DMDrep TimeFactors
I am going to plug the heck out of this Rant. My feeling is the proper use of materials can have a huge impact on the success of a practice.
I still need to publish this disclaimer though – anything you read on DMDrep is my own opinion and you always need to feel personally comfortable before taking any advice.
Timefactors: a simple formula developed to determine a true product value.
Determining DMDrep Timefactors includes:
#1 – The product must be clinically researched and proven to work. Personally, I like to see independent reports (CRA, Dental Advisor, Dental Products Shopper) as well as local clinical success.
#2 – The product must specifically work for you, your staff and your patients.
#3 – The product must give a return on the investment. The return can be monetary, but it could also be time, comfort, health.
You don’t have to be the expert…the expert comes to your office already.
No team member wants to see patients coming back with issues of sensitivity, failed restorations, broken appointments, or stressful and difficult new procedures. The goal of a good dental sales rep is to become a lifetime team member to your practice.
Analogy time!!
The good DMDrep is motivated to be the “doctor” of choice for the lifetime of our “patient”. The good “Doctor” is well educated and listens to the needs of the “patient” – and will determine the best treatment plan available. The “patient” who accepts treatment plan understands that the “Doctor” is well educated and continues to educate themselves. They understand that the “Doctor” has their best interest in mind – and the “Doctor” will do such a good job that they will accept the treatment plan and even refer others!!
Get it?
How can you give a good treatment plan if the patient goes to multiple offices?
An office that uses multiple sources of suppliers does not have the advantage of the expert on their team! You may personally be an expert on materials, but the majority of dentists come to work, perform the procedures they are most comfortable with then go home. They may trust the CDA or Office Manager to find the best materials for the office – but has this person been specifically trained to do this? Dental Sales Reps have.
Dental Sales Reps are trained specialists on materials. We are also trained equipment specialists. We spend tens to hundreds of hours learning materials every year. We are the experts at ‘diagnosing’, and understand the needs of our ‘patients’.
How well could you serve your patient if they went to several offices? Without some level of trust, this patient will never find a good doctor. They will probably end up with several different treatment plans because no single doctor can ever really get the chance to understand the patients needs. Is it frustrating for you when you treatment plan only to see the patient come back and tell you they are seeing other dentists to get more opinions? Does your patient try to tell you how to perform the skills you take so much time and pride in learning?
Get it?
DMDrep TIMEFACTORS FORMULA
#1 – Determine your hourly production. Many of you have already done this. Timefactors needs you to determine the hourly production of the entire team, and further the hourly production of the associate, the hygiene, and your own personal.
Take last years total gross production, and break out the associate, the hygiene and your own production. Break this down to weekly and hourly production (determined by average hours worked).
Example: Total office gross was $1,000,000 last year. $88,000 per month/50 working weeks. $20,000 per week and 40 hours per week = $500 per hour production total gross production/ 60 = $8.33 per minute.
Hygiene Total Gross was $240,000 or
$120 per hour = $2 per minute
Associate Total Gross was $360,000 or $180 per hour = $3 per minute
Your Total Gross was $400000 or $200 per hour = $3.33 per minute
#2 – Evaluate the product. I am assuming the product has been evaluated and meets the criteria of being better for your patients and your office. Now we will determine exactly how this product will benefit the team. Is it a product that enhances overall office productivity? Is it a product that enhances hygiene, your associate or yourself?
If the product is IMS cassettes for example – it enhances the team. So we determine that any enhancement will add $8.33 per minute. Using the research, we can determine this product on average will save us 5 minutes per procedure. We perform 30 procedures per day, so the potential is 150 minutes of gained time or $1249 of potential gain. Looks pretty good? We still need to back out the cost of the initial investment, plus the ongoing cost of maintaining the system.
Also – Timefactors does not guarantee that you can always book the extra 5 minutes. But the fact is – time = money. Everything you do to become efficient makes your office more profitable in the long run.
Try to apply this formula when determining how a new product will fit in your office. The experts like myself can help guide you to products that will help – but ultimately you need to assume the responsibility for how the product works in your office. The product may have a great timefactor, but as I mentioned before – the gained efficiencies are not always monetary.
If you are interested in learning more about which products fit best in your practice – get a referral from your local colleagues and find out which rep has helped them the most. Allow them a chance to ‘treatment’ plan and watch your investment grow…..
Smile!
Warren Bobinski
Success in Dentistry and Life.
My oldest daughter Sarah (with her boyfriend)
My 18 year old daughter Brittany.
