Leisure Suit + Play Money + Disco music = Customer service!

I spent this morning at Franklin Square Orthodontics - my son got his braces on. Dr. Mike Meharg (that's his picture to the left) came highly recommended, but I was still a little surprised when we had our first consultation a few weeks ago.

The office is bright, open and cheery and there also appeared to be a party going on. The friendly staff explained that at the end of the summer a lot of their young patients get their braces off before school starts. They like to make a big deal about it, so they have a table set up in the waiting room with goodies and treats, balloons and streamers everywhere, and disco music playing. Each time someone got their braces off the staff would sing and clap, and Dr. Meharg was dressed in a powder blue leisure suit with a ruffled shirt and shiny white bucks. I can't be sure, but there may have been dancing.

As we toured the office, we saw lots of pictures of patients, fun contests and "Meharg Money". It's play money (with Dr. Meharg's picture on it, of course) that the kids are given at each appointment and they can redeem it for items from the "Meharg Store". They can earn more by not breaking their braces and getting good grades. The have a terrific website with all kinds of useful information on it. The office located in the same building with Boulangerie, which is a totally fabulous little sandwich shop. While the parents are waiting, they are given coupons for a free cup of coffee or a sweet at the sandwich shop. They even have good magazines in the waiting room.

I couldn't help but compare this to my own orthodontic experience, circa 1984. The office was dark and cavelike, and the dentist was recently divorced and liked to talk about how much he hated women while he was working on my teeth. He also decided to pull 3 teeth with no warning one day, and I almost lost my job because of it.

It's clear from one visit to Dr. Meharg's office that it's all about the patient. He clearly understands that getting braces on isn't anyone's favorite thing to do, so he makes it as pleasant and fun as possible. It doesn't sound difficult but after you leave are really struck by how rarely you enounter a business of any kind that puts the customer (or patient) first. As a business owner, I think it's brilliant.