Author : Cathy WarschawWhy do some doctors seldom, if ever, voice complaints about past-due balances, while others spend significant time on this problem? Much of the answer begins long before a statement is sent One of the most valuable changes you can make in your accounts receivable process is to define payment expectations with your patients in advance of services performed You can also enter into a formal agreement that includes a commitment to the down payment, and then writing out the remaining balance terms Here’s how:

*Establish financial boundaries Never hesitate to discuss money with your patients This normally takes place initially when scheduling the first appointment then formally at the consultation appointment Explain in a clear and concise manner exactly what you will do for the patient in terms they understand Doctors are responsible for quoting the investment You need to confirm that the case is sold before you hand them off to your financial coordinator Your clear communication during your consultation is essential because it establishes important financial boundaries with the client

*Formalize an agreement The boundaries discussed at the initial meeting should then be documented in writing In a financial agreement, your office manager should list the specific services to be performed or work to be delivered and the estimated cost of the services or work

*This agreement should explicitly state that the patient owes you money for work performed or services rendered The agreement should also specify the terms of payment, including the payment you expect in advance of services Many professionals that are securing large blocks of appointment times for their patients, and the doctors should receive a down payment upon scheduling or at least a few days in advance of their appointment This allows for a few days of recovery time for your staff should the patient not be financially able to move forward at this time

*Requesting money in advance is an accepted practice within most offices Using the terminology of the dental industry is important, such as “deposit on future services” or “retainer on services ” This allows the patient to understand you are asking for a commitment to show up for their treatment

Review verbally Take the time to review the agreement with your patient before signing This will enable your office manager to reinforce the financial obligation that the agreement specifies You can also use this verbal review time to inform your patient about the value of your work Confirm that they are making the right choice to proceed with care Your financial coordinator needs to establish rapport, and be viewed as an advocate for the patient There should be no question at the end of your meeting about what is being delivered and how much it will cost

*There is no greater show of respect than to be clear, up-front, and honest with your patients about money

*87% of all malpractice suits involve patients who owe money

*50% of all marriages end in divorce 80% of divorced couples site finances as one of the primary causes of divorce Patients will divorce you over money too (c) 2009
Cathy Warschaw, Director
Warschaw Learning Institute
http://www.WarschawLearningInstitute.com
Dental Office Management Online Courses
(888) 822-0917

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Author : maureen collinsAnimal trainers use it The research supports it You know it is the right thing to do If you really want top performance from your people, give them the one thing most likely to help them deliver Give them positive feedback

Positive feedback is the simplest and most effective means of improving performance ever! It involves little more than catching people doing things right and then complimenting them on it You must be sincere, and the more specific you are in describing exactly what the person has done, the better Beyond that, it is hard to go wrong One would think that every manager would be using it, every day!

But no! What one hears in corporate corridors is criticism, blame and accusation; put-downs and raised voices We put great effort into catching people doing things wrong We even produce printouts and reports to show the detail of exactly how and where they go wrong Rarely however, does any of this produce the positive results in behaviour change that we want! Most often it produces cultures of blame, threat and unease

Constant criticism causes people to lose confidence in themselves, and to become unsure that they will ever get it right They avoid taking risks, knowing that they will be blamed for mistakes, but will not receive any praise for doing well Doing it right becomes more important than doing it better

A less obvious but more insidious effect of continued criticism is no effect at all, as people simply tune it out You often hear managers say: But I keep telling them! When you hear this phrase you know that people are tuning out what they perceive as a background of constant and ineffectual nagging

There is a serious disconnect here Organisations claim to develop cultures in which people are highly motivated, where they can perform to the limit of their capabilities and where they grow and develop throughout their careers A culture like this is built around people who are motivated, creative, prepared to take risks, and who are confident in the support they will receive from their managers and leaders

When criticism and blame are used as tools to manage performance, they reflect a very different set of values and beliefs concerning feedback and motivation Those who use criticism and blame would seem to believe that people work best when they are anxious and scared; when they are motivated by fear and when they lack confidence in their abilities

