Call Conversion
If the ad works, the phone will ring. But then what? Experience proves that what happens next is one of the most important factors in the ROI a marketing campaign will generate.
The office with the best front desk will get the best ROI. That’s a pretty dependable rule. When people call your office, they still haven’t crossed that threshold from stranger to customer. They’re standing in the doorway, deciding what they are going to do. Obviously they are interested – that’s why they called. The trick is to understand what they need to hear to take the next step, and let them hear it. The best front offices are the ones who help a prospective patient take that next step.
If you’re not sure how your office stacks up in the call-conversion department (converting calls into appointments) start by listening to a couple of incoming calls and how they are handled. Most call tracking services allow you to record calls, and you should have a written understanding with your employees that calls may be recorded. If you don’t have such a service, try a “secret shopper” or “phantom” phone call from a voice the front desk won’t recognize. Record the conversation or have the caller take detailed notes.
Here’s what you’re looking for: First, how is the caller experience in general? Is the phone answered promptly by a live person? What happens after hours? People understand that you won’t be open 24 hours a day, but is the after-hour experience pleasant and efficient, or a voicemail purgatory? Once the front office answers the phone, does the conversation typically end with the new patient scheduling an appointment? If not, why?
There isn’t one universal script for answering the phone that covers every office and every caller. You can and should have a general script. Make sure every team member understands that the goal of the call is an appointment and design your script to accomplish this. Practice, role-playing and listening to calls as a group are exercises that are well worth the time investment.
Put call conversion on the agenda for the next team meeting, and watch your ROI grow.
