Get personal with clients

Gary Morgan, a receptionist for Robert E. Lewis, a dentist in Overland Park, Kan., has a special talent: He remembers the name of most of the clients who walk through the door. And with more than 1,500 client records in the practice database, that's no small feat. How does he do it? "I've been with the practice for 25 years, so I know everybody," Morgan says. "I recognize most people who come in the door. I know their kids and grandkids." But it's more than a good memory that helps Morgan stay on top of who's visiting–he checks the schedule about 50 times a day. And using the practice's computer, he can quickly look up the names of clients' family members, too. "Every day is like a mini family reunion," he says.