We ask people all the time about why they prefer to go to Starbucks and wait in line for the chance to shell out $6.00 for a fancy cup of designer coffee, when they could just as easily zip in for a faster, cheaper cup of coffee at the coffee shop right across the street. They give us three answers…every single time. Let’s call them “the 3 C’s.”
He called the dentist’s office, after receiving a marketing postcard in the mail. The office was in his neighborhood, the ad said they accepted walk-ins and emergencies, and he was in pain.
He dialed the number. The phone rang. Five times. The call went to voice mail. The monotonous, scripted voice said, “Thank you for calling Doctor’s office. We are very busy with our current patients. Leave your name and number at the tone and we’ll call you as soon as we can.” Click.
A half hour later, he called again. After the third ring, a harried, disinterested voice blurted, “Doctor’s office can you please hold.” Without waiting for an answer…….Click.
Still in pain an hour later, he tried a third time. After the fourth ring, connection at last! “Doctor’s office, how can I help?”
The man said, “Thank goodness you answered, I’m in horrible pain and…”
A hurried, frustrated voice interrupted, “Name, please. Just a second, let me put you on hold and take a look.” Click.
What are the odds this man ended up as a patient in this practice? How many advertising dollars is this practice wasting trying to generate new business from people just like him?
Whether that man or someone just like him ends up as a patient depends entirely on that first phone call.
That means your front desk staff and the way they handle that first phone conversation can quite literally mean the difference between profit and loss…between a thriving practice full of referrals and delighted patients and a practice that is struggling just to get by. Most dental offices have a less than 25% new patient conversion rate over the phone. That is a Huge loss!
The secret to converting those phone calls to new patients? Rapport.
Rapport is that feeling of connection, of closeness, that occurs when people feel as if they are known and appreciated right from the start of the interaction.
In a dental practice, the first priority of the person at the front desk is to establish rapport, and the job of maintaining and building that rapport is passed from team member to team member as the patient progresses through the practice for treatment.
Let’s examine a few behaviors that demonstrate and help build rapport from the first phone call, and see how we can use them to strengthen those patient relationships.
- Start from a position of genuine respect for the patient. Every customer of every business, your patients included, wants you to treat them with kindness and respect, and feel as if you truly value their business. Please, thank you, excuse me, and forgive me are more than just words of good manners. They demonstrate your commitment to respect.
- Set up efficient systems for phone calls and patient arrivals. If your front office team member is overworked, your call volume is high, or your systems are not set up to handle phone calls, patient arrivals, and staff interactions all at the same time, you’ll need to revise your systems. Answer every call before the second ring. If you have to put a caller on hold, introduce yourself first, ask their permission, tell them approximately how soon you can get to them and ask if they would prefer to hold or have you call them back. If a patient arrives when you’re on the phone, look the arriving patient in the eye, give a warm, welcoming smile, and let them know you will be right with them.
- Use practiced verbiage, but be flexible enough to make it your own. We’ve all experienced those phone calls from solicitors who are obviously working from a script. They sound mechanical, automatic, and more committed to the script than they are to the relationship. Be natural, personal, and conversational, as if you were talking to a friend.
- Take charge of the call, gently directing it toward your desired end result – an appointment. Acknowledge the caller’s reason for calling, empathize with their emotional state, and express compassion for their situation. Ask the questions you need to guide the call toward the right solution or end result. Do they need to see the hygienist? Do they need to schedule a consult with the doctor? Do they need to get in right away or can they wait a few days?
- Collect and record accurate, accessible information. In the first phone call, you’ll want the caller’s name, contact information, and phone numbers at the very least. As they provide the information, double check spelling and numbers to make sure everything is accurate. This is a three-step process: first, ask the right questions; second, record the information in your patient management system; third, use whatever mechanism you have to enable any member of the team to be able to access the information when they interact with the patient.
- Be personal, and personable. Rapport requires you to be able to communicate with the other person that you truly know and understand them. Take a genuine interest in the person. Ask open-ended questions about their work, their life, their family, just as you would if you were getting to know a good friend. Take notes as to birthdays, special occasions or events, important dates and acknowledge them when the time comes.
- Adjust your approach using mirroring, matching, and pacing. Over the phone, you are missing a key element of communicating information. You can’t see the other person, and they can’t see you. So your voice and speech needs to convey all of the information you would usually convey with facial expressions, head nodding, and hand gestures. If the patient is in a hurry, you’ll hear it in the speed of their speaking. Speak faster yourself to mirror and match them, get the minimal information you need, and ask if there’s a more convenient time to call them back to get more information. If they’re speaking slowly or softly, adjust your speed and tone to match theirs.
- Express your commitment to helping the patient. Try to see the world as the patient sees it, and let them know they’ve made the right decision in calling your practice. Show compassion, and empathize with your patient.
Working on your front office and telephone skills can make the difference in your practice. The secret to converting more first-time callers into new patients is developing the rapport that makes the caller feel like calling your practice was the smartest thing they ever did for their health.
For over 25 years, we at P&S Coaching have helped dentists just like you build practices filled with loyal patients who gladly refer their friends, families, and colleagues. If you’d like to know more about how you can work with your team to build rapport with your patients, convert more first-time callers to loyal patients, and generate much more referral business, contact us today.
If you’d like to see results like those in your practice, contact us today to schedule a complimentary consultation. We’re looking forward to working with you.
