Aesthetics360 Effective Phone Plan

How Your Practice willINCREASE REVENUEBy 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

Practice 1

Practice 2

Practice 3

Practice 4

Practice 5

Practice 6

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
Contributing Factors?
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
Product
Delivery System
Service Mindset

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- SMILE!
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….SMILE!!!

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”
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.
Value statement: 5%!

Step 4: ExplorationEstablish The Need AndUncover 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
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.
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
dylan@aesthetics360.com
Bill Mercier ext 1000
bill@aesthetics360.com
www.opticall.com
www.twitter.com/opticall

Aesthetics360 Effective Phone Plan

by Aestetics 360 on Sep 30, 2009

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