Another one bites the dust

If we only knew ahead of time some of the dirt on people before we hired them. That sure would save a lot of time and money. Not to mention relieve us from allergic reactions to co-workers. If all else fails we must dust ourselves off and try again. Seems we're always in search of a spotless crew so the practice will sparkle.

The other day I was sitting in the reception area of an optometric practice and a patient was sitting across the room filling out paperwork. The patient asked how much their eye exam would be. The ECP responds, “He normally charges $90 but I can see if he will do it for $60, do you want me to ask him for you?” 

Are you kidding me? What kind of trash talk is that? Throwing away $30 of the doctor's fees for no reason. If the ECP did that same scenario two times a day, it would cost that practice over $13,000 a year. That's not something to just sweep under the rug. 

What's the grime scene looking like in your practice? You might need to clean up some of these common dirty areas:

The unnecessary trash talk of lowering prices or discounting fees because you assume the patient is going to experience sticker shock needs to be erased from your vocabulary. I understand that times might be tough right now but there is a fine line as to what is healthy for the practice. Remember that the practice's rent, payroll and electric bill aren't going to be discounted just because your products and services are. Offering a discount right off the bat looks like the price was inflated in the first place. 

Be careful when offering inconsistent discounts to your patients. You will find them waiting for your next big sale. Seeing them on average every 2+ years doesn't justify giving them a discount just because they walked in the door. You may run into a sticky situation if you give a patient a discount and he gets on his soap box and tells his buddies who were all charged full price. Sometimes lowering your prices can get ECPs in hot water. 

Pests can be very annoying. Keeping your crew members that are pests under control can be difficult without the proper exterminator. If not caught early enough, pests can breed and before you know it the practice can become infested with them. Pests can be costly to the practice and they can quickly drain the life out of the rest of the crew. Pests are likely to be found wandering around the breakroom or exploring areas in the practice where they do not belong. They are sometimes hard to catch and when you finally do you just want to zap them. A reputable exterminator is able to balance the act of removing the cause of the pests without having to fumigate everyone. 

Having a written list of duties might sound old school but the majority of our senses are through sight not memory. To help us polish up our act it is best to have in writing what needs to happen in order for the practice to sparkle. When we have a hard time delegating duties or our minds are over cluttered with pending work it is hard to get lasting results. Have each crew member write down what they believe to be their strengths and any of their not so strong points. Match strengths with job duties. How can crew members expect to shine without a written proven formula to follow?

It's good to step out and get a breathe of fresh air though out the day. Even if you don't break for lunch you should not stay stuck at the same desk for hours on end. This can cause you to become toxic or ill with your work by the end of your shift. Your toxic germs travel fast and patients can catch on to your virus and may never recuperate. If it has gotten to the point where the practice can't survive without you right there every second then it's time to ventilate the place. You better start circulating some of that knowledge before you are forced out or burn out and walk out.

Organize your practice so that all crew members are familiar with its layout and the whereabouts of all the tools needed to do their jobs. Try to keep the areas of the practice that are in the patient's view as clutter free as possible. Go green and recycle. Make sure to shred any confidential documents instead of throwing them away. Don't forget to donate any excess or discontinued items to your favorite vision charity before year end.

Keep a checklist of frequently used office supplies in a common area for reordering. This saves time from having to go around the office to find out what everyone needs. As petty as it may sound, collect local restaurant menus and store them close to the landline. Deciding what is for lunch when ordering as a group can be a real time waster when having to call or surf the internet for menus.

There's no “i” in “team” and we're all in this together. Do your very best everyday. Now get back to work you awesome dust busters!

Ginny Johnson
LDO, ABOC