Australasian Dentist Issue 89

Category 108 AustrAlAsiAn Dentist laBs e ven before COViD-19 descended, Australian dentists were already grappling with myriad challenges, mainly in the shape of fee-lowering insurance companies, corporate buyouts and consolidation, new (digitally savvy) competitors in the neighbourhood and a dominant Gen Y clientele weaned on social media. As compared to the threat of COViD-19, these challenges are no less imposing or unpredictable. in many ways, they can also be deemed as “unprecedented”. Beset by uncertainty, dentists instinctively search for a sense of stability by erecting structural safeguards around their businesses. According to Matt smith, one vital bulwark against the unpredictable headwinds is to partner with a reliable, customer-focused and digital-ready dental lab. smith is the General Manager of Andent, one of Australia’s most digitally inclined dental labs, also known in the industry as one of the pioneers in the Providing exceptional customer support in unpredictable times From their newly launched online portal to dedicated Customer Relationship Managers, Andent is always looking for the best approach to help their customers navigate uncharted waters. By Danny Chan scanning, designing and milling of dental restorations. “in the same way that Andent has learned to adapt in order to compete, we want to assist our clients to endure these turbulent times by evolving with the realities on the ground,” he says. Conversations with dentists have traditionally revolved around their cutting-edge processes and technology, 100% Australian-made high-quality work that requires fewer adjustments and their uncompromising standards of aesthetics. While those things remain unchanged, smith believes that increasingly, dentists are seeking more from their labs than just quality products, but also exceptional and reliable customer support, turnkey solutions and greater convenience. “it’s simply not enough offering good products at reasonable prices,” smith says. “Our customer has always been the number one priority and one of our core values is focusing strongly on the customer experience.” Personal connections About six years ago, Andent began drawing closer to their clients through engaging Customer relationship Managers – a staple in the banking sector but less known within dental circles. “since our lab services clients across Australia, CrMs help to extend our reach, improve customer engagement and increase customer satisfaction,” smith explains. “More importantly, the idea is to take the dentist-lab relationship to the next level. through the CrMs we are able to establish a personal connection with the dentist.” Allowing for seamless communication and transfer of products between the lab and practice, the relationship managers are contactable across different time zones and outside regular business hours. Whether over an email, phone call, zoom conference or in-person meeting, the knowledgeable liaison officers offer end- to-end, personalised customer support for each individual case. When they are not meeting dentists at an expo, CrMs can be found at the client’s surgery talking them through screen shots of a challenging case. “essentially, i function as the bridge between the lab and the dentist,” says Huy Dang, Andent’s Customer relationship Manager. “some dentists are not familiar with the inner workings of a lab. At Andent, we want to make sure they understand the processes, and how we work internally. it’s important that we’re all on the same page so there are no surprises.” noting how every dentist operates differently, Dang would establish at the outset the clinician’s preferences for how much – or little – technical support he or she requires so as to tailor the communication approach accordingly. the personalised attention, he stresses, can be individualised to each and every dentist, even within a multi-chair setting.