bummer. There’s only time to make one snowflake. They have nice, comfortable furniture and all kinds of up-to-date magazines. If you ever had to wait, this would be a great place to do it. You never will though. Not here.

Halloween. Last year I was actually there on Halloween and everyone had on a costume. Even Dr. Pitts. My teeth were checked by a pretty creepy looking vampire.  How often can you say that?

They care about their patients. They know and remember me, my children, my life. They have called me to let me know they could see me earlier because of a cancellation. Their goal is not to simply meet patients’ expectations; they truly want to exceed them. While that good to great stuff is lip service for some organizations, this one lives and breathes it effortlessly.

The staff. Dr. Pitts is a very nice guy. He’s got a wry sense of humor and he’s a great dentist. He shakes your hand at every visit. The office staff and hygenists are all very nice and good at what they do. From what I can see, Dr. Pitts is equally kind to his employees. They appear to be valued, respected, included and empowered. Obviously, there’s not much turnover.

When I was in the other day, I asked them how they get most of their new patients. I really wasn’t surprised when they said they don’t advertise. All of their new patients — 100% — come via patient referrals. When you treat patients that well, you don’t need to advertise.They get a key part of marketing so many businesses never grasp.

How you treat people is the biggest message of all.