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April 28, 2009 | dentalproductsreport.com

How’s your phone etiquette?

Your team members can’t just answer the phone. They need to connect with the patient. Here’s how.

Calling a new dentist for the first time can be, for many, an act of courage. This is especially the case when the caller is responding to, for example, a mailed invitation because then, in addition to the usual trepidation, there may be other concerns—such as ‘what’s the catch?’ An appreciation for the caller’s mindset and emotional state can go a long way preparing the Team for handling these calls appropriately.

A dental marketing consultant’s job essentially boils down to getting the phone to ring. I learned early in my career that what happens after the phone rings is every bit as important as getting it to ring in the first place. Until they find a way to actually deliver dentistry over the Internet, the telephone will continue to be the main gateway people use to learn about your practice. This means the front office team can literally make or break your marketing plan.

In a 2007 survey commissioned by American Dental Marketing, 78% of dentists indicated their biggest dentistry marketing challenge is getting their team to properly field telephone inquiries from prospective patients (converting Web site visitors to patient appointments was second, and getting prospective patients to call at all came in third). But there are ways to improve your staff members’ phone etiquette, from changing the tone of their voice to thinking more about what they’re actually saying.

Visual gap

Professor Albert Mehrabian’s research at UCLA determined that three components comprise our communication:

1. The visual component (aka body language). The motion and expression of the face and body.
2. The vocal component. The tone, resonance and projection of the voice.
3. The verbal component. The actual words spoken.

When measured, the effect of each component on the believability of the message showed:

• The visual component accounted for 55%
• The vocal component contributed 38%
• The verbal component contributed just 7%

These findings make it clear why telephone etiquette, combined with the appropriate choice of words, is essential in diminishing the telephone’s “visual gap” and enhancing the believability of the message (as well as that of the messenger).

Trigger pullers and tire kickers

In my writing and speaking about Internet-generated inquiries, I often make the distinction between trigger pullers and tire kickers. Trigger pullers are people who have already chosen to take action. Prospective patients usually fall into the category of tire kicker. Someone calling you for the first time needs to be treated differently than someone who is familiar, and comfortable, with the practice. The tire kicker likely knows nothing about you or your practice. As noted earlier, the challenge becomes even greater when the caller os responding to a special offer, because they may be even more skeptical.

In other words, a caller may ask, “How much does a crown cost?”  But what they’re thinking and feeling is: “Can I trust you?” and “Will you treat me better than my last dentist did?”  

Because today’s tire kicker is tomorrow’s trigger puller, the growth of your practice literally depends upon how carefully and professionally you treat these callers. You can, simply with the empathy, enthusiasm and technique you deliver, convey that yours is a dental practice unlike anything the caller has experienced in the past. But, for this to occur, we must be on guard against a mental trap.

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