QUIT THROWING YOUR MARKETING $$ OUT THE WINDOW!!!!

Websites. Electronic Communication Systems. Direct Mail Marketers. Radio Ads. Newspaper Ads. Social Media Support. Logo memorabilia. Special Events. In house marketing gimmicks and print material. Newsletters. Email blasts.

Marketing ain’t cheap, right?  You spend thousands of your hard earned dollars on marketing, all aimed at driving patients and potential new patients to pick up their phone – call your office, choose YOUR office for their dental home, right?

Yet most offices only provide phone availability to their patients an average of 26 hours a week. That equates to 56 normal business hours of opportunity that you miss out on each month. 56 hours!!! Want to know what you’re missing?

Well, for starters let us say that you invest an average of $2,000 per month for the above marketing items. (kinda low, but we’ll use this for general purpose) If you take that $2,000 and divide it by the normal business hours of 160 per month, that averages $12.50 cents per normal business hour that you spend on marketing. Now, if you multiply that by the 56 hours of unanswered phones and missed opportunity, you are basically throwing away $700 per month in marketing dollars. I mean, why not just drive down the road and throw that $700 out your window? Please keep in mind that we know this $700 is a LOW figure of deficit because it does not include the production loss by not being available to schedule new patients, existing patients who are ready to schedule or intercept cancellations.

Nothing is more frustrating for a new patient, or even an existing patient, than when they finally pick up that phone to schedule an appointment and they get a) an answering machine or b) no answer at all – Yes there are still offices out there whose phone just rings and rings on off hours. Scheduling is based on emotion – if you aren’t available when the emotion is hot you risk missing out on BIG opportunities.

Think about your own experience in trying to reach someone when you’re emotion is hot. You get a voice mail. You sigh – you think to yourself “Really? I finally decided to get this over with and I get a voice mail”. How about if you call during YOUR lunch hour only to get a voice mail that tells you that whomever your calling is out on THEIR lunch hour? Or you call to get a voice mail on a Friday afternoon that tells you they’ll start taking your calls on Tuesday morning with no option to leave a voice mail? OMG right??!!! Come on, its happened to all of us and there is nothing more frustrating, or that screams “We care about YOU when its convenient for US”.

How many times have you walked in on a Monday morning to a voice mail full of cancellations, reschedules, emergency requests because there was no one answering your phones on Friday? Now your administrative team needs to scramble to adjust the schedule, try to fill the holes in a panic mode, you’re paying a hygienist for 3 open holes and its only 10:00 am and you all can’t wait for the day to be over already…

How wonderful would it feel to go in on a Monday to a controlled schedule? No messages for your administrative team to return, the schedule is confirmed, a few holes have been filled and now you can focus on treatment opportunity for the day?All because you have phone availability to your patients 40 hours a week.

As you can see, maximizing these currently uncovered 56 hours a month will positively effect many things – Higher production, better patient connections, cancellation interceptions, more opportunity to welcome new patients and decrease stress.

Maximize your opportunities and your marketing dollars!!!

We provide complete, experienced, PRN administrative support to your team including phone coverage/scheduling, insurance aging clean-up, confirmations, recare support and much more!

You’re closed? We’re open!

A poorly answered phone is almost as bad as an unanswered phone………..

With that being said, just who is answering YOUR phones?

We have all heard that you should be answering your phones and available to connect with your patients at least 40 hours a week.  If you aren’t answering your phones when a patient, or new patient reaches out to make that connection, chances are they will make that connection with someone, somewhere else.

Some practices have an office cell phone that they dole out to employees on a rotating basis. But who are the employees you are trusting with the front lines of your practice? Do they have the knowledge, the skills, the PERSONALITY and dedication to make this effort worth the while? Just handing someone a phone and expecting them to answer it because it rings, thinking that alone makes you feel better just because it was answered, is NOT the solution here. Have they been trained on phone skills, etiquette and scheduling specifics? Or are they just supposed to wing it, and winging it against their will because they are FORCED to take the cell home?

