Hope springs eternal at this time of year when we resolve to improve our lives and our dental practices. But if you continue to do what you have always done, you will unfortunately continue to get what you have always got. How frustrating.

Change is difficult. Change is scary. Change is uncertain and often unpredictable. It is so much more comfortable to use the same tired ideas and strategies and continue to stay within the narrow confines of your comfort zone. Yet expecting to get different and better results with that approach is the classic definition of insanity.

I want to share with you some recent comments from Seth Godin. a true visionary and someone I respect and admire. The title of his remarks was Fear of Bad Ideas.

“A few people are afraid of good ideas, ideas that make a difference or contribute in some way. Good ideas bring change, that’s frightening. But many people are petrified of bad ideas – ideas that make us look stupid or waste time or money or create some sort of backlash. The problem is that you can’t have good ideas unless you are willing to generate a lot of bad ones.”

Working harder is fine. Working smarter is better. Get your staff involved in a major way. Solicit their ideas in an anything-goes super think tank meeting. Push the envelope. Consider topics like modifying office hours, special promotions (always with an expiration date), spa services, innovative patient referral rewards, new clinical services like Sedation or Botox, better ways to communicate with your patient base – there is no limit if you can get those creative juices flowing.

I always like to say that if you throw enough spaghetti sauce against the wall, some of it will stick. It is the same way with ideas. Sure – some of the ideas will fail. But if you are willing to take some risk, you will succeed far more often than people who have no ideas at all.

A few nights ago, my wife and I went out for dinner to one of our favorite restaurants. As usual, the food was excellent and our server was exceptional. Later that evening we received an email survey from the restaurant asking for our feedback on the dining experience.

Two weeks before that, I purchased a new sport jacket – again from a nice store where I frequently shop. The jacket had to be tailored, so they offered to send it to me since the store is located about a half hour from my home. Well instead of mailing it, the salesperson who waited on me – knowing that we lived in the same neighborhood – actually delivered the jacket to my home. And the next day, I received a call from the store checking to be sure that the jacket fit well.

I sense a pattern here. It seems like even the best of the best are making a major effort to let their customers know how much they care about them. In these difficult economic times, it is a great strategy since people are more careful than ever with discretionary purchases.

The New Year is upon us – the time for those resolutions we swear to uphold. Unfortunately, statistics show that within two weeks time, the best of intentions have gone by the board. I challenge you as a small business owner to make good on what should be your number one resolution as we begin 2010. Motivate and inspire your team to continue to be not only the best of the best – but to improve even on that level of performance. “How can each of us – in our individual jobs – improve the services we render to our patients?”

Continue to strive to differentiate your practice from your competition by delivering exquisite, consistent, amazing customer service. It will be noticed – and it will make a difference!