The front desk is the first contact that potential clients have with the practice. Their interactions help to form the first impression, largely determines if a client will book an appointment, and can influence the client’s expectations of care. This training event is all about the ELITE skills the front desk needs to master to ensure they will win over those potential new clients and boost your revenue!
Application of these important tools will help to develop good habits at the front desk:
ELITE Skills Scoring
E - Engage personally
L - Look to offer a special
I - Invite to schedule
T - Talk value with price or no price quoting at all
E - Ensure appointment is scheduled
- Engage Personally with your clients by being friendly, open and interested! Keep the engagement going with the client from "Hello" all the way until "Thank you" and "Goodbye". Maintain a warm, welcoming tone throughout the call. While gathering information, take the opportunity to make a personal comment about the pet to help build an initial bond with the client over their pet. Share something special about your doctors, staff or practice.
- Look to Share something special or offer a special -What is the current special you are running? Don’t have one? Think about something that you do that helps the prospective client want to business with you.
- Invite to Schedule by offering a time or two that you have available. Using the two-option booking method assumes that the client will make an appointment.
- Talk Value with Price- You are not a commodity; you are worth it! Use a script to help add value with price “Our well visit examination includes a nose to tail full physical where the Dr. would check out the teeth, the heart, the lungs, the skin, and everything in-between. A really thorough exam for $55.00. I could squeeze you in Tuesday at 2pm how would that work?”
- Ensure the appointment is Scheduled repeat the DVM's name (when possible), pet name, client’s name, and appointment time. Using the veterinarian's name along with the pet's name helps to create a bond and will lead to less no shows. Clients like to feel like you have taken an interest in them and their needs.
These are simyet HIGHLY effective steps that will convert more calls to booked appointments.