aesthetics360 effective phone plan
TRANSCRIPT
How Your Practice willINCREASE REVENUE
By Having An Effective Phone Plan
Download slides at twitter.com/aesthetics360
Why Are We Qualified?
• We have taken and managed over 1 million elective surgery calls for over 250 practices nationwide
• Over the past 8 years, we’ve created systems that have helped hundreds of practices improve call handling and turn more prospects into patients.
What Do We Do...
• Elective Procedure Call Handling
• ACEtm- Actual Consumer Experience- phone quality control training and management
• OptiTracktm- Web based contact management and phone scripting program
• “Secret Service”- mystery shopping
Our Goals …
• Understand current trends in the industry and how they relate to elective procedure call volume
• Learn why “skills development” for your team is vital in consumer communications
• Share some concepts and tools for call handing improvement and phone conversions
Recent Trends• Elective procedure call volume started to drop off
May 08
• Practices reacted to slower conditions by reducing staff
• More pressure is put on the existing staff members to handle more responsibilities
• This all comes at expense of good customer service!
Poll
What has happened
with your staffing
over the past 12months?
Recent Trends, cont.
• Call volume rose in Jan due to flexible spending accounts
• Call volume in 2009 remains at an elevated rate FOR THOSE WHO KEEP ADVERTISING
• Facilities that have cut marketing budgets have experienced an immediate and precipitous drop in call volume
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Fish While The Fish Are Biting!
Poll 2
What has happened with your
marketing over the past 12
months?
Poll 3
Where are you spending your marketing dollars?
We’re getting calls, how come nobody’s having a procedure?
Why don’t people have a procedure at the first practice they contact?*
*survey completed by American Network
45% did not book due topoor customer service
• Patients felt they were kept on hold for too long.
• They had to repeat information to multiple representatives.
• They felt the representative was not knowledgeable or could not solve problems.
• Responses to patient’s messages or emails were too slow.
20% did not book due to lack of attention they felt they received
• Practices not adhering to the “3 Second Rule”
• Too much time spent in the waiting room (average wait time was 30 minutes)
• Patients felt rushed and were unable to ask questions
• Staff was not personable
15% did not book because they feltthey found a better product
• Patient seeking a practice with the “latest technology”
• Surgeon/practice did not have a desirable level of experience
• Practice did not have flexible office hours
• Patient wanted a practice that offered more resources (website, seminars, etc.)
15% did not book because they feltthey could find a better price
• Patient’s insurance company offers a discount for the procedure at another practice
• Patient received a “coupon” for the procedure from another practice
• Financing options were not offered to the patient
5% did not book due toother reasons not listed
• Patient found a practice closer to home
• Patient received a referral from a friend or relative for another place
• Patient was not ready
• Patient was not a candidate
To Succeed In Business
• Excellent
• Excellent
• Excellent
Elements Of An Effective Phone PlanCreating the “service mindset”
• Who answers your phones?
– Do you have the “A” team on the job???
• What scripting is in place?
• What training and coaching do you provide
– Improper training, or No training at all
• How do you track your success?
– Do you know if your plan is actually working?
Poll 4
Who handles the phones for
elective procedures in your
practice?
Things to remember when creating YOUR plan
• First impressions are formed in the first few seconds of the phone call
• 93% of human communication consists of body language, tone and attitude. Only 7% on the words
themselves-
• Customers may have already been interacting with their phone key pad with pre-recorded messages, so some of the first impression may be out of your hands!
Lay The Groundwork:Fun Facts About Basic Consumer Behavior:
Talk to friends
Research on the web
Value their time
Don’t considerthemselves patients
Stay on holdless than 90 seconds
Only 15% leave a voice mail
If message left, will call next on list
Goals For An Effective Phone Plan
• Create Rapport
• Capture the lead
• Book an appointment
• Create a follow up plan
The Anatomy Of A Call-creating the script
• The Introduction
• Exploration- learn about the caller and their needs
• Education- what to do next
• Closing- appointment, or info only?