I cannot encourage you enough to call your own practice. If you were a new patient, would the greeting make you feel comfortable, and good, that you chose your office? Or was the phone answered in a hurried manner, unfriendly, unwelcoming like you are a bother?

Now call other practices. What is the vibe you get from their office? I encourage our clients to create their own unique greeting for their practices. Why not set yourself apart from the rest on that first phone call? My greeting is always “Its a great day at Dental Support Specialties, this is Mary Beth, how may I support you?”.  I heard a fantastic greeting a few weeks back from a dental practice of “It’s a great day at Dr. Smiths office, how may we help you smile today? Whatever the greeting, make it unique, welcoming and something they will remember.  At the end of each call be sure that the caller is being asked “What other questions do you have for me” and to THANK them for calling.

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting quite a few administrative superstars who answer the phone with such gusto you can’t wait to meet them!  And here’s a bonus -  People with these wonderful attitudes are more likely to exceed your expectations in other areas of their jobs too! They care about your practice, are excited to welcome new patients and take the job of keeping that schedule full serious!

Scheduling is based on emotion.Patients are calling your office for a reason. Even if it’s to cancel an appointment, with the right person, with the right personality on the phone, that appointment just might be saved. On the other hand, with the wrong person who either berates the patient, or sighs, or acts like this is the biggest inconvenience ever, well, chances are they are not going to reschedule; they will choose this time to say “I’ll call back after I look at my calendar”.

Think about a time when you’ve placed a phone call to a business – you’ve reached out because at that moment you’ve needed something – and your call gets answered by the most detached, uninvolved, could care-a-less nasty person ever. Makes you wish you didn’t make that call………. or maybe makes you wish you would have called the “other” place……. They weren’t not only NOT welcoming, but couldn’t help you right THEN, obviously didn’t know their job and told you to call back………. or said they would have someone call you back and no one ever did. Leaves a really bad impression of that place and chances are slim that you’ll ever call again and you will obviously never refer them to anyone – as a matter of fact quite the opposite; if anyone ever brings up that company name you will share your negative experience.

With this being said, 40 hours a week phone coverage is a must. (and I mean 40 hours every single week of the year) I personally don’t think you need after hours or weekend phone coverage – lets face it, quality new patients are NOT calling during those hours and existing patients only call during those hours for one of two things – an emergency or to leave a message to cancel their upcoming appointment. Don’t waste your money on covering your phones during off hours, INVEST your money into covering the regular 40 hours a week  WELL.

Make it a great day and THANK YOU for reading!

MB

Complete Administrative Support/Services including phone coverage/scheduling.

Sense of urgency? Anyone?… anyone?…..

“I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.“

How many times have you heard someone in your practice say “That’s not my job!” or “I did it last time!! YOU do it this time”? Nomi Waters, over at NomiWaters.com has a great blog that discusses the aspect of renting or owning your job. Be sure to check it out!

Employees who truly have sense of TEAM don’t think along the lines of ME – Their thought process is “What is best for the practice? What is best for my doc?”. They might get a little miffed once in a while that everything seems to fall on them, and usually when you have an employee with a true sense of team, these things DO seem to land in their laps most often. Time to take control I say! Don’t let a good employee slip away because of lack of systems!

Do you employ time clock punchers or TEAM members?

Got a hole in your schedule? Who exudes the sense of urgency in filling it? Backed up with patients, running late with two rooms that need torn down and set-up? Who is exuding the sense of urgency to GET IT DONE? Or is everyone waiting for someone else to jump in? If you need to appoint a “traffic-cop” within your practice to keep the flow moving and doling out direction, then by all means DO IT!

Having clearly defined job descriptions and expectations outlined for each position in your office will enable your team members to take ownership of their positions. (If they don’t step up even after supplying them with the tools to succeed, it might be time to help them succeed elsewhere!)

Who’s got your back? By this I mean, who is the orchestrator of your office in all things running smoothly? Who is ensuring that you are able to do your beautiful dentistry and not have to go stomping up to the front desk to see why Mr. Smith isn’t here yet, or ask if the two hygiene holes in the afternoon have been filled…. This is information that should be supplied to you without asking………… be taken care of without prodding………

Why is room 3 still a mess from this mornings crown prep? Who is going to tear it down and for goodness sakes, why is the reception area a disaster after Mrs. Jones had her 3 kids in here this morning, and it’s now 2 o’clock and it still looks like a cyclone went through?

