Tooth aches, fillings, tooth loss, gum disease, teeth whitening, root canals, the dentist asking you, “Is it Safe?” (Warning – Dustin Hoffman in Marathon Man) . . . these are just a few reasons people go to see a dentist.
The person in a dental office that “runs the show” is usually the office manager. Think juggling on a unicycle with a flat tire, on a high wire, with no net, and you’re half way there. They are primarily responsible for keeping the practice running successfully for the dentist. As a patient, we are not always aware of the time, effort, business sense and energy required of an office manager in running a dental practice.
The financial health of a dental practice is of utmost importance to the dental office manager. It is their responsibility to supervise the business on all levels and keep one or more high performing dentists happy. They deal with the hiring and supervision of employees, vendor interaction, supply ordering, patient relations, regulations, payroll, paying the bills and much to their own chagrin, collecting payments.
The office manager is often called upon to mitigate their patient’s financial situations. They call on slow paying, late and past due accounts. They interface with slow moving insurance companies to ensure timely payment. For those most stubborn and past due accounts, the office manager is often tasked with the hiring of a third party collection agency. This can be a daunting task, fraught with concerns over account control, customer satisfaction and effectiveness.
Here are 5 collection agency secrets that can assist dental practice office managers as they consider hiring a diplomatic collection agency to speed up profit recovery:
1) Collection agencies remind patients to pay their outstanding debts so you don’t have to, which saves time and energy, allowing for focus on patient care.
2) Via diplomatic collection calls and written demands, a sense of urgency is achieved, while customer satisfaction is not sacrificed.
3) Collection agencies increase cash flow for your business . . . no more dead weight on the books.
4) A good collection agency accelerates payment, before the account is past due.
5) Collection agencies reduce internal costs, not just human resources but also related expenses, such as phone calls, paper and postage.
So the secrets are out, now what? How about a snack? (Don’t worry, it’s good for your teeth.) We’ve got a free cookbook just for office managers. Sink your teeth into it right here:
