Do you need help training your front desk staff? The voice of your receptionists is the first impression that people get of your practice. That is why it is so important to train them properly. Check out the tips Functional Medicine SEO has below.
Making A Professional First Impression
Every phone call is an opportunity for your business. A chance to demonstrate your worth and gain a new patient or deepen the relationship that may already exist with a current one. When answering the phone, you must provide the caller with the name of your business, followed quickly by a short but warm greeting.
Here is an excellent example of how to answer the phone, “Thank you for calling (name of clinic). This is Dr. Drew. How may I help you today?” This lets the patient know that they have called the correct number and that they have your full attention. Remember that your words, tone, and etiquette when answering the phone help create an immediate impression of how your business handles its clients.
Stay Focused And Provide Your Full Attention
Whether you are speaking with a new patient or a longtime loyal one, effective communication begins with active listening. By remaining focused and providing the patient with your full attention, you are relaying that your business values and respects its patients. If the patient feels you are distracted or that they do not have your complete attention, the quality of the interaction will quickly become diluted. You may lose out on a valuable opportunity.
Here is a good example of demonstrating that your patient has your undivided attention: “I understand your concerns. Let’s see what we can do to help you with that today.” Short, simple, and to the point of reassuring the patient that you are committed to helping them resolve their issues in the moment. When you are distracted, have delayed responses, or are off-point, the patient may become flustered, and you could potentially lose them.
Be Courteous And Respectful To Patients
The people who are hired to answer the phones need to be trained on how to properly do it. When you have to speak with the public, it can be hard when you are not well trained. Then you add in the fact that you may be talking with someone who isn’t feeling well. Always treat patients and potential patients on the phone with respect.
Listen to what they are telling you and show them that you care about what they are going through. That does not mean you need to be on the phone for a long time talking about their situation. Try to stay on track and make them an appointment. But being short and disrespectful is going to drive people away.
Have Patience While Speaking To People
When people are not feeling well, they can be hard to deal with at times. They may not want to wait as long as they have to for an appointment. There are times they won’t like the answer that you are giving them either.
With proper training, our staff can learn how to deal with all these situations. That way, they’re equipped with the knowledge needed to respond to the patients. Even if it’s not what they want to hear, they will respond better when it’s presented with patience. And if you ever need to place a patient on hold, always ask first. This lets the patient know what is happening and helps them avoid feeling out of the loop and frustrated.
Set A Time That All Phone Calls Need To Be Answered
One of the things that can hurt your business more than anything is missing phone calls. There needs to be set times that the phones get answered every time that it rings. When it is within business hours, staff members need to try their hardest not to allow the voicemail to pick up.
All the employees in your functional medicine practice need to know how to answer the phones. That way, the phones are still answered when someone is busy or absent. The time of day that most patients are calling is going to be on a lunch break. If your phones aren’t answered during that time, patients may give up. You risk that patient trying another professional if they can’t get through to yours.
Use A Forwarding Company
There are going to be times that the phones are not going to be able to be answered. That is when a second party can come into the picture to help with the overflow. This is a company that can book appointments and generally speak with patients. Times such as lunch breaks, evenings, early mornings, and more can be times that this service gets used.
It helps to get to more people and show your dedication to them. The fewer amount of calls that go to an automatic recording the better for your business. Potential patients and existing ones want to feel important and heard. Answering more phone calls and talking to a real person can make that happen.
Contact Functional Medicine SEO Today
Are you looking for ways to boost your functional medicine website’s visibility? Then, you should consider Functional Medicine SEO. You can visit the website and fill out the strategy session form. We would love to help you improve your practice‘s online presence.