As a rule of thumb you should aim to give positive feedback eight times more often than you give negative If you want to test the effect of a positive motivating culture on the people around you, try giving only positive feedback for a week Be sure to be specific in the behaviours that you are acknowledging and sincere in the way that you do it

Use these two steps to give positive feedback

1 Identify something that has value and that the person does well
2 Tell the person how much you appreciate what they are doing

Then STOP! Do not spoil the good effect by asking for anything more Do not say: That was a great job you did; but When you use the word but, it destroys all the effect of the positive feedback

Positive feedback is one of the easiest and best ways of helping people improve their performance As an effective leader you need to use it sincerely and liberally Maureen Collins trains people how to handle difficult conversations, on difficult topics, with difficult people in her consulting practice, Straight Talk. She has a B.Sc. degree in Psychology from Edinburgh University and over 25 years of consulting experience. She consults in communication in the workplace. Go to http://www.straight-talk.co.za for free downloads and Straight Talk Tips.

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Author : maureen collinsManagers often do most of the talking in performance appraisal discussions They say employees gain by sharing in their experience and views They say they know what the problems are and from their experience they also know the solutions That may well be, but when you are talking there is little motivation for your employees to think for themselves or to be committed to action

An employee has his feet on the ground His view of a situation is, by definition, sharper and more accurate than yours It is ironic that the people who make the most important decisions in an organisation are usually most distant from the action and know least about what is really happening In performance appraisal discussions, concentrate on asking questions Then listen

We are all capable of listening and really hearing what is being said to us But most of us have one or more bad listening habits that get in the way of our listening How many of these are you guilty of?

You are a faker!
You smile, nod and seem to be making eye contact But you are not concentrating on what is being said and your thoughts are far away They are probably focused on what you want to say next No matter how skilled you are at faking, others tend to know when they are being deceived and feel ignored and disrespected

You interrupt!
You break in before the other person has finished speaking and you seldom ask any clarifying questions You are more interested in what you have to say, than in what anyone else says

You argue!
You listen just long enough to form a counter argument or disagreement You argue when people offer information or opinions different from your own and when you think you know that they are incorrect

You steal the spotlight!
You listen to what others say only long enough to jump in with your own story You say things like: When I was, and: In my experience How often do you hog the airspace in conversations? Do you always have a better story to tell, a better idea or your strongly held opinion to offer?

You give advice!
You always have an answer or a solution, which you give without waiting for others to offer ideas or opinions People around you become used to your telling them what to do and soon stop thinking for themselves

You listen with prejudice!
You fit others and what they say into boxes based on your generalisations and stereotypes You tune out opinions and information that do not fit your preconceptions You end up hearing more of what you are saying to yourself than to what others are saying to you

All of these poor listening habits cause others to shut down, usually before you have obtained the information you need to hear It can be difficult to listen patiently when you feel someone is incorrect, or is taking too long to explain their view

Nevertheless, a performance appraisal interview is your chance to get in touch with the detail of what is happening on the ground and to gain insight through the experiences and ideas of your people Listening patiently, and showing that you are interested, is the
only way you can make the conversation safe for others to speak up

Keep it simple Start with: Tell me about Then listen You might be amazed at what you hear!Maureen Collins trains people how to handle difficult conversations, on difficult topics, with difficult people in her consulting practice, Straight Talk. She has a B.Sc. degree in Psychology from Edinburgh University and over 25 years of consulting experience. She consults in communication in the workplace. Go to http://www.straight-talk.co.za for free downloads and Straight Talk Tips.

