How do I hold a long-time dental team member accountable without damaging the relationship?
Stop confusing loyalty with competence. You can have someone who shows up every day, never misses, maybe is a relative or has been with you fifteen years, and that person can still be quietly torpedoing your case acceptance because they will not run your phone process the way you built it. Dependable does not mean coachable. I see it constantly when I sit with teams and listen to the reasons they give me for skipping steps. Hold them accountable to the process, not to their tenure. Be specific about what you expect, watch whether they do it, and address the gap directly. You are not attacking them. You are protecting the patients who call. If you cannot have that conversation, you do not have a team, you have a hostage situation.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.