I don’t think a doc should ever, ever, EVER have to ask or worry about these things. They should be done, done by the first person who sees it, or better yet by the person who has these expectations outlined in their job description.

Holes in the schedule? Two front desk peeps saying “I’m not doing it, I filled the last one” or thinking, (without communicating) that the other will just take care of it, and then nothing ever gets done…………Unacceptable.

Every time you sit down for a crown prep, you find that something is missing off your set-up tray without fail? Ok, so now you are frustrated, ticked off, have to wait for them to go get it (quickly we hope) and just put you even more behind ……….. While you are waiting you happen to glance over at the schedule and see those hygiene holes for this afternoon are still empty, and that no appointments for tomorrow have even been confirmed yet…………. Now your anxiety is amping up even a bit more when the front desk peeps their head in and asks you if they can go to lunch a bit early today…………. Susie the assistant is in a bad mood because the other assistant isn’t tearing down room 4 for the next patient, she’s over gossiping with the front desk about the hygienist… The hygienist is now ticked off because she is running behind because no one informed her at the morning huddle that Mrs. Miller was having gum issues, needed to take an unexpected FMX and you are late for your hygiene check because you haven’t even started your crown prep yet! For Gosh sake! All you want to do is prep this crown! You want to do your beautiful dentistry and not have to deal with this crap!

Let me say it again. Systems my friend.

I find a lack of sense of urgency and a ME attitude as such a sign of disrespect to the doc….. and to the rest of the team. A lack of sense of urgency to me means that the employee feels pretty darn comfortable in their job and their minimal efforts. No one has ever told them different and so they do the least amount possible. The team member has a job because THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE to support the practice in reaching its goals………….. If they are not willing to step up, WHY ARE THEY THERE? And if they have a bad attitude on top of it all, oy vay! Why do you torture yourself? You are in the driver seat to right your ship – A plan of action, SOP manuals and clearly outlined expectations.

Lack of systems = Lack of success.

If a team member comes in on any given day and gives, lets say a 60% effort in their job and supporting the rest of the team and expediting patient care, would it be fair then that you pay them only 60% of their wage for the day? Heck no! They’d have a heart attack!!

Now I am not saying to kick all employees to the curb, not at all. Team members need direction. They need to know, and clearly understand your expectations of them within their positions – (SOP manuals anyone?) If these expectations are written down don’t you think it will be much easier to know who is meeting/exceeding your expectations or to help hold each team member accountable in reorganizing their efforts and overcoming their challenges? How can anyone meet your expectations if they don’t know what they are?

Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value.

Here’s to NO MORE CHAOS in your day, an orchestrated system for everything dental and peace in your gut knowing that your team has your back!

(Sorry about my long winded rant but this is something I feel very strongly about! )

MB

When donkeys fly!

Eliminate Cancellations? When donkey’s fly and hell freezes over maybe!

To quote one of my favorite dental guru’s, Howard Farran, (www.DentalTown.com) “To eliminate cancellations and fails you might as well pick up the earth and throw it into the sun”.  I LOVE this! Everyone is looking for the magic pill that will cure this ill of dental practices everywhere…………

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there is no magic pill, no quick fix, no one system that is ever going to eliminate cancellations and no-shows. None. The only thing you can do takes hard work; Have the best systems in place, follow them consistently and be prepared with a backup should a cancellation or no-show happen!! You know, that never-ending Perpetual State of Preparedness that I always talk about!!