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Author : Dominic DonaldsonSoft skills are nowadays seen as essential business skills Employers look for them when recruiting candidates, HR and managers include them in core competencies when assessing performance and clients expect suppliers to have the soft skills to support the product or service they supply

So what are soft skills? One way of thinking about it is that they are the opposite of hard skills Hard skills are those that are job specific or technical They enable you to get the job done correctly Soft skills are those related to people and communication and are relevant across a whole range of jobs and roles, all in fact

Soft skills include: presenting, motivation, people management, assertiveness, rapport building, influencing, team work and other interpersonal and communication skills

Just because they are ’soft skills’ however, doesn’t mean they are any less essential to the success of a business In the past it might have been enough to show that you can do the job Now it’s essential to show that you can do the job in a way that is as efficient, effective and profitable as possible, for all those involved This is where soft skills add value

Staff who understand the way others tick and know how to communicate with people, even if they have different personalities and styles from their own, will have greater success They’ll be able to build productive relationships, get what they want done and avoid mistakes and misunderstandings

Someone who comes across in a confident, yet friendly and personable manner is more likely to be accepted and respected by others and to be able to build business relationships People do business with people and it’s no longer acceptable to be a tyrant, a robot or a wall flower

Team cohesion and strong management skills will result in happier, more motivated staff who want to do a good job and are supported to do so This in turn results in lower staff turnover, higher productivity and higher profits

It’s not all about being fluffy and friendly however Some soft skills are fairly hard business skills - such as knowing how to write a clear and compelling report, negotiate the best deal or pitch your products successfully

Nearly all companies now understand the value of soft skills and invest in training and coaching for their people accordingly Face to face training allows people to explore and practise skills together, while learning from experts who walk the talk Coaching enables specific issues to be addressed one-on-one and for skills to be honed

Many organisations work hard at instilling strong people skills in their culture, referring to them in their values and focusing team days around them

As diversity of cultures becomes more and more prevalent in business, soft skills become even more important for facilitating effective communication

So, while the terminology may class these skills as ’soft’, they absolutely cannot be ignored by those wanting to foster a successful business And while they come more naturally to some, everyone can improve their communication skills through training, feedback and practice Dominic Donaldson is leading consultant in soft skills and is regular keynote speaker at conferences and contributor to a variety of publications.

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Author : Stephen CampbellTHE “SHOCK” TACTIC : I’m sure you’ve heard the term “shock value” before Well that’s what this tactic is all about Shocking your readers or customers Some folks will use foul language to shock their readers Some will use incredible stories And still others will tell them how they have made huge mistakes How many times have you heard or seen these:

o WARNING
o DON’T BE AN IDIOT LIKE ME
o I WAS A LOSER UNTIL I
o YOUR METHODS OF MAKING MONEY SUCK!
o IF YOU DON’T WANT TO DO X-Y-Z THEN LEAVE THIS PAGE NOW
o STOP BEING AN ASSHOLE AND COMMAND MORE RESPECT
o 20 TIME MORON FINALLY GETS IT RIGHT
o DUMB-ASS MAKES SIX FIGURES A YEAR

Or something similar Those get your attention don’t they? Sure they do! And that’s why they get used They suck you in and make you want to keep reading Let’s be honest here If you can’t do a simple thing like generate more interest in what you’re selling, then you won’t make any money Simple as that People, despite what they might say, want to be successful at one thing or another in life

And they want to be the best at it If they feel they can better their own lives through your tragedy all the better That’s one less person they have to compete with! Plus, they won’t feel stupid by making that same mistake Even better Use this tactic sparingly though Too much can turn off your prospects and have them hunting for their answers some where else Now let’s turn to THE “SCARE” TACTIC

Yes, it’s possible to scare your potential customers into taking action This is particularly useful if your topic relates to health, money, or love I mean really, who wants to be sick, poor, and alone? Hmm I don’t see any hands raised EXACTLY! Fear can be your greatest salesman Truly Think about it When the 9/11 tragedy rocked the nation, how many jerks do you think made money from it? A LOT

It’s sad, but true They scared the crap out of people and sold them gas masks in case of a toxic gas epidemic I think it’s disgusting myself, but like people say, someone has to shovel the :”‘; And shovel it they did Not only them, how about all the other people out there that made money by selling t-shirts, bumper stickers, and all that other useless stuff?

