Scott Burrows, Dental and Medical Sales Speaker

This is the Year of Customer Engagement: Will You Be There for Them?

 

There is no secret that 2022 is the year of customer engagement. In my motivational speeches to dental and medical sales people, I show that coming off the COVID-19 pandemic, both dental and medical practices expect a patient surge. In turn, healthcare providers are expecting a level of customer service from their sales reps unlike anything seen in recent years.

What should you expect?

The demands of patients on dental and medical practices will in turn motivate practices to place demands on their sales reps. Compiling these “demands” from many sources, I am struck by the similarities regardless of dental or medical sales.

For example, the expectations of patients on dental practices will include: connection with patients; higher personalization; more education; increased communication; patient centered technologies; the rise of artificial intelligence and social media interactions; augmented reality and tele-dentistry. In turn, practices will ask the same of those who conduct business with them. A lack of personalization or poor connection will invariably result in a loss of business.

In 2022, medical practices expect increased innovation; personalization; telehealth; transparency; connectivity and the all-important quality of care, especially preventative care.

Sales reps who offer one solution fits all orientations or a lack of innovative thinking can expect a loss of trust and orders.

In both dentistry and medicine, though there is a pent-up call for new equipment along with flexible payment options. Will you offer them? Important trends such as more convenient and easier access to care will continue to expand. What products and services will your company offer to make the experience more accessible and convenient?

Medical and dental salespeople should expect a rise in demand for more flexible financing solutions i.e., easier ways in which to conduct business. In 2022, customers will demand straightforward contracts, not a lot of fine print and exceptions.

The transformation to “everything digital” will not go away. How savvy is your IT department?

All of the trends will lead to the sales mindset of improving the customer experience and a streamlined, simpler, more convenient orientation toward the healthcare professional and their organizations.

Business as usual? Think again.

In 2022 – and beyond, dental and medical sales will require a team determination to offer customers an extraordinarily high level of personalized, customer care with straight-talk solutions and a willingness to meet healthcare providers where they live.

The pressure on healthcare providers, across all areas of dentistry and medicine has never been higher. If a patient has a question or concern about a procedure, medication or the availability of information, expect that the question will be forwarded to the sales person to give it a high priority. Most likely, the answer will be delivered online and in a timely manner.

The need for trust and connection between sales person and healthcare provider must be rock-solid. I mean this in the broadest sense. Trust and connection must go from the sales rep to the office clerks to the highest levels of hospital administration.

While there has been a strong patient care rebound, it is not a given that “restored cashflow” is an automatic outcome for sales people. If a “customer” requires a customized payment plan and a simplified contract, that is exactly what they will expect.

This is an exciting time for medical and dental sales, but only for those who go to extra lengths to fully be there for their customers. Your team must develop a strong customer service focus and engagement mindset that is reinforced every day.

We will never go back to business as usual. When the dust of the pandemic finally settles, the so-called new normal will turn out to be a good thing, but only for those who want to engage and win.

 

Scott Burrows, Dental and Medical Sales Speaker. For more information, please contact Scott today or through this website or for more immediate attention at: 520 – 548 – 1169.

 

 

 

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