Dr.

Beckett’s Dental OFFICE

 SUMMARY
• The case is about a dentist who wants to give her patient the best care at high price doubts
whether she loses her patients since the insurance didn’t cover the service cost.

• Dr. Beckett never wanted to compromise on the service she provides, setup an internal
mission statement.

• Well furnished office with decorative lamps and good spacing capacity, furniture, soft music
for the patients who waited in the visiting room.

• Service was both functional and appealing to stand out among other doctors.

• Frequent follow-up calls, gift bags, refreshments for patients who waited for appointments.
CONTD.
• Bonus, various workshops and classes, trips once in a year for employees.

• Routine procedures was standardized so that each and every patient would receive equal and
best care.

• Due to patient’s negative attitude it was quiet difficult for Dr. Beckett to explain to them
about her high level service quality.

• . Dr. Beckett and her professional dental team always kept a positive mindset and a positive
difference in the patient’s health and kept a long-term relationship with them.
 CASE ANALYSIS

Dr. Beckett is trying to differentiate her practice on the basis of quality.

Problems faced by Dr. Beckett –

 Dr. Beckett’s previous office did not allow her staff to work efficiently.
 Costs played a major role in dental care industry.
 No formal training of running a business or understanding customer needs.
 No advertising.
 Overhead cost was between 70% to 80% of revenues before accounting for wages and office
rentals.
 “Managed health care” – HMO
CONTD.

Solutions found by Dr. Beckett –

 Mission – It is our goal to provide superior dentistry in an efficient, profitable manner
within the confines of a caring, quality environment.
 Hired an architect from San Francisco – To design a contemporary office building with lots of
lights and space, modern furniture, live plants, walls covered with art, classical music and
magazines were part of environment where patients could enjoy.
 Technical equipment's had very modern looks and spotlessly clean.
 Conference rooms with toys and DVD player was used to show patients educational films about
different dental procedures.
 Take initial examination to understand needs and then educate about the service.
 Divided the staff into two – Back office and Front office.
  Total Quality Management–
Dr. Beckett is completely focussing on providing quality
services. She has brought modern equipment, additional
facilities for the waiting patients, educating patients
through videos etc. They are focussing on “Do it right first
PRACTICAL time” by taking care of every customer individually.

APPLICATION  Customer Service Management –

Dr. Beckett and her team is committed on understanding
what their customer needs, how are they behaving to the
services provided and if their quality is meeting the
customers expectations. She has divided her staff into
front office and back office. They are making sure that no
customer goes out of the clinic unsatisfied.
  Focus on the P’s
Dr. Beckett is focusing mainly on the 3 P’s. People, Product
and Physical evidence.

CONTD.  Motivating Employees

Decision Making process
Monthly bonus
Trips
CASE STUDY QUESTIONS
Q1. Which of the seven elements of the services marketing mix are addressed in the case?
Give examples of each “P” you identify.

 Product –
Complete range of dental care from teeth cleaning to dental surgery and implants. The dental service
provided is trustful and reliable with extra facilities.
 Price –
Prices are higher as compared to competitors. The additional facilities, equipment have created more
pricing issues. Refused to become a HMO provider. Charged higher fees with better quality.
 Promotion –
The office is dependent upon word of mouth advertising. They are educating the customers through
videos which shows dental procedures and treatment.
 Process –
Procedures were standardized to reduce errors and improve quality. They made sure the customer is
satisfied by their service by providing additional services. Also they made sure to increase their
employee efficiency and satisfaction through job rotation and training.
CONTD.

 Physical Evidence –
New decoration, Spacious place, colourful uniforms for staff, tea or coffee for patients and
Dr.Beckett’s dental degrees on the wall, mobile hangings and headphones, modern clean
equipments, conference rooms and DVD players.

 People –
Dr. Beckett concentrated gave more prominence to this ‘P’. Avoidance of “Prima Donnas”. She
motivated her employees by providing bonus, trainings, workshops and taking them for trips. She
would listen to suggestions and ideas from them to improve the quality of service.

 Place – A pleasant office with lots of space, light and attractive features.
Q2. Why do people dislike going to dentist? Do you feel Dr. Beckett has addressed this
problem effectively?
Patients had the following issues while visiting the dentist –
• Psychological and physical issues such as Dental phobia, Cost, Sight of dental chair/instruments,
Fear, Anxiety about the results, Anticipation of dental pain, Sounds and smell, Bad past
experiences, Shame and vulnerable feeling, Negative feedback from a dentist

Dr. Beckett addressed this problem effectively by rethinking every aspect of her service after
moving to her new office. She did the following things in order to address the issues –
• Made the ambience more relaxing.
• Tried to create trust and interaction
• Brought in advanced equipment.
• Provided magazines along with tea and coffee so that patients aren’t bored by waiting.
• Made her dental degrees visible by hanging it on the wall.
• Educated patients through videos.
• She increased patient comfort with modern and clean equipment
Q3. How do Dr. Beckett and her staff educate patients about the service they are receiving? What
else could they do?

Dr. Beckett and her staff educate the patients by the following ways:
 Educational Films
 Available of literature
 Initial examination of patients
 Various certificates of staff and doctor

The additional things they could do are as follows –

 Create a website or a mobile application for appointments.
 Provide feedback forms.
Q4.What supplementary services are offered? How do they enhance service delivery?

• The patients know the procedure before they get treated through the videos played in the waiting
room.
• Good environment architecture.
• Good classical music played in the background.
• Magazines, tea & coffee for waiting patients.
• Consultation services so the Doctor and her staff can talk to the patients about better outcomes of
treatment.
• Playrooms for kids while their parents are getting treated.
Q5. Contrast your own dental experiences with those offered by Dr. Beckett’s practice. What
differences do you see? Based on your review of this case, what advice would you give (a) to your
current former dentist, and (b) to Dr. Beckett?
• The differences that I understood from this case and from my own experience is that, Dr. Beckett
is giving a quality service to the patients who consults her, whereas the Dental care I consulted
here is just looking for business in the first part. So, here Dr. Beckett is giving a good quality
service to her patients.
Based on the review of this case,
• A) The advice that I give to the current or former dentist is that, they have to give a quality service
to the patients, then the amount that is incurred to the patient can be lowered. Then some video
instructions can be provided if necessary. Then some doctors are rude to the patients, that
character must be changed. Then the Dental care should be hygienic, if not so. Then the extra
services like serving the tea etc. which is done by Dr. Beckett, is an optional one which the Dental
care management can decide upon.
• B) Dr. Beckett doesn’t need any advices as she is giving a better-quality service to her patients,
and this method of quality service needs to be practiced by our doctors too. Then, if its possible to
reduce the cost by not serving the optional ones, luxury atmosphere etc. that’s better. Instead a
well maintained and hygienic atmosphere is good enough.
THANK YOU

Group 6 –
Ken Koshy Jacob – b2536
Krishna S – b2537
Mathew Febin Charles – b2539
Karina Joseph – b2535
KS Dennis – b2533