Rants and Raves
A $3,000,000 headache....
A great business should have a healthy gross, but more important - a healthy net.
In my own personal business, I regularly trim fat to make sure that my business maintains a decent margin. I am able to compete with anybody, and yet still maintain a good margin. The problem with many small business is they try to accommodate everybody by offering services that initially seem to be profitable - but in the end cost too much time and effort.
Some of the most profitable businesses I have looked at would probably not open anyones eyes until they saw the bottom line.
If we use Dentistry as an example - what would you rather own - a $2.5 Million gross clinic with 80% overhead netting $500,000 pre tax or a $1.2M clinic with 60% overhead netting $400K?
$100K is a lot of money. I get it. The issue is - is it really worth it?
Running a larger business comes with consequences and higher risks. It can be more difficult to trim expenses when necessary during slow times. There is a higher likely hood of having staffing issues of all types. There is a much larger personal commitment, or another expense of hiring a qualified person to manage which further cuts into profits.
Eventually you may feel you are running a business for everyone but yourself.
For your shareholders? For your staff? For your customers/patients?
What if you only ran a business that catered to your needs? What if you only performed the services you wanted to perform and cut out all the stress? What if you worked the days you wanted and didn't worry about taking off a few extra because you didn't have to worry about employees?
How to be small and profitable.
Find the services/products that you really enjoy. Become the expert on this and really focus on this product or service. If your customers are looking for another product or service that you don't offer, you can consider adding it to your business - but it must compliment what you are already doing.
Do not sacrifice profitable services to add less profitable services
Do not sacrifice your current customers needs to accommodate new customers.
Get rid of customers that force you to cut your quality of services. They aren't doing you or themselves any favors.
Do continue to find efficiencies in the services or products you already do so well. Compliment your current product lines with profitable add ons....
As a dentist offering hygiene - offer products that you recommend in the clinic. The patient is going to buy this stuff anyways, why can't you retail this? Profitable add ons could be Power Brushes, Remin solutions, Breath solutions, oral health products. take home bleach, paint on bleach, perhaps sugar free mints, health food products for dentistry?
If you offer all ceramic restorations - you should really consider a cad.cam. When used with a high skill level this product can really offer a great return on your money....a great franchise within your practice that can enhance something you already do.
Find efficiencies in what you do everyday....
-Products that are proven and take less time such as self etch bonds, cements
-High speed curing lights like LED
-Fast curing materials
-Bulk fill materials such as Surefil SDR or Equia for posterior restorations
-Digital xray
-Automate your sterilization for faster turnarounds
-Rotary endodontic procedures
-Learn how to schedule effectively
-Use Demandforce to automate the recall system
-Use a practice management software and learn how to read reports on becoming more efficient.
In a small business - find your niche products and sell a ton. If you sell bread - you don't need to make 100 varieties if everyone really just wants your sourdough (my wife is a baker in high demand) When you have a product/service that is unique and in demand - keep the product valuable by making sure nobody can duplicate the product/service levels you offer. It will be more profitable than trying to accommodate a large volume of a variety of services and products.
This makes sense doesn't it?
Isn't this why the auto industry is now in trouble? They tried to make every kind of vehicle they possibly could. They worried about their competition instead of just being the best at what they already did well. Instead of improving their current product, they tried to add more product and became less profitable to the point of being finished.
Every business could do better by focusing on what they do well and not worry about what the other guy is doing.
Just my thought today,
Smile and live your life!
Warren Bobinski
Success in Dentistry, Life and in your profitable little business doing it the way you want to.
The one flaw in women...
There are few successful adults who were not first successful children.
Early morning for me my friends - so I am publishing tonight. Thursdays are usually a 12 hour day! Hope you enjoy this... don't be shy to share your thoughts on my blog....
This is a short slideshow - leave your comments 
The link http://www.theoneflawinwomen.com/
Peace and Love....
Warren Bobinski
Where did you just stick those fingers?
If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.- Mother Teresa
If you find you are not always able to wash - at least use a hand sanitizer. I am not a fan of products that are made for consumers - they are not really made to be used all day long. These products could dry out your hands and cause skin irritations. Here are a few products made for the health care professional that generally include a lotion to prevent the irritations...
3M Avagard D contains rich emollients and gets the job done in about 15 seconds
Vionexus is one of the products I would choose for my office. Vionexus is made with the emollients your hand needs to stay healthy without using lotions. It is also very reasonably priced at about 2 cents per dose! As you can see in the picture above, you also have the hands free dispensing, which is a no brainer....
Henry Schein alcohol free foaming hand sanitizer contains benzalkonium chloride for the kill and contains emolients to leave your hands soft after each use.
With all the hand sanitizers - remember this is not a replacement for hand washing. As a matter of fact, after several uses of the product - you will want to wash your hands. The products all seem to leave a 'barrier' or 'film' on your hands that can seem sticky (to me anyways).
FOR YOUR PATIENTS AND WAITING ROOM
Isagel would be a good, inexpensive product to have in your reception area for you patients. A low cost product, but I don't believe this contains the lotions that would make it comfortable for all day use by the health care professional
Purell TFX GoJo is another very popular and relatively inexpensive product that would be good for general patient use.
