On average 1 out of 4 opportunities to get a patient in the office is missed. 75% to 78% of all calls are bookable prospects. With these stats in mind, Kevin Mensink, ReSound’s VP of Marketing, recently spoke about how to prepare a great call script.
First, what are the keys to successfully handling incoming calls to your practice?
- Your front office should feel part of the team not a separate administrative function within the practice.
- Develop a call plan or script.
- Prepare the front office staff to handle common potential patient questions and objections.
- Finally, be sure to listen to the calls on occasion to ensure they are meeting your goals, track success/failure and adjust as needed.
Developing a call script is not always as easy as it sounds. Here are 9 great tips to think about and include when developing your own call script for your practice:
- Greeting: Greet the caller with you given name and the full name of your clinic. “Thank you for calling ABC Hearing. This is Barbara, how may I help you?”
- Capture their contact information: Get the caller’s full name. “May I have your complete name?”
- Get the caller’s phone number: “May I please have your phone number?”
- Establish who is in need of help: Identify the person with need. “Are you calling for you or someone else?”
- Document lead source: Discover and record the source of the call. “How did you hear about us?/What caused you to call today?”
- Probe for urgency: Assess urgency. “When did you first notice problems with hearing?”
- Ask for the appointment. “Would you like to schedule an appointment?” Schedule the date, time and length of appointment.
- Confirm companion. “Who will be accompanying you to the appointment?”
- Confirm details. Confirm the date and time of the appointment and provide directions to the office if necessary before hanging up.
It is important to have clear goals and a process that everyone follows, but be sure to have a neutral means to listen and coach when needed.