Here are a few things to consider when streamlining your systems to make sure that your practice has everything in line to make the most of the challenging opportunity a hole in the schedule provides:

Relationships – Does your practice just “schedule appointments” or do you “build relationships”? Relationships WORK – relationships are an avenue for two-way respect – If you are “just scheduling appointments” the patients will have the mentality that “its JUST a cleaning” – When your whole team works on building that relationship with each patient, it becomes an educational opportunity which will leave the patient desiring the treatment they need and keeping their word with their appointments. Who wants to disappoint someone else that they have a good, trust based relationship with?  I don’t want to disappoint someone or make them think I’m a schmuck! You must create a value for them, a WIIFM (whats in it for me?) and appreciate them keeping their appointments. Tell them “THANK YOU for coming in today – we always enjoy seeing you and appreciate your time and effort you are dedicating to your oral health”.

Information – Make sure that you have all updated communication information for the patient – also find out which method of communication (and number) they prefer to be reached at during the hours of 8-5 – put this in the alert or patient information note box. I cannot tell you how exasperating it is to try to confirm someone when all 3 numbers on file are incorrect, or when you try a work number and you get screamed at for calling them at work. Communication is KEY!

Confirmation system  – When do you start calling? Do you follow-up with electronic confirmations that are sent out? Do you strive for 100% confirmations every day? Do you consistently do book review watching for the habitual offenders and calling them a week in advance? If you have tried multiple times to confirm an appointment, left messages, sent emails/texts and you still haven’t heard from the patient, do you give them one more call (day prior) and let them know if they don’t confirm their appointment by noon today you will need to remove their appointment from the schedule and have them call back at their convenience to reschedule?  At this point, they pretty much aren’t coming, so get them off the schedule so you can get someone else on!! Waiting with bated breath, crossed fingers and toes, hoping that a patient is going to show up is NO way to run a practice.

Here’s what we have seen work well in other offices:

Expectations: Clearly define your expectations. Everyone says “oh, don’t talk about cancelling or rescheduling  – It gives them ideas”…….. Whatever. Talk about that elephant in the room! Lay out your expectations. This should begin with the new patient information. You require 48 hours for appointment changes, SAY IT – If you don’t receive the courtesy of a 48 hour notice, TELL THEM what will happen. Period. How on earth can you expect them to meet your expectations if you avoid telling them what your expectations are???? You say 2^nd late cancel you’re getting a fee, then do it. If you waive the fee, you make sure the patient knows what a favor you are doing for them, THIS time only and mark their record accordingly. Let them know how you confirm appointments, when you confirm appointments and that you expect all reserved appointments to be confirmed. Define it. Say it. Expect it. In return for their cooperation, you will meet their expectations by appreciating their time as well.

Pre-appointing – No one should leave your office without their next appointment card. Ever. If they are going to have a co-pay, go ahead and jot in down on the upper corner of the card. Don’t make a grand gesture of it or hand it over to them and say “this is your co-pay!!!!”- just do it. Hand them the card, let them know that’s the estimate of their co-pay and jokingly remind them to put the card on their fridge. Or better yet ask them if they would like to go ahead and enter the appointment in their smart phone – you’ll wait while they do!

Reminder cards – 3-4 weeks prior to the appointments, send out reminder cards. Not only reminder cards, but have the verbage on there asking the patient to call and verify their appointment day/time (HIGHLIGHT this request!!) When the patients call from the cards, you thank them for calling to verify, ask if they would need a courtesy call a few days prior or if you can mark the appointment confirmed now? If they need to reschedule, great, you now have weeks to fill the hole. Don’t put anything negative on these cards like “we require 48 hours notice for cancellations”…. They should already know that, and we want this card to be positive! We are looking forward to seeing you!!

Book review – among all the other opportunity you are searching for when doing this, one week out look at next week’s schedule. Habitual offenders should be *marked somehow – If there is one on the schedule CALL THEM right away. If they don’t confirm one week prior to their appointment, you leave the message that you’re removing them from the schedule.

Electronic confirmations – Send them out one week prior – call habitual offenders though immediately!– call anyone who hasn’t confirmed 3 days prior to appointment if no electronic confirmation.

Phone confirmations – Don’t be afraid to use every number on file – If you must leave a message, we recommend that you always state your name, where you are calling from, THEN ask them to return your call at (office number) when they receive your message as you need to obtain a confirmation for their upcoming reserved appointment time – then right before you hang up, remind them again of the “confirmation number” you need them to call. Again, day prior if there is no confirmation you leave the “remove from schedule message”. (important to state your phone number right after your introduction because we find once they hear “dentist office” they don’t listen to the rest of your message anyways!!)