This Rave of the day brought to you by...
Warren Bobinski
Success in Dentistry and Life.
The (composi) Matrix.....in 3D
| “It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.” | |
My customers would give this a 4 star - but thats' just because we are Saskatchewanites!
If you are looking for a great matrix system - this is the system you need to at least take for a test drive. Compositight will simply deliver a tight proximal contact - but there is a bit of a learning curve albeit not a difficult one.
The new plastic tines help deliver a unique product that holds a preformed matrix tightly in the contact space. Sometimes the product can be difficult to remove - but Compositight has this covered as well with the new "Slick" band...
My last word...this product would be a top 10 pick of necessary products for your office. If you don't believe me, just give the system a try.
This Rave of the day brought to you by...
Warren Bobinski
Success in Dentistry and Life.
You have a bit of spit on your chin....
It is only by following your deepest instinct that you can lead a rich life.
Henry Schein carries a product that your patient can use to clean all the prophy paste and spit off their face after the procedure?
Quickwipes ##1044176 are about $5 CDN per 150/tub cannister - a very kind thing to offer your patients after a procedure...
This Rave of the day brought to you by...
Warren Bobinski
Success in Dentistry and Life
Loyalty is hard to gain and easy to lose.
There's one sad truth in life I've found
While journeying east and west -
The only folks we really wound
Are those we love the best.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox
While journeying east and west -
The only folks we really wound
Are those we love the best.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
We please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
To those who love us best.
~Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Can a person be loyal to a point that satisfies what they need in a relationship, but then get whatever else they need somewhere else? Is that really loyalty?
I believe gaining true loyalty is a very difficult if not almost impossible feat.
In days past, it may have been easier to solicit loyalty - but in todays fast moving and changing market we can almost always find someone who is saying they get more benefits from their relationship than we do. All you have to do is search the internet and you will find just about anything that seems to perfectly suit your needs - a better price, a higher service, something you just don't seem to be getting right now.
Aren't we all a little selfish in wanting more and better for ourselves all the time? Its' human nature to try to be more comfortable, a little richer and have a better experience.
Its what we want for ourselves, so why would we not expect this of those we serve?
Its' a struggle some days to try and understand why a person you felt you were treating so well is now looking elsewhere. You likely somehow caused some type of discomfort in the relationship. I actually think most often we start to take for granted these relationships, and start trying to use those we serve to provide us more than we are willing to give.
Do we get comfortable and get greedy or selfish?
Once we get complacent or take our relationships for granted- we will start to lose some of the loyalty we worked so hard to gain. We have to always show how much we care.
Loyalty is hard to gain and easy to lose.
What doesn't work
Fake and insincere gratuities. If you are only trying to gain a new relationship by offering something you can't give to your best relationships, you are probably being greedy and selfish. Why wouldn't you want to bring flowers and chocolate to the ones you care most about and those that have already given you loyalty? Relationships bought on 'price' will also be lost on 'price'.
Ego. If you sincerely think you are better than everyone you are having a relationship with, or they should be giving you more than they might have to give in the same relationship with another you may need to think about things. What would you do? We can never stop trying to be our best in relationships. They must be win-win. If you are providing a service, don't forget there are a million others that may be able to provide that service and likely someone out there is hungry and willing.
Trying to make everyone happy. You think differently than I do. There is no way every person in this world has the same values as you do. Realizing who you are and making the most of that is key to having a loyal relationship. Those who try to be something they are not will have trouble gaining loyal relationships.
What does work.
Sincerely caring and showing it. If you value your relationship you should always maintain good communication. If things don't seem right ask why. Ask yourself first. Are you still putting as much effort into this relationship as you always used to? Are you becoming selfish and greedy - trying to get more than you give? Are you full of ego and have trouble seeing what the other person sees? Are you sure your service is as valuable as you think it is? Are you willing to always give your loyal relationships what they need to keep them happy? Will it make you happy? Can this be a win-win?
Believe in Kaizen or constant improvement. Because we are all human. We look for improvements in our own life - more comforts, more pleasures. In order to receive this we must also be willing to give this.
Never settle in your relationship. If you want to be happy, keep the other people in your relationships happy. Don't take it for granted.
Keep building new relationships - But also be willing to let go of relationships that take up to much of your time. If you are not able to give your best to your current relationships, you may need to end those that are all 'take, take' and no 'give'.
As always the easiest way to start any relationship is to just....
Smile!
Warren Bobinski
Success in Dentistry and Life.
What would you say to 35,000 eyes?
35,000 eyes were on this blog last month...what one piece of advice/tip/technique would you give to your colleagues that might make their day a little easier?
We all know something....
HEY! That is not me...
I don't need to duplicate excellent services, I actually stalk all of these websites regularly to dig for reviews and inspiration...
Dentaltown is another excellent forum for asking colleagues for advice and reviews on techniques and products...I dig it, and I stalk it regularly...
What DMDrep is about....
....This blog is exactly what I have done since 1983 - a visit with a Dental Rep - a good one that cares about you, and watching you grow in your practice from the day you graduate to the day you retire. Someone who needs you to be happy and succeed as much as you want to....
