When it comes to your office manager (OM) or office lead, it’s not a good idea to throw her into that role and expect her to just learn in the trenches. An office lead without legitimate training, or adequate resources, cannot effectively fulfill her role in the company. Even a tenured office lead needs training to keep up with the changing role of the dental office manager. Besides, as a dental entrepreneur, you should want to ensure your practice is in the hands of a qualified office manager. In any case, use these insights to help your office lead fulfill her role effectively!
Before we dive into the responsibilities and activities of your office lead, let’s check out some important demographics to note for this role.
Source: Futuredontics
The information below is from a Futuredontics report which analyzed results from a nationwide online survey including 1,171 dental office managers between May 5, 2016 and June 5, 2016.
When it comes to practice growth activities, office managers are focused on:
Meanwhile, on the operations side, office managers are focused on:
Has Your Office Lead Received Adequate Training on Each of the 8 Very Important Operational/Practice Growth Activities?
Though, an office manager’s time spent on these very important business activities has shifted over the past few years. Mainly, due to increasing competition, shrinking demand, dental income stagnation, and consumer awareness.
Time spent on operational responsibilities has decreased. While time spent on practice growth responsibilities has increased. Nowadays, office managers are spending more time on:
Still, 1/3 or more of the nation’s dental office managers feel “too little time” is being devoted to practice growth and important operational responsibilities, such as:
Specifically, in regards to practice marketing, office leads feel “too little time” is being spent on:
Yet, the top 3 most important practice marketing activities for office managers were ranked as:
Is Your Office Lead Spending Enough Time on Each of the 8 Very Important Operational/Practice Growth Activities?
The role of office lead is ever-evolving and different from practice to practice. So, how does your office compare to other dental offices?
Does Your Office Lead Have Access to the Tools & Technology She Needs to Fulfill Her Role Effectively?
Does Your Office Lead Have the Resources & Professional Help Needed to Successfully Market the Practice Using Digital Marketing?
Over the past few years, office leads have stepped up their efforts to engage with patients on a regular basis. In addition to traditional patient communication (e.g. appointment & recare reminders), practices are attempting to strengthen relationships and deepen patient engagement with:
Relevant to the topic of patient communication is the area of dormant patient reactivation. Unfortunately, this potentially lucrative area of relationship-mining is one of the most neglected areas in dental practices.
Is Your Office Lead Engaged in Patient Communication AND Dormant Patient Reactivation?
Every entrepreneur knows their team is their greatest asset. And when it comes to your dental team, your office manager is the linchpin. Whether or not she's qualified to lead your team could make or break your practice.
It’s important that your office lead becomes increasingly sophisticated about prioritizing practice activities. Also, she needs to have enough time to dedicate to the many tasks on her plate. Thankfully, both priority planning and organization are skills that can be taught. Just like all the skills your office manager needs to fulfill her role effectively.
So, if your office manager was thrown into that role like many are, then it’s time to ensure your practice is in the hands of a qualified office manager by providing adequate training on her responsibilities and important business activities. In addition, it’s critical that your office lead has all the resources she needs (e.g. mentors, technology, access to seminars/training videos, etc.). By doing so, you'll set your practice up for growth and success!
Office Lead Responsibilities as Defined by Linda Miles
How to Train Your Office Manager
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