There is so much talk lately about the importance of building rapport with patients, developing a relationship with your patient and making a connection with your patient.
This is fabulous but when and how do you do this?
If you believe that the time to build a lasting relationship with your patient is at their first appointment while they are lying back in the dental chair, then you may want to reconsider this.
You all know a lasting relationship takes time and energy to make it work.
This can be difficult when a New Patient arrives for their appointment, needs a whole lot of dental treatment and you are trying hard to build a lasting relationship with them while you are explaining a whole lot of treatment to them!
The best time to start building a relationship with a New Patient is when they are on the phone, on the first phone call.
Your team who answer the phones, are the ones who start the New Patient relationship.
The first phone call is the first point of contact so it just makes sense that this is when the New Patient relationship begins.
Ensure you include pictures of your team all over your marketing so the New Patient caller has already visually met the person they are speaking with on the first phone call.
The first phone call is “the make or break” of the relationship with the new patient.
On the first phone call you want to avoid just being the provider of information and an appointment maker. You want to be a real person who interacts, responds and asks questions about the caller and not just about their teeth.
The first phone call is the opportunity to get to know the potential new patient and build rapport and likeability.
Who is answering the calls in your practice?
Do you have someone who is able to start the relationship building with the caller or do you have the wrong person answering the calls?
You want your very best patient communicator answering the phone.
I recently worked with a dental office and the front office coordinator was amazing. She was a natural at connecting with the New Patient on the phone. She listened and connected with the patient on the phone in such a way that the conversation was continued when the patient arrived for their appointment.
You want the person answering calls in your dental office to make the difference and begin the relationship with your patients on the phone.
When the person answering the phone in your dental office gets it right, it is so easy to continue building rapport with the patient when they arrive for their first appointment.
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Jayne Bandy is a certified CX Experience coach.
Jayne works with her husband Dr. David Moffet to help SME businesses improve their Customer Service Systems to create memorable World Class experiences for their valued clients and customers. Click here to find out how Jayne and David can help your business