Receptionist: Hello, do you have an appointment?

Customer: No, I just came to inquire about something. I want to know how much it costs for veneers on my front tooth.

Receptionist: Alright, let’s register you first, and then I’ll arrange for an examination.

Aesthetic Restorative Doctor: Alright, please come with me to the examination room.

Assistant: Hello, this is our Doctor Zhao.

Customer: Hello, Doctor. I want to get a veneer for my front tooth.

Doctor: Hello, please have a seat. Have you been to our clinic before?

Customer: No, I was referred by a friend who knows about your clinic, but my friend hasn’t been here either.

Doctor: Oh, how’s your health?

Customer: Pretty good, no major issues.

Doctor: Let me first examine your oral cavity.

Customer: Okay.

Doctor: Have you had any prior knowledge about veneers? Why didn’t you get them done earlier and why now?

Customer: I’ve heard about them, but I was afraid of the pain. I know the director of a local large chain dental clinic, and I inquired with him. But he’s been away on a business trip, and his clinic called me saying they have a promotion recently, but he wasn’t there. So, I came here first to compare.

Doctor: Don’t worry about the pain. I’ll show you, there won’t be any discomfort during the treatment. We can do painless treatments for any procedure.

Customer: Can you tell me how much it would cost to fix all my bad teeth in my mouth?

Doctor: Let’s not rush. I need to explain each treatment to you before we proceed, right?

Customer: Alright.

Doctor: I explained about root canal treatment and crown restoration, but before we proceed, I need to take X-rays to understand the condition of the roots.

Customer: No need for X-rays, I’ve already done them.

Doctor: At this point, someone called him, urging him to return, and he kept looking at his watch. You told me the total budget at this time, and he was about to leave, still looking at his watch.

Doctor: Do you agree with the treatment plan I discussed?

Customer: Yes, it’s similar to what was said in the previous clinic.

Doctor: Alright, please sit down. Since you agree, let me give you an approximate estimate.

Doctor: RMB 4000 per tooth, plus other treatments like root canal and crown restoration, the customer chose the mid-range option, which comes to around 11000.

Customer: Do you have any discounts or promotions recently?

Doctor: I’m sorry, we don’t have any discounts at the moment. But besides considering the price, you should also consider the later guarantee. Of course, if you are really sincere about it, I can try to apply for a discount from the higher-ups. We mainly focus on the technique here, but I’ll try my best to accommodate you.

Customer: How much discount can you apply for?

Doctor: I’m sorry, I can’t give you an answer right now. I’ll try my best.

Customer: Okay, he looked at his watch. After you’ve applied, please give me a call proactively.

Doctor: Okay.

Customer: Alright, thank you. Goodbye.

At this point, the doctor instructed the receptionist to retain the customer.

Receptionist: Hello, did the doctor examine you? How was it? Do you have any concerns?

Customer: Well, it’s not a dental implant, but it still costs over ten thousand. I asked the doctor to apply for a discount for me and give me a call.

Receptionist: Oh, besides the price concern, do you have any other concerns? If it’s not convenient to discuss with the doctor, you can tell me, and I’ll try to meet your requirements.

Customer: Why wasn’t the doctor who examined me the director? I always saw the director at the other clinic.

Receptionist: I see. First, after you arrived, you didn’t request specifically to see the director. Second, our doctors are quite skilled in this field, that’s why we recommended Doctor Zhao to you. If you really only trust the director psychologically, that’s not a problem. I can arrange an appointment with the director for you.

Customer: Alright, let me first understand your discount policy, I’ll leave my phone number.

Receptionist: You can call our front desk. We’re not allowed to answer calls during work hours, so if you call, I’ll answer, and I’ll make sure the doctor gets back to you as soon as possible.

Customer: Okay, thank you. Goodbye.

Receptionist: Goodbye.

Review by guest commentator Chen Zhuo:

Chen Zhuo reviewed the case presented by Dr. Zhao regarding a missing tooth, noting that the description provided was very thorough and detailed. He mentioned the importance of focusing on the customer experience during consultations, noting that both the doctor and the front desk staff did well in guiding the transition and packaging. He also emphasized the importance for the doctor to pay attention to the details and prioritize customer comfort during the examination process. Additionally, he praised the doctor for promptly communicating with the front desk when the customer leaves, engaging in secondary communication, and attempting to retain the customer. Chen Zhuo believed that these were highlights worthy of learning and emulating in the reception process.

Chen Zhuo mentioned several aspects that the doctor needs to further explore, including understanding the customer’s purpose for comparison, whether it’s about the doctor, the hospital, or the price? And the level of relationship with other hospital directors. He pointed out the details that the doctor needs to pay attention to, such as understanding the duration of the customer’s broken tooth and its impact on daily life and work, as well as the necessity of uncovering the patient’s true sensitive reasons in order to better understand the customer’s urgency to seek treatment.

He emphasized the importance of differentiation and value creation when formulating treatment plans, stating that we should prioritize solving the main complaint first, such as the customer’s front tooth being broken in half, which definitely affects appearance. Therefore, we suggest addressing the issue with the front tooth first; there are many issues within the oral cavity, but they cannot all be solved at once. He also advised the doctor on the appropriate timing when facing price discounts. He suggested that in cases where patients cannot afford treatment on the same day, providing a deferred treatment plan could create a demand for subsequent visits.

Do you face the case like this before?welcome share your opinion.