What Can FLK Consultants Do for You?
The team of FLK Consultants offers more than just dental consulting services. We also offer insight into why these services are essential for the success of your dental practice. Find out what we can do for you and how we’ll help you better understand the ins and outs of every component of your business.
Business Does Not Equal Profitability
Many dentists think the best way to be successful is to sign up for every insurance plan so that every day is full and busy – however, that’s not necessarily correct. By participating in every insurance, you’re actually increasing your overhead and decreasing your profitability. Let us show you the way to decrease your stress while increasing profitability and decreasing your overhead so you can treat your patients with respect and full attention.
Hire for Aptitude and Attitude
You’ve all heard the adage, “Hire for attitude and teach the rest.” The problem is if they have a great attitude, but not the aptitude, your new dental team member will become disillusioned with the job and move on. Knowing the cost of hiring and training is expensive, let FLK Consultants help find the right people for the right seat on the bus.
Collect What You Produce
Do you know your collection percentage? If not, you should — and if you do, it should be around 98 to 99%. How is that possible? You have a good team and a payment policy that both your patients and your team understand. Your team needs to realize that they can only get paid, get raises, and bonuses if they collect what they have worked hard to put into your schedule. There’s no magic formula, but with good policies and good management of insurance carriers, it’s possible. Let us show you how and we can help you reduce stress.
We Can Reduce Your Insurance Dependency
In today’s dental market, it seems all the insurance companies are decreasing their allowances and increasing patients’ premiums, all while our costs go up. As a business owner, it’s not in your best interest to “be in-network” with every insurance company. Most are reducing our fees by 30% or more. We can show you how to unburden yourself from being insurance dependent to insurance co-existing.
Protect Yourself from Yourself
One of the first questions I ask all of my new clients is, “Do you have a policy and procedure manual?” I ask this question because, without a written and fully vetted policy and procedure manual, you’re setting yourself up for all sorts of trouble and disputes with your team. When you onboard a new member, they should have a clear understanding of their duties, expectations, and all office policies. If not, there will be chaos and a very stressful office environment.
Proper Staffing Leads to Success
One of the biggest items in your overhead numbers is team salary and benefits. While we believe compensation and benefits are the top reasons a team member stays, we also believe in having the right amount of team members to be efficient. Too many can increase overhead and decrease efficiency. Too little can lead to a disorganized office that’s stressed out. FLK Consultants can show you how to run an efficient office with the right team and keep your overhead down.
What Type of Leader Are You?
Being the right type of leader makes a big difference in how successful your practice will be. In today’s dental atmosphere, keeping good team members and attracting skilled new talent is a must. When people leave a job, it’s usually not the money. As the saying goes, “People don’t leave a job, they leave a boss.” You as the leader and boss must learn how to treat your team with respect. We can show you how!
Scheduling for Success
Scheduling is the key to success and time management. If you’re only working from one operatory with one assistant, you’re severely underutilizing time. Time is the most important ally/enemy in your dental office. Wasted time can be regained and efficient use of time greatly increases your productivity. Let us show you how to increase your productivity by working the same hours!
What Helps Guide Us
Broken Glass
The “broken glass” theory set forth by Malcom Gladwell, basically says the smallest details, if left unfinished, can lead to more disarray and dysfunction. In your dental office, no detail is too small — from how your magazines are, to the cobweb in the corner. As a dentist, we’re inherently detail-oriented in our work, so it should be no hard task to be that way in our office. Let us help you see the things you don’t and help you become more successful.
Hedgehog Theory
The “hedgehog theory,” by Jim Collins, states that for every successful business to stay successful it needs a very specific, simple concept and doing it with excellence and imagination. Let us help you find that concept and guide you to a successful future.
WIIFM
WIIFM is an acronym for “What’s in it for me.” One way to try and ensure good patient relations is to always be asking yourself WIIFM from the patient’s perspective. So, when you’re going over treatment, you want to be giving them all the benefits of the treatment. The same thing goes for your front desk when a new patient calls. Remember WIIFM and you’ll always be putting the patient first.
Fit Time
Fit time was coined by Paul Homoly. What it means is that for most people no doesn’t mean no — it means not right now. It doesn’t fit their life right now, but may in the future. Whenever a patient says no, ask if it’s something they may be interested in in the future. “If so, would it be ok to discuss this again at your next appointment?” You’ll be surprised by how many say yes!