Short call lists – Now, you are going to end up removing some patients from the schedule. It’s going to happen. As long as you are prepared to deal with it, then all is well. Having multiple, viable short call lists to call from to help fill last-minute holes

• People who want in sooner, or a more specific appointment should be noted appropriately on the ASAP so you can find this information with minimal searching/clicks – Every patient that is scheduled out further than 2-3 weeks should be asked if they would like to be contacted to come in sooner if their desired day/time opens up. Be sure to record this on the appointment notes to be able to effectively use this system!
  
• Use your phone log (you DO have one of these right?) You know, the log that you write down all calls and messages? Great for fills/follow-up!
• Unscheduled list – the list that has everyone’s appointments who have cancelled but not yet rescheduled? HINT*** every time someone cancels an appointment, insert a dateline, include a note of why they cancelled and when you will follow-up then “break” the appointment. NEVER delete unless they aren’t coming back to your office.
• Past due recare list
• Last but not least, pulling people forward from future dates – look a week out to see who might be scheduled at the same day of the week/time of the day – but of course be sure if they have insurance they are within their covered time period.

Phone availability – You ever notice patients like to leave messages to cancel? Usually on a day when you are out right? If you are closed on Friday with only your answering machine/voice mail greeting these callers, what do you walk into on Mondays?  Voice mail/answering machines don’t intercept cancellations, reschedule (keeping them on the schedule somewhere!), schedule new patients or anything else. Actually, they just make more work for you! I do not believe you need to have late night or weekend coverage – especially when you provide 40 hours of availability during the week. Also on your VM message let patients know that if they are calling to discuss an appointment that is scheduled within the next 48 hours, they need to call the dr himself or an offsite number as you don’t accept cancellations on this line…. reminding them though that you do need 48 hours notice for any appointment change………. encouraging them to call.

So here you have it. Donkey’s aren’t going to fly anytime soon but at least you can put yourself in the Perpetual State of Preparedness and protect your schedule!

Here’s to 100% confirmations in 2012!!

MB

 ”If you like getting what you are getting, keep doing what you are doing!”

5 Top reasons to provide 40 hours of phone coverage

In my many blessings of speaking with offices all across the United States, it continues to perplex me as to why so many offices still don’t extend 40 hours of phone availability to their patients. I am not talking an answering service, who in my humble opinion are nothing more than a glorified answering machine – I am talking real availability to your patients to meet any and all of their needs during this time and this includes LUNCH HOUR! I am always amazed at ANY office that sets an answering machine over a lunch hour. Holy cow! Don’t you know that is when working moms make the majority of their appointments???

Not to mention the fact that many dental practices spend thousands of dollars on marketing, aimed at driving patients and potential new patients to call your practice only to be greeted by a voicemail that says we’ll be back in 4 days.. Scheduling is based on emotion, so you need to be on the ready when the emotion is hot – and that is when the patient decides to pick up the phone and call!!!

I personally do not believe that you need to have someone answering the phone until 9 pm at night nor on Saturdays or Sundays. But when your office actually only offers 26 hours a week phone availability, you need to start thinking about what opportunity you are missing out on with the uncovered 14 hours!! THAT is alot of phone time (and opportunity) missed.

The practices that I have talked with who scramble to have someone take a cell phone home after hours or have hired an answering service for the weekends have been sorely disappointed. The employees get ticked off that they are chained to a cell phone and the results of weekend coverage usually amount to an emergency that could have waited until Monday, or the cowardly patient who wants to cancel their appointment via message ONLY.

Adjusting your phone hours a bit is something I am totally in for! Start answering at 7 am and answer until 6pm? Heck yeah! That is taking advantage of the opportunity that will roll in from working patients for sure! Be sure that your patients know, that you TOOT YOUR OWN HORN – We  support our patients by being available to speak with you Monday through Friday from 7 am to 6pm………..

