Dentistry is a tough business these days. Corporate dentistry and private competition; decreasing insurance reimbursements; and having to work too hard and too long to meet demand make dentistry today a far cry from its “Golden Age.”
But dentistry is even tougher when an ex-employee sabotages the practice.
That’s what reportedly happened to a dentist in New Haven, Indiana.
Not The Sharpest Knife In The Drawer
A recently terminated employee of Downie Family Dentistry had threatened to “take the ship down” after he was fired for what was described as an “embezzlement scandal.” The former employee reportedly stole a company car and used his access to the company website and Facebook page to state that the practice had closed due to the dentist’s (alleged) increased drug use – both of which the dentist vehemently denied.
According to the article, the practice is now in damage-repair mode, assuring prospects and patients that the dentist has no drug use problem and that the practice is definitely open for business.
What will happen to the saboteur is yet to be determined, but it seems likely that charges may be forthcoming. Ironically, the dentist stated that he had initially not planned to press charges over the alleged embezzlement as he believes that everyone deserves a second chance.
How Resilient Is Your Reputation?
In one way, the practice is fortunate. There’s a clear and demonstrable chain of events that clearly indicates foul play by a former employee. That will make it easier for the practice to explain what happened and why.
But there’s little question that the doctor’s reputation will take a hit, at least temporarily.
What if that chain of events wasn’t obvious or easy to prove? How would your reputation hold up if an anonymous someone – or several someones – began flooding your Facebook and Google+ pages with false and demeaning reviews?
That’s not to suggest that your competitors would stoop so low, but it’s a fact that not every patient in every practice is always happy about their experience in the practice.
Don’t write off the possibility of outside sabotage to your reputation when there’s a proven way to bolster your reputation to withstand the hit.
Introducing RAVE![™]()
Reputation Management
86% of prospective patients say they trust online reviews and consult them before scheduling an appointment. Google’s internal algorithm also factors reviews into your search rankings, making online reviews even more important.
SmartBox proudly offers RAVE, the reputation management service for dentists.
RAVE
allows you to easily solicit reviews from satisfied patients and distribute those positive reviews all across the internet.
RAVEautomatically contacts your patients following an appointment. Your patients can choose to be notified via text message or email that is sent to their cell phone to request that they leave you a review.
Your practice is automatically notified when a new review is posted. RAVE makes it easy to engage with patients posting positive reviews, and to quickly address any less than stellar reviews.
An overwhelming preponderance of positive reviews is the best buffer against deliberate reputation sabotage. And, those glowing reviews get you more of the new patients you want.