No one likes the dentist. There are few reasons besides severe pain or discomfort that can persuade people to schedule an appointment. It’s one of those places you visit because you have to and virtually never because you want to.
Purchasing a monument is just as uncomfortable (if not more so) for people. You generally purchase one because you have to and few reasons besides the death of a loved one can persuade you to schedule an appointment. The products, tools and jargon are esoteric and just as confusing as that used in the dental office.
So what can be done to palliate the experience, either in the dental office or the monument shop? I am blessed to have a great dentist and I’ve learned a few things from him that certainly have improved the experience for me. I still don’t like to go see him but it’s much b!etter in his office than any other dental office I’ve visited. Here’s why:
- His office is clean, clean, clean!
- It’s quiet. I don’t hear the drills and screaming coming from the back!
- The color scheme and decorations in the office are luxury home-like. Bright green paint with inspiring vinyl quotes on the walls. Lots of professional family photos, upbeat music and a water fountain to calm your nerves. There is also new furniture and a modern feel to the whole place. You can tell they’ve invested money in the last decade.
- All of the dental equipment is new. I don’t feel like I’m sitting in a chair that was requisitioned from a defunct barber shop. The equipment appears to have been purchased from the Starship Enterprise not the medical tent from M.A.S.H.
- The techniques used are avant-garde. The last time I received a numbing shot I didn’t feel a thing. That’s because there was a new pre-shot with the tiniest needle I’ve ever seen. Very cool! It’s reassuring to know Steve Martin from Little Shop of Horrors is not going to appear and grab an old pair of pliers…
- I’m never asking myself, ‘So what’s he going to do with that thing?!?’. I’m told about every step and what I can expect. The staff talks to me and educates me on the whole process. Knowledge is a powerful way to calm a customer!
- Finally, the staff is top notch. They dress appropriately, are kind and don’t make me feel like I’m a customer whom they can gouge. They know my name and use it; they want me to like the experience. I can tell they enjoy their jobs and take pride in what they do.
As a monument dealer I’ve tried to emulate each of these qualities and characteristics. I strive to have every customer consider our business simply an extension of their home. I know they don’t want to be there. The least I can do is help them feel comfortable and empowered while they are.