Yeah, maybe they gave a portion of their profits to the families affected, but I can almost bet it was a very tiny fraction of their overall take Am I saying take such a devastating event and work it to your advantage? GOOD LORD NO! That IS completely unethical What I’m saying is that you CAN use the fear factor to make people take action

Say, for instance, you’re trying to make some money by selling an ebook about how to protect your computer from malicious viruses Wouldn’t you want it more, if you were selling it to yourself, if you knew what kind of catastrophe could occur to your computer if you ignored such useful information?

What if you ran your business from your computer and it went kaput on you? Wouldn’t you want to save yourself thousands of dollars just by spending twenty? That’s the idea behind this dirty trick Use your customers fears, ethically of course, and you can generate more profits For more on persuasion, controvery and influence - visit : persuasion and influence

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Author : David UrmannA cover letter is an introduction letter that accompanies a resume or curriculum vitae This is the first thing an employer will read about the applicant It gives an overview of the qualifications of the applicant It definitely creates the first impression

The applicant in the cover letter expresses his interest for the job position posted He tries to woo the employer into preferring him over the other hundred applicants vying for the position, and he goes on to state his qualifications and good working attitude

A cover letter is usually just one page long, composed of just three or four short paragraphs An applicant will only have this much to win the nod of the employer And if one is competing with a hundred other job seekers, there is no room for mistakes in your cover letter Make sure it is written very uniquely and effectively, such that it will surely catch the attention of whoever will read it

A cover letter may also be written on top of a transcript of grades, which is then submitted to schools you wish to enroll in

A cover letter is a kind of formal writing, and follows a basic format It is comprised of a header, an introduction, body and closing

The header contains the standard business letter style This contains the sender’s name, address and other information It also has the recipient’s contact information The date should also be there either after the sender or recipient’s information Its final part is the salutation

The introduction generally consists of two to three sentences It contains the positioned being applied for and how the sender has learned about the qualification of the positioned applying for This should be in a conversation form This normally is the part of the cover letter that catches the attention of the recipient

The body has the detailed qualification of the sender The sender’s skills, qualifications and even the past experiences are discussed in here Every special thing needed to be discussed is written in this portion It includes details of the available schedule of the applicant, where he is based, when he will be ready to report for work if accepted, and other things worthy of mention

The closing is where the sender sums up everything This may indicate the next thing that the sender expects to take This may indicate a contact number But the indirect approach would be for the sender to state that he will look forward to meet the recipient Do not forget the valediction which is normally Sincerely or Respectfully Signature line follows this valediction with the imprinted name of the sender

There are cover letters that have the ENCL This is where the sender writes what is enclosed with the said cover letter

When you are doing a cover letter, we sometime find it hard on what to put in that cover letter Remember the main goal of the cover letter is to impress the recipient so that they would answer or act to your letter So it is very important that the letter that we have should be formal enough To help you write a cover letter, here are some dos and dons of a cover letter

Here are general tips on what to DO in the cover letter First, it is important to address your cover letter to a certain person Know who would receive the letter Make some research as much as possible A reader would prefer to see his name on the letter, rather than having to read To whom it may concern

Send an original letter to every place where you are applying Never do the photocopy technique It gives a mass produced appeal Use the simplest language so that the reader would not have difficulty reading it Be very unique Avoid the usual formula that bores a reader after reading hundreds of the same kind of letters Persuade your recipient that you are the right kind of person for the job, one who will be able to deliver the most

If there are DOs, here are the DON’T Never skip writing a cover letter Do not think of passing a resume without it And if you write one, do not invent your own format A formal letter is strict with formats Do not depend on your employer to take action As much as possible do some follow ups

These are just some of the few things that you need to give attention when applying This is very important This is your way to be employed so do your very best to get the attention of your recipient For more information on Cover Letter Samples and Free Cover Lettersplease visit our website.

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