Teaching Proper Phone Etiquette To Your Front Office Staff

The way your front office staff answers the phone is often the first impression of your dental practice that a new patient will get. This is technically a form of marketing your practice. If the receptionist sounds bored, disinterested, uneducated about the practice, or seems to get irritated with questions from callers, chances are that a prospective patient will give someone else a call. Like it or not, those you have on phone duty have the power to make or break your dental practice.

Because you only get one first impression with a new patient, take the steps to make sure it’s a good one!

Phone Etiquette Tips to Teach Your Front Office Staff

Below are a few tips you can discuss with your front office staff to improve the chances that a caller has a great experience:

• Before Answering the Call – Believe it or not, sitting up straight and smiling when answering a phone call can improve the way you sound on the phone. It might seem a little silly at first, but smiling will send endorphins through your body, helping you sound more enthusiastic and friendly on the phone. This kind of positivity will be evident to anyone who hears you. In addition, sitting up straight can help you stay focused, which will help you deal with questions asked by potential patients.
• Polite & Professional Language – Don’t allow yourself to get too casual when speaking on the phone with patients. Your language should be kept professional and polite. When answering, be sure to have a scripted greeting in place, such as “Welcome to X Dentistry, this is Jane, how can I help you?” This is short, clear, and polite.
• Well Educated – Once pleasantries have been exchanged, your prospective patient will likely have a few questions about your practice, the services you provide, the insurance plans you accept, and what your schedule looks like, among other things. Because of this, it’s vital that your receptionist is well trained in the entire goings on of your practice. He or she should be able to answer every question asked by a patient. Knowledge of the dental practice is one of the most important parts of proper telephone etiquette.

Here at CTC National, we want to help you bring in more patients and keep the patients you currently have. If your patients or prospective patients have a consistently good experience when they’re on the phone with your office, this has the power to keep them happy and loyal, in addition to feeling listened to and understood.

For more tips on keeping your practice running smoothly, please contact CTC National and speak with a skilled dental consultant today.