We look at the 8 best reception sales techniques to get more patients for your orthodontic practice.
Today, patients are looking for the most experienced orthodontists offering the best quality care. However, they also want fantastic and professional customer service at the dental front office. Today, they also demand excellent service across multiple online platforms.
Having outstanding orthodontic care and customer service is critical. So much so that 65% of patients may cut ties with a practice if they experience just one poor customer service experience. And, a whopping 96% of patient complaints are about customer service, not the quality of care.
After one bad experience, most patients will share it with as many as 15 people. Furthermore, online reviews may result in reaching many others over time.
Medical practices, including orthodontists, lose many billions collectively each year due to bad customer service. Certainly, you can’t afford to let one bad experience ruin years of effort to provide the best orthodontic care.
So, let’s look at our top 8 best reception sales techniques so your orthodontic practice can exceed expectations, get recommendations, and more patients.
1. Hire the right front desk staff- It all starts here
Unfortunately, one awful experience can result in lost patients and revenue. On the other hand, a knowledgeable, friendly, and accomodating front desk executive makes all the difference.
Up to 62% of patients say the person at the front desk is critical for their positive experience. The more knowledgeable the person is and the less they need to repeat a problem, the happier the patient.
First, it all starts with hiring the right front desk staff to be the face of your orthodontic practice. This person will be essential to ensuring success.
Thus, choose someone outgoing, flexible, and capable who:
- Is friendly and puts patients first
- Wants to create a positive environment
- Enjoys learning and improving with new skills
- Is driven to get tasks done on schedule
- Stays organized and is detail-oriented
- Handles the unexpected with tact and composure
- Has proficient technical skills
- Excels at people skills and communication (soft skills)
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Since the front desk staff is the first person your patients meet, you want to make sure they make a great first impression.
Overall, the reception professional’s personality should reflect how you want your orthodontic practice to be represented.
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2. Show your patients you care about them- Know your patients
At Ortho Marketing, we’ve seen how orthodontists with thriving practices make their patients part of an extended, smiling family.
Successful orthodontists and their teams love getting to know their patients and families over many years. And, the team at the front desk should reflect a genuinely caring attitude.
Often, patients can be nervous about seeking orthodontic care. However, letting them know you and your team care goes a long way to alleviate anxiety.
Overall, getting to know patients is one of the things orthodontist and their team say is the most rewarding part of the job. Over the years, they get to know generations of area families, leading to referrals and greater success.
3. Ensure a productive work environment
An efficient and productive front office staff is generally happier and positive. However, if they are stretched too thin and multitasking, it may be a struggle.
Thus, the goal is to minimize distractions so staff can accomplish tasks efficiently and accurately.
Sometimes, the front desk can be slowed down by small talk between employees. Of course, this is normal and encouraged, but excessive talking can hamper productivity over time.
In some cases, creating separate areas for front office workflow and administrative work may be called for.
Dentistry iQ suggests two ways to increase productivity:
- Complete tasks that only require two minutes right away before moving on. (A two-minute rule)
- Keep track of how long regularly scheduled tasks take. Then, brainstorm to see if you can streamline and become more efficient.
By staying productive, your team can feel less stressed and happier, translating to a positive experience for patients.
4. Respond quickly
Today, patients expect a rapid response to all customer service inquiries, from online forms to the front desk.
Recently, we looked at why response time is so important for orthodontic practices.
When people call your practice, they expect prompt answers and are disappointed if left on hold or worse, when they wait for returned calls or emails.
By returning inquiries within one hour, you can increase the odds of impressing patients and generating leads. A quick response lets them know you care about them and that your practice is efficient and professional.
5. Delegate tasks
Assigning tasks to your team requires considering everyone’s strengths and interests. By delegating with your team’s unique skills in mind, you can boost productivity and morale. Let your team shine where their skills are the strongest.
In the process, you’ll save time and money.
By creating a well-thought-out strategy, you can ensure everyone’s workloads are manageable. So it’s worth taking time to plan with input from your experienced staff.
One way to delegate is to hire a fantastic team of marketing professionals. Ortho Marketing is here to help you handle all aspects of marketing your orthodontic practice across multiple platforms.
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6. Automate where possible
Today, technology can help you automate time-consuming tasks and fulfill your patient’s needs and expectations.
For example, now, you can take advantage of virtual appointments and tele-orthodontics that make it easier for patients to get started from home. With virtual treatment coordinators, virtual assistants can help your staff follow up on leads.
With an automated appointment reminder service, patients get reminders by text and email. Thus, you can free up time for front desk staff who won’t need to spend hours with follow-up calls. Then, automated patient surveys help encourage positive feedback following the appointment.
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7. Streamline communication
In today’s busy world, your patients want streamlined communication. It’s one reason people are researching orthodontists and their competitors online and on social media. It’s an efficient and time-saving way to find the best local services available.
At the front desk, your team can streamline communication via email, two-way texts, and automated reminders. Research shows that patients are generally satisfied with communicating by text message to confirm appointments.
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8. Keep a positive attitude!
By considering the previous reception sales techniques, you can go a long way to creating a positive work environment. However, we all have a bad day or have an unpleasant interaction at work.