Stop horsing around with VAT!
I am a pretty calm person by nature, but a few things do get my blood pressure rising. There is one particular thing that has been happening quite a lot lately so I have decided to make this month’s column a bit of a mini-rant, with a warning to all dental companies out there.
When quoting a price for a new piece of equipment, or a bulk order on some implants, make sure the price you quote, is the final price I will end up paying. Why is this a bone of contention? Well, many companies have started quoting prices, NOT INCLUDING VAT! In case you didn’t know, VAT is now at TWENTY PERCENT! Not exactly small change! The response, “Why do you care, you get the VAT back!” Do we? If that is the case, can someone show me how please, it would save me from upsetting a lot of people!
Being told one thing but being given another is something that has made all the headlines lately in the wake of “horsemeat gate”! OK, I admit that this example may seem a little far fetched, but the principle is still the same – what we were told was beef, is actually horsemeat, and for my hypothetical dental implant, which I was quoted £200, is all of a sudden £240. Even worse, my dental chair, which was quoted at £45,000, is now £54k.
How can companies overlook this “little” technicality? The last person who quoted me a price not including VAT had the quote ripped up and told to try again. Not providing all the information from the beginning, can affect trust and confidence. “Horsemeat gate” has left the reputation of many well-known companies in tatters, and it will take a lot to restore public confidence.
Similarly, if we were to misquote a patient a price for a particular treatment, and then it turns out to be more expensive, in our position of trust, this would be professionally and morally wrong and create negative headlines that we simply don’t need. Therefore, it shouldn’t be acceptable for companies to deceive us dentists in this way. It’s misleading!
It’s important that patients and customers trust what their dentists (and supermarkets) tell them. Being honest from the get-go ensures everyone knows where they stand, saving a lot of time and effort in the long-run.
