BACK TALK SYSTEMS, INC. 14998 W. 6th Avenue, Suite E-500 Golden, CO USA 80401 USA 1-800-937-3113 CANADA 1-800-461-0100 UNITED KINGDOM 44(0)1202-534-986 AUSTRALIA 1-800-800-963 www.backtalksystems.com Team Tip #2 Does your office appeal to your patients' senses? What would your patient sense upon entering your office? What does your office smell like? Has your CA just eaten a tuna sandwich at the front desk? Worse yet, is your front desk CA eating a tuna sandwich when the patient arrives? VERY UNPROFESSIONAL! What's wrong with a tuna sandwich, you ask? Well...it smells like fish! Maybe someone hates the smell of fish, therefore, creating an unfavorable first impression. Don't laugh...it matters! Eating should be done away from patient's sight and sense of smell (unless you're baking chocolate chip cookies). If you want to be treated like a professional, then act like a professional. What does your office feel like when your patients arrive? Can they feel stress and tension from your staff or from you? Do they feel welcome or is your CA too busy to acknowledge them? Is anyone there to greet them when they arrive? Our front desk is never left unattended. I know this is difficult for some offices but entering an office and being greeted by a real person feels good. What does your office sound like? Are you playing your music for your staff or for your patients? I believe that music should be soothing and for relaxation purposes. You want your patients to be as relaxed as possible. Are you playing the radio or nicely presented CDs? Back Talk Systems has several choices of CDs for your office. Does your office staff shout comments and commands to each other instead of using the intercom button on the phone or speaking quietly? What about your paperwork? Look at your sign-in sheet right now. Is it a mess? Has it been copied over and over again? Is it straight or crooked? Do you realize what your paperwork says about you? Is every form your patient sees copied from an original or actually printed from your printer? Are your counter top displays arranged neatly? Are your handouts neat, easy to read and understand? How about your state of readiness? Is your CA ready for patients when they arrive. Are the new patient files made up and individualized as much as possible? Are the new patient forms ready on a clip board with the name of the new patient and time of arrival? Remember, your office and your staff are an extension of you. Your patients will judge you through them. A well organized, professional, stress free office means a well-organized and professional chiropractor who will be professional and organized when treating patients. Unfortunately, we get so used to looking at our office we don't see things as others see them. Take the time today to get an idea of what kind of patients you are attracting and make the changes accordingly. Finally, the more organized and stress free you are, the more patients you will be able to care for. So, get organized and make way for the crowds! The preceding information has been excerpted from The Chiropractic Team Training and Practice Management Manual written by Susan Hoy and available at Back Talk Systems. This manual contains over 200 pages of team training tips and practice management procedures and forms. Why not join the hundreds of chiropractors that have already made the commitment to organize and systemize their office. For more information contact Back Talk Systems at 800-937-3113 or log onto their website at www.backtalksystems.com. Susan Hoy has managed a busy chiropractic office since 1989. Currently, Susan travels throughout the U.S. helping teams become more organized, systemized and energized. Her seminars are both motivational and informational. Susan will be presenting seminars in the following areas: Philadelphia PA, Trenton NJ, Las Vegas NV, Pittsburgh PA, Reading PA, Louisville KY, Sioux Falls SD, Springfield MA. For more information contact Susan at 215-674-0130 or log onto her website at www.beefitup.net.