What it looks like
Something feels off with a vendor, but you can’t say exactly what. Switching feels risky, so you stay.
What’s behind it
Weak partners rarely fail loudly. You get reports you can’t check, accounts you can’t open and promises nobody could keep. Keeping you in the dark is often what keeps them on your books.
What to do
Watch for these five signs. One is a reason to ask questions. Two or more is a reason to get a second opinion.
| Red flag | What to ask | A good answer sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| They won’t show you the work | “Can I see exactly what you did for us last month?” | A plain list of changes, with dates, that you can check yourself |
| The accounts aren’t in your name | “Who owns our ad, call-tracking, Google and website accounts?” | “You do. We’re users on your accounts, and you can remove us any time.” |
| Their numbers don’t match your practice software | “How many of your leads became booked patients?” | They match leads to your schedule, or help you do it |
| No signed Business Associate Agreement | “Will any patient information go into your tool, and is a BAA signed?” | Patient data only goes into tools with a signed BAA, or the task is set up to need none |
| Guarantees on things nobody controls | “What exactly are you guaranteeing, and what happens if you miss it?” | Goals you’ll measure together, with no promises about AI rankings or recommendations |
The fourth one matters most in dentistry. Free AI chat accounts take a minute to open, and a busy front desk may paste in a patient’s details without thinking twice. Patient information should only go into tools whose vendor has signed a Business Associate Agreement with your practice. Write that rule down and make sure the whole team knows it.
- If we ended our contract tomorrow, would we keep every account, recording and report?
- Can you walk me through your last report in five minutes, in plain words?
- Has anyone on our team pasted patient details into a free AI tool?
- Which of your promises depend on things you don’t control?