Step 1: The Greeting:Proper greeting and capturing the lead:
• “Thank you for calling …Jones Aesthetic Center …This is Bill speaking, how may I help you today?”
• Response: “Great, I can help you with that! Are you calling for yourself or someone else?”
• “May I ask your first name”? “Thanks (name), and how are you today?”
• Remember….
Why Do This?
• A proper greeting is polite and gives a great first impression
• Using (not over-using) their name establishes a more personal relationship with the patient.
• Studies show that a person’s first name is their favorite word!
Mystery Shop Results- 1000 calls placed
• Greeting: 58.33%!
• Lead capture: 3.67%!
Step 2: How did you hear about us?Get the referral source!
• Have you ever been into our office before?
• Is this the first time calling us?
• How did you hear about us today?
Why Do This?
• This is the beginning of establishing rapport and creating a conversation
• Practices spend a lot of money on marketing and need to know what is working.
• This also sets up the conversation for the delivery of the all important “validation statement”
Mystery Shop Results- 1000 calls placed
• Referral source: 7%!
Step 3: Creating Value:Why choose you???
• “Do you know much about our office?”
• “insert your bragging rights here…so you’ll be in great hands with us!”
Why Do This?
• This insiders view subtly instills confidence that the caller has made a good decision by calling you.
• It also diminishes the need to explore fears the may have about a procedure.
• We are attempting to raise the customer service expectations from basic and expected to surprising.
Mystery Shop Results- 1000 calls placed
• Value statement: 5%!
Step 4: ExplorationEstablish The Need And
Uncover the Hot Buttons
• What procedure are you interested in?
• What are your goals for having the procedure?
• How long have you been thinking about having this?
• Do you have any friends that have had it?
Why Do This?
• These questions show interest in the caller while also controlling and leading the conversation.-
• Building Rapport-Gaining Trust-Creating Comfort- all builds loyalty to your practice.
• Questions may help reveal any disqualifying conditions and/or the need for further discussion requirements for the first step
• Exploring needs: 61%!
Step 5: the “first step”Tell them what to do
• “Have you ever been into an office to find out if you are a candidate for the procedure/treatment? “
• “Well your first step would be to come into our office for a consultation.
• At your visit, we will….”
Why Do This?• To set the right expectations for the visit.
• Your description should match their experience.
• Mismatched expectations could be wasting the time of all involved.
• Length of visit
• Who will they meet
• What will occur at the visit (brief consult or medical exam)
• Any special requirements from them prior to the visit
Mystery Shop Results- 1000 calls placed
• Explanation of first step: 44%!
Step 6: the call to actionTell them how to do it!
• Be proactive…invite them in!
• Assumptive close: “I have next Tuesday at 2 or Wednesday 3 available, would either of those work for you?”
• Asking permission: “Would you like me to check my calendar to see what I have available? What day of the week or time of the day works best for you?”
Why Do This?
• Many offices will talk about the first step but then wait for the patient to request it.
• Often, a patient is let off the phone without anything happening.
Mystery Shop Results- 1000 calls placed
• Call to action: 61%!
Handling Objections:
• Technology questions– Know your scripts and sing from the same sheet of
music
• How to present price?– What to say?– When to say it?– Why mention payment options
• Some ask to see if they can afford it.– Extended payments
• Others ask to see if they can use OPM.0% – same as cash over time.
Each call should accomplish 1 of 2 goals:
• Book an appointment• Capture the lead if the patient does not book
– Have a follow up plan for mining captured leads
An astounding 20-30% of new patient inquiries are let off the phone with NO action!
Poll 5
• How do you evaluate your phone staff’s abilities on the phone?
Thank You !!!
This has been an
Aesthetics 360
Presentation
Questions?
Contacts:
PH: 941-893-2400
• Dylan Kemna ext 1024 – [email protected]
• Bill Mercier ext 1000 – [email protected]
www.opticall.com
www.twitter.com/opticall