A dental clinic’s phone is their lifeline to patients. If calls are not answered promptly, courteously, and knowledgeably, it can lead to a loss of business. That’s why it’s so important to engage in employee training and prep your staff on how to answer the phone in a way that represents your dental clinic in the best light possible.
In this blog post, we will discuss some tips on how to do just that!
The Importance of Training Your Staff on How to Answer the Phone
Your dental clinic’s phone is often the first point of contact between your business and potential patients. As such, it’s important that your staff are properly trained on how to answer the phone in a way that is professional and courteous. If your staff are not properly trained, it could lead to a loss of business.
How Phone Calls Could Hurt Your Clinic
There are a few key ways in which phone calls could hurt your dental clinic.
If calls are not:
- Answered promptly, patients may become frustrated and look elsewhere for dental care.
- Handled courteously, patients may get the impression that your dental clinic does not value customer service. This could reflect poorly on your business and lead to patients taking their dental care elsewhere.
- Answered knowledgeably, patients may feel as though they are not getting the information they need from your dental clinic. If your staff doesn’t know the services offered or how to schedule an appointment, patients may feel like you are not a reliable dental clinic.
Tips for Answering the Phone in a Professional Manner
There are a few key things to keep in mind when answering the phone at your dental clinic.
Here are some tips for training your staff on how to answer the phone:
1. Make sure that all calls are answered promptly.
One of the most important steps in providing excellent phone customer service is to ensure that all calls are answered promptly. This means having enough staff members on hand to answer the phone in a timely manner. If you are not able to answer calls promptly, patients may become frustrated and this could lead to a loss of patients.
2. Make sure your staff members are aware of your dental clinic’s phone etiquette policy.
It’s important to have a phone etiquette policy in place so that your staff knows how to answer the phone in a professional manner.
This should include things like how to greet callers, how to handle unhappy patients, and how to transfer calls.
3. Train your staff members on how to handle different types of calls.
Your dental clinic will likely receive a variety of calls, from appointment scheduling to questions about dental services. It’s important that your staff are properly trained on how to handle each type of call. This way, patients will always receive the information they need in a professional and courteous manner.
4. Make sure your staff members are familiar with your dental clinic’s services.
Your staff should be able to answer questions about your dental clinic’s services in a knowledgeable manner. If patients call with questions and your staff is not able to answer them, it could reflect poorly on your dental clinic.
5. Review your phone calls periodically.
It’s important to review your dental clinic’s phone calls on a regular basis to ensure that your staff is providing excellent customer service. This can help you identify any areas where improvement is needed.
By following these tips, you can ensure that your dental clinic’s phone calls are handled in a professional and courteous manner.
This will reflect positively on your dental clinic and could lead to an increase in patients. Remember, the way you answer the phone could make or break your dental clinic.
Be sure you’re training your staff properly!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Catalina Botero (her patients call her Dr. Cat) was born and raised in Medellin, Colombia. First receiving a dental degree in Colombia, she then moved to the United States to be closer to family. After moving to Florida, she first worked as a dental assistant, later on obtaining her license as a registered dental hygienist. Two years later, Dr. Cat went to the University of Colorado where she received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. This means Dr. Cat has two different dental degrees from two different countries, and on top of that, is a registered certified dental hygienist.
Dr. Cat now lives in the Tampa Bay Area maintaining her practice Li’l Sunshine Smiles Dentistry and is grateful to have the opportunity to work with kids everyday.
