Integrating “Experience Economy” into Orthodontic Practice Management: A current perspective on internal marketing

Marketing as a word conjures up different visions for the orthodontic profession. It encompasses so many things and so much variety that it is difficult to discuss it with others in our field. The connotations are so varied that there is so much confusion when you throw in the association of marketing with advertising. Infact, even without knowing about the science of marketing, successful orthodontic practices do incorporate tenets that generate greater patient recall and referrals. The uniqueness, impact, and memorability of patient interaction are critical to generating a consistent referral base. A concept that is, making the industry at large, change its practice is the concept of the “Experience Economy.” In a survey of orthodontic patients, who were asked to rate the best and worst memories of their orthodontic treatment by the Q sort methodology, the best and the worst memories were experience and not therapy based. This article highlights the “Experience Economy Tools” for Internal marketing. With changing times, orthodontic practices that are able to implement these Internal marketing strategies in their day-to-day practice protocols will see improved patient satisfaction outcomes and financially successful practice models that will grow in any economy.