Day Changers
Showing the day-to-day improvements technology can create
Mary Yakas
Editor’s Note: At The Dental Advisor, not a day goes by without our phone ringing from a customer asking for the "best." As a dental publication that was designed after Consumer Reports, over the past 25 years we have learned one thing – the best changes from day to day. Providing relevant and timely information to customers is something we strive for. This series of columns focuses on how dental sales professionals can sort through the hype, learn more about what makes a product stand out, and most importantly, learn to educate their customer.
I’m a self-professed dental geek. Whenever something new is on the market, I enjoy visualizing how it could change dentistry. Working where I do, I have the unique advantage of seeing many of these technologies in clinical practice every day. However, the doctors who are your customers do not have the advantage of seeing technology in action. The experience they have with new technology is limited to trade show floors, and short lunch-and-learns in their office. Recently, a few of the CAD/CAM companies have offered office trials. This will help with purchase decisions; however, if the infrastructure is not there to support the purchase, the sale will fail.
The big sale
Dentistry fourth quarter sales are mostly focused on equipment. In order for a purchase to make sense for a doctor, the purchase must improve something that they are currently doing in a simple and easy way. Think back to the first cell phones that were bulky and in bags. Now, look at what cell phones can do, less than 20 years later. I still see practices though, where a bag phone would be the latest technology! My experience with dentists is that if what they are doing is working, they are not likely to change. There must be a clear advantage. Take for instance one of the most fascinating areas in dentistry right now – CAD/CAM. We did a recent poll on our Web site, asking which digital impression technology readers were currently using. Less than 15 percent of all respondents owned a digital impression system. It seems easy; take a look at what digital impressions do. They take away the need for "goop" in a patient’s mouth. Talk about a referral source! They are more accurate in most cases. They are digitized, and can be transferred to a laboratory, if necessary, very quickly. In some cases, a restoration can be made while the patient waits for it. Yet, dentists are slow to adopt this technology.
I have heard colleagues discuss the economy and the fourth quarter looming, hoping that equipment sales will be strong. To me, this discussion is no different now than it has been in years past. If someone does not perceive improvement in their daily routine, they will not buy it. You must identify and understand how what you are selling actually improves daily operations. ROI and time savings simply do not make sense if you do not understand what is behind the numbers. Your customers will see that as well. Take a look around the practices you call on, and the way you do business with them. If you are just taking orders, you may as well be carrying a bag phone. [FI]
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