Here are the 5 top reasons to offer 40 hours a week phone availability:

1) You’ll be available to directly welcome new patients. True story: My niece was looking for a new dentist in Chicago – After research she found one that she was pretty comfortable with and called. During the day. Got voice mail.  Left a message that her family would like to become new patients and could someone give her a return call? Waited. For two days. NO CALL. Called AGAIN. Went to voicemail AGAIN. She left another message. Waited. For two days. No return call. She was so upset she posted on their facebook wall (which someone had been making posts on the whole 4 day time period!!) that they just missed out on 4 new patients! Noone ever acknowledged her post or did she ever hear from anyone in that office. That is an epic failure of patient service.

2) Your available to intercept attempted cancellations. How many times have you checked messages after lunch or after your days off to find it loaded with cancellations and schedule change requests? Now these calls have to be returned, appointments cancelled and not rescheduled because they aren’t answering their phones. Do you know how much of a time suck this is? And how many patients get lost in the shuffle because of inappropriate notes for follow-up? Or never get rescheduled because someone just deleted them off the schedule with no follow-up? Now, by being available, you can intercept these calls, get the patients to stay on the schedule somewhere or encourage them to keep the appointment they currently have. Believe it or not, you are missing out on loads of production because of this system failure.

3) You are able to assist a patient in need NOW. When a patient in need calls they want to talk to someone NOW. They are in pain, scared, frustrated and then they get the voice mail that says you’ll be back in 4 days? Even if dr is not in, the patient will get the TLC they need. The emergencies can be routed appropriately assuring the patient that we care, we are here for them and are ready to take care of them. By taking all the pertinent information the dr can be contacted via text or call and RX’s can even be called in – ALL without the dr having to step foot in the office and the patient is happy with being taken care of.

4) You’ll be able to fill holes NOW instead of when you get back. How many of you have Thursday afternoons and Fridays off? Or Wednesdays off? When you come back into the office (with no phone coverage) you have a bazillion messages to return, a ton of cancellations and now your entire day just got blown to smithereens? And there are still 4 or 5 patients who haven’t been confirmed, so you’ll be waiting with baited breath and a knot in your stomach wondering if they will show? By offering appropriate phone coverage, the cancelling patients will be kept on the schedule somewhere (right??!) and your lists can be actively worked to fill these holes and keep your schedule full. Short call lists are mad genius, and any office that doesn’t have one is missing out on some big opportunity! Also, patient appointments can be confirmed, verbally if need be, but none-the-less you can come back to a FULL/CONFIRMED day after being out for 4 days. Just how would all of this feel to you???

5) Your time, opportunity, production and collections will all be maximized. You won’t miss out on the call where a patient wants to make a credit card payment over the phone, a patient finally bit the bullet and was calling to schedule that crown that they have been avoiding (SCHEDULING IS BASED ON EMOTION!!!)but they got the voice mail so that was their excuse for not scheduling , you’ll never again have a list of 20 messages to return on a Monday morning especially when you are scrambling to fill the four holes that were just created by patients who left messages to cancel….

I am sure you are getting the picture by now, right? Want to maximize your opportunity, AND your marketing dollars? Answer your phone.

I write of this with experience. We support our offices daily in making the most of these opportunities. We answer every single phone call with the intent of building a relationship – not just scheduling an appointment.

We strive to make sure that next day business is full, confirmed and that there are minimal messages to be returned. We process payments, call in RX’s, handle emergencies, schedule appointments and offer the best TLC ever, all with not a single employee even being in your practice.☺

With all this being said, please answer your phones. Set your practice apart from every other practice. Be the ones who always cheerfully answer the phones and your patients become to feel secure in the knowledge that you are always there for them. That my friends, is priceless.

Here’s to the best week ever!

Mary Beth

Please be be sure to check out our new facebook page at facebook/DentalSupportSpecialties.com

Hello….ello…..llo….lo….

♫ Is there anybody out there? Just nod if you can hear me………. ♫

Ok. Ok – I got carried away with the Pink Floyd reference……..  Back to reality.

Just what are your patients and potential new patients hearing when they call your office?