You don't have time after work to find out all that latest happenings - but that is why you like when I visit...
-I can tell you the latest trends in our business
-The hot new products and the proven products
-I can help market your practice and build your business
-I can help you be as successful in your practice as you want to be
-I can help with finding staff
-I can help with set up of your office, selling your office, finding you an associate or other professionals that can help you succeed
-I am your friend, your ears, your confidante.
-I am the longest term and most loyal employee you will ever hire
DMDrep is all that and in about 2 to 3 minutes a day delivered every morning with an inspirational saying.
DMDrep is the best of you - because its' your shared successes that become the next 2 minute visit tomorrow morning....
Email warren@dmdrep.com and let me know the secrets of your success!
DMDrep - a different kind of blog about Success in Dentistry AND Life...
Brought to you by...
Warren Bobinski
The one file endo.....
As long as I have a want, I
have a reason for living. Satisfaction is death.
Self Adjusting File System...
My understanding of this file after reading and watching the vids...
-Uses a contra angle for mechanical cleaning and shaping
-Lattice design flutes
-Hollow design for continuous irrigation througout the procedure
-Has been 'extensively' peer reviewed (according to website)
-Dimensionally compatible with a #20 file
-works with vertical vibration and increasing the size of the canal
I want feedback - are you using this system? How well does this work on a curved canal, or in difficult to access canals?
To me this looks like a file that has some merit, but does it really answer the question for all root canals, or just certain cases?
I am a Twist File fan - like many of you. I would still recommend this as your file of choice. Watch for "Endo Week" coming soon and featuring Sybron Endo products!
This Rave of the day brought to you by....
Warren Bobinski
Success in Dentistry and Life.
Dentist do love their assistants....a dental love story..
No man ever listened himself out of a job.
I had this email sent to me from a Facebook friend...I have left the story as it was originally sent to me with the permission of the sender.....hope you enjoy and send me your own story to share!!!
So a couple of weeks ago two of my favorite people in the world had a very difficult span of seven days.
One of the kindest, most caring young ladies I’ve ever known had to work full-time with demanding and always improvising yours truly, doing a job usually reserved for the two best in the business. And she was the lucky one.
My two dental assistants Kolleen and Dani are Golden. For starters, I’d love to call ‘em my daughters; it’s just that I don’t have quite enough “thoughtful” and “always pleasant” DNA to make the claim stick. Some folks can only fantasize about working together with friends. I guess the idea is familiarity will breed some sort of sense of entitlement or worse yet, contempt.
All I can say is for me, the last seven or so years have been more about greater and greater respect and appreciation and…I might as well just come out and admit it, love.
So Kolleen and Dani are sticklers for detail; they require organization and predictable systems just to breathe. And you have to admire their chutzpah for choosing to be Radars O’Reilly to my Colonel Blake with an inner ear infection.
Both of my dental assistants keep me on track, relate to patients on “Hello” and anticipate way better than Pete Carroll can sniff out incoming NCAA violations and penalties.
The two women with whom I spend extended weekdays couldn’t be insincere if their lives depended on it. When I see them interact with folks generous enough to honor us with their trust and loyalty, I know we’re all family. If they seem even for the moment cynical or sarcastic, I know their just coaching me to a wake-up call. I’ve never seen two lovelier smiles.
So if you show up every day and perform a task and you’re compensated for your time and effort, you’ve got a job. If on sight, your co-workers bring a smile and “Good morning” hits warmly like a shot of Tequila, you get to be just like me and have yourself a career.
And to think I once figured great dental assistants had awesome technical abilities and great verbal skills, plus the kind of initiative that was more mythical than the Trojan horse toolin’ down Las Tunas? Kolleen and Dani are so much more.
My two dental assistants are human in only the greatest sense of the word; they’re compassionate enough to be favorite Aunts (and they are.) Most amazing to me, Kolleen and Dani are understanding enough to have only walked out on me once. And I deserved the life lesson learned. Thanks again Dani.
And I just can’t seem to lose the image of Dani crying one morning last week. And I’m not so sure I should.
Kolleen took over the assisting duties for a week because Dani’s family at home really needed her. One of twelve siblings had lost a brief, cruel battle with cancer at far too young an age. And just like at the office, Dani was the eloquent source of strength I’ve come to respect and admire.
If I close my eyes, I can still see Dani reacting to a sister’s sentimental favorite song and kids asking for their Nanna. I know from experience Dani’s hurt and tears will always be there, maybe hidden a little more under the surface as time goes by.
And that sad morning still brings a twinge when I think back to a week or so ago. And so does the love.
............................
Thanks for sharing this story. I know many dentists truly admire and respect the people who work for them - but often are not sure how to express this well. If you are one of those people reading this blog, or if you have a great story to share about your boss or co-worker that I could share on this blog please forward it to me
Smile!
Warren Bobinski
Success in Dentistry and Life!
Cool Dental Gifts
Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
Think they would get it?
Is this you?
Only you and people you care about would know....(I see numb people)This Rave of the day brought to you by....
Warren Bobinski
Success in Dentistry and Life.
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