Turning inquiries into appointments..
Dental administration team members are truly the “Directors of the First Impression” for new patients, and they have approximately 17 seconds to “make it or break it.”
Many new patient phone calls start with the patient asking: “Do you take my insurance?” While your first instinct is to provide an immediate answer, consider that if you answer that question right away, you most likely will lose the opportunity to win the patient over.
Rather, let the patient know that you can help him with his question. Then, introduce yourself and state: “Let me be the first to welcome you to our practice.”
The second important step is to determine what motivated the patient to call so that you know what type of appointment to offer them—a Comprehensive Oral Evaluation OR a Limited Oral Evaluation.
Once you have made that determination, address the patient’s issue about insurance participation. Example: “We work with all insurance companies at different levels. We are happy to do a complimentary benefits check to let you know what you can expect to pay at your initial visit.”
By handling the “insurance” question in this manner, you have the opportunity to provide a WOW customer service experience to the new patient that will turn into an appointment.
For more information, please visit: http://transitionsonline.com/blog/tuesdays-with-transitions/the-new-patient-call.html.
Author: Brenda Wittenbauer
TGNA Advanced Business Systems Coach