Do they hear a clipped, unsmiling, non-welcoming “Dr. So & So’s office!”

or do they hear something friendly, warm and welcoming “It’s a great day at Dr. So & So’s office, this is Mary Beth, how may I help you today?”

First impressions  – you really don’t get a second chance to make one….

Here’s a small challenge for you today. Google dentists in your area – pick up the phone and hit *67 (to block your number so people don’t think you are spying on them even though you are! hee-hee!) and dial a few other offices numbers to get a feel for how they are doing it. Make a mental note of how each greeting made you feel – like you wanted to go meet the people here? Like you were interrupting something more important? Like holy cow that lady was a beeee-atch? Did they make you smile?

Now, after you call a few other practices, call your own. Star *67 your number again and really “listen” to how you are being represented when someone answers your phone. Is this how you want patients and potential new patients to view your practice? Every single thing that goes on in your practice is a direct reflection of YOU – The initial phone call should be knocking the patients socks off, EVERY SINGLE TIME!

You make think this is a silly exercise, however I am here to tell you that this exercise will make you more aware of the happenings within your own practice.

There is nothing that makes me more sad than when I call a practice and the person answering it is showing such a display of being in a hurry, an attitude of “you’re not important to me” and “what do you want” – all within the first 10 seconds of answering the phone. How many times have you called somewhere and the person answering says the practice name so freaking fast you can’t even understand what they just said and can’t catch their name either, if they even say it.

Patient care needs to be amped up over the phone – why? Because although patients can hear it in your voice, they can’t see your face to make the whole connection. It’s better than communicating through email, yet not quite as good as face to face. Do you want somebody faking it? Absolutely not – patients also pick up on that and it is a total turnoff.

Covering phones for one of our great practices, I took a call from a fella who was shopping for implant fees. He told me he was shopping. This gentleman was completely sticker shocked at the price he was quoted at another practice, never even really knew what an implant was until he now was recommended one and was completely overwhelmed. I gave him what I have the luxury of giving him – TIME – I answered his questions as best as I could – calmed him down a bit – and had a wonderful conversation with him. At the end of the conversation, I asked for the appointment for a complimentary smile consult with one of the dr’s. He declined saying he had a list of NINE offices he called and he needed to talk it over with his wife. Hanging up, I was like “dang” because I didn’t appoint, however felt very good about the conversation. (This call was on a Friday) Guess what? He called back first thing on Monday to schedule! He told me he decided on this office because of “your bedside manner” and “the time you took with me”.  He not only met with Dr., but he has accepted treatment that includes bone grafting and implants. All because I took the time.

Is every phone call going to be a super success? Nope. Would your administrative team pass every single phone call test given by some? Nope. However, as long as kindness, patience and friendliness rule you can always say we honestly gave it our best effort. Let’s face it – we have to base the success rate of our phone calls partially on the person calling in…

Do you offer to contact the patients insurance company to get a breakdown of benefits for them? Even on a new patient phone call, if the patient isn’t sure, we always go the extra mile and offer to obtain this information for them. I know, I know – somebody out there is screaming “WHAT??!” when they read this and thinking ” I don’t have time for that”. Well, by NOT offering to support the patient, that is exactly what they are hearing. You don’t have time for them. And if you don’t have time for them at this initial phone call when will you? WOW them from the get go! (we have a great insurance information breakdown sheet to use – if you would like a copy let me know!)

Ok – moving on. Let’s face it peeps. Some of your calls are going to go to voice mail. It is going to happen. (I do believe you need to have a solid 40 hours a week phone coverage to make the most of every opportunity calling in and connect with the patients promptly!)

What happens after they leave a message is what makes or breaks the deal. On your message let the patients know how important their call is, and that you WILL return their call within the next 30 minutes. And you better be ready to back that promise up! My niece, who lives in Chicago, called a practice TWICE leaving a message both times asking someone to call her so she could schedule NEW PATIENT appointments for both she and her husband. No one returned her call. Ever. She wrote on their facebook wall how terrible their customer service is and that they lost out on 2 new patients because somebody couldn’t be troubled to return her calls. And it’s not like she didn’t give them time. She waited 5 business days. Can you say YIKES!?

