For the last few years, I’ve spent time observing the culture of Orthodontic Arts because we have three children in varying stages of orthodontia. These folks know their customers.

You may think “patients” would be a more appropriate term, but I disagree. For you see, the customers at Orthodontic Arts, the people who do the actual buying, are the parents, not the patients.

The website boasts, “One of the most state-of-the-art and unique orthodontic facilities in the country…Our patients and their families feel immediately at ease and even learn how to have fun in a dental office.” And it’s true.

Think about the demographics of people walking through the door of an orthodontic office. Typically, you see kids, teens and parents (sometimes with toddlers in tow).

In a traditional office, the parent (either mom or dad, or maybe initially both) is sitting in a waiting room with old magazines, poor lighting and a mental to-do-list with a thousand things, interrupted by a trip to the orthodontist. The child or teen patient has already viewed all the old Highlights at previous appointments and is not looking forward to getting those wires tightened or the pain that ensues. And maybe there’s a screaming baby or rambunctious toddler with few alternatives for things to touch and mouth. Sound familiar?

Orthodontic Arts is different.

Waiting Area
The waiting area was designed for working parents and soccer moms alike. There are two massage chairs, a coffee bar with a decent selection of coffee, tea, hot chocolate or cappuccino and free wifi. (Technically, these should be viewed as Gifts with Purchase considering the small investment made in mouth metals, but that’s another story.) Magazines are current and varied and the television is set for a cable news channel.

Honestly, I wouldn’t mind scheduling a few business meetups in that place!

Patient Arcade
Imagine being an orthodontic patient, awaiting your next torture session – I mean, appointment. What better way to take your mind off impending pain than by spending a little time in the patient arcade? There’s a space-themed mini theater featuring the Disney Channel and half a dozen video games waiting for the high scorer.

Toddler and Child Area
Remember those screaming babies and rambunctious toddlers? Orthodontic Arts even has a childproof area designed just for little tikes! Now you don’t have to worry about holding a squirming child while trying to avoid spilling the piping hot beverage you just made at the coffee bar.

Somehow, going to the orthodontist no longer seems like a chore. Instead, it’s an outing that ends too quickly, forcing child and parent to return to school, work or the busyness of home.

The Payoff
There’s a huge payoff for Orthodontic Arts. Whenever someone asks where our children got their braces, we not only give them the obligatory answer, but we sing a song of praise. When our kids return to school and brag about their arcade scores or the fact that they just had a cup of cappuccino or a massage, you can bet their peers pay attention. And one day in the future, when someone exclaims to one or all of our children about how beautiful and straight their teeth are, they will proudly boast about their experience at Orthodontic Arts.

Questions for Business Professionals
Who are your customers? What stresses them out about buying from you? How can you make doing business with you easy, quick and nice? Leave your answers in the comment section.