There are those amongst us who will always buy their cars from the manufacturer’s franchises, even though it’s more expensive and to maintain the warranty you’re tied to their servicing (which is expensive too but they valet your car!). But why do we do this? We still do it because we trust them, know the brand and expect a good customer experience. But logically we could buy exactly the same car with the same spec from the local garage down the road, or even from an advert in a car mag or paper. I’m a firm believer that “you get what you pay for” but I also understand that cheaper can sometimes be as good.
So why is price so different between those offering private orthodontic treatments when we are delivering what the patient sees as exactly the same products? Well that’s the thing – you are not buying a brace, aligner or even a six month smile. You’re paying for an outcome – a better, healthier and confidence boosting smile. You’re also paying for the way you got there and for the aftercare.
What you want is a great result delivered as fast as possible, but you also want the new smile to last you for the rest of your life because you can’t trade it in to get a new one. You’re paying for the team who work alongside the “mechanic”, the venue and atmosphere where your teeth straightening treatment is done. You’re also paying for a highly trained “mechanic” who is capable of making sure you get the best result for you and your teeth, even if that means spending a few extra months to get there.
I recently received a testimonial from a patient whose treatment took longer than planned – she said “it was really great that you took the time to get my teeth just right, when others may have said – you’ve had your lot, times up”. So although it was frustrating for both of us, at the time she valued my attention to detail and it made me feel good that I went that extra step to get the perfect smile for her.
Paula