Opportunity knocks every time your phone rings. Its all in how you answer it.

This message was brought to you, and approved by, Mary Beth Bajornas ☺

PS – Hey, check it out! We have upgraded our business name to Dental Support Specialties! Be sure to watch for more exciting changes to come!

 

 

Are you doing this?

“In golf, as in life, it is the follow through that makes the difference.”

Follow-up. We know how critical the correct follow-up can be in a dental practice. It can make or break treatment case acceptance. It can make or break a new patient scheduling. It can make or break the positive reviews you want your patients to go out and spread to the world. Lets face it…. It can make or break you.

To ensure that nothing falls in between the cracks, great systems need to be in place for follow-up. Along with the systems, we need to know who is doing what, and by when.

You come in to the office on Monday morning, after being closed on Friday with no phone coverage, to an answering machine full of cancellations, messages and reschedule requests. Although it may seem a bit archaic, phone logs are really a must in every practice. Record who called, when, what they needed and if follow up/appointment scheduled is complete. This log can also be used as another avenue for short calls.

Here’s a pic of the one we happen to use.

Think about it. Lets say a patient leaves a message that tells you they are cancelling their appointment and they will call back to reschedule. Or that they are sick and can’t make it and they will call back. Is there a note made? Is there a tickler system for follow up so this patient doesn’t get lost? Writing it down on this log can seriously help with follow up. I know I never let a patient get away with telling me they will call me back to reschedule – I mark the note box on the appointment scheduler two weeks out to give them a call.

How about the patients who have just been presented a treatment plan, but offer up the age old “Um, I need to go home and talk to my husband/wife and I’ll let you know”. NOT. I mark the note box on the appointment scheduler for 5 business days out, then give them a call. I begin these calls with introducing myself and say I am following up from their visit with us a few days ago and am wondering what other questions they might have for me? If they say NONE – I say “Wonderful! How well does next Tuesday at 8 am work with your schedule to begin your care?” This will be the make or break part – You’ll find out if they are ready, if finances are an obstacle or if they are fearful – and opens up a great window of opportunity for you to help the patient overcome their obstacles and get the care they need.

Post op calls. Anyone who receives anesthesia or intense care -  a new patient who was fearful – a child’s first visit who was traumatized – anyone who left your practice that day who didn’t leave skipping might warrant a post op call.  A call from the dr. is always best, but even if the dr is not available, the hygienist, assistant, and/or front desk person making the call is better than noone! I have even seen where they hygienist makes the post op calls for all scaling/root planings that they have seen that day. A kind, caring, warm, compassionate phone call asking how well the patient is getting along after their visit today goes a very long way! (PS – I always recorded the patients response to this call in their chart as well)

Simple requests from patients can get lost in the every day madness that consumes a dental practice. It is so important to write these requests down on the phone call log and mark the tickler system. Be sure to follow through with each request in a timely manner, ensuring we are not only meeting the patients needs, but exceeding their expectations by delivering the highest quality of patient care, response time and building reliability status.

Delivering the WOW factor in something that seems so simple as follow up will increase your patient trust, loyalty and referrals.

Initiate a follow up protocol for your practice. Who is going to do what, when, how and by when?

I look at it this way. If your team members are asking each other about patients all the time “Hey when was so&so in, did they call back?” “Did Mrs. Smith schedule for her appt yet?” etc – you get the picture – something is missing. Or if patients are calling and saying “Yeah I have been waiting for a phone call to let me know how much my insurance will pay” Having a patient phone back to follow up on their own request hurts.

There should be appropriate notes made in every single patient chart so someone walking in off the street could give you their current history – including what their next appointments are, why they haven’t scheduled and when is someone going to follow up with them.  See – follow-up and notes go hand in hand! (See the previous blog on ♫Note that♫)

Follow-up friends. You’ll be so glad you did – and it will make a positive impact on production/scheduling and collections. Promise.

Have a marvelous weekend! Here’s to you for the best follow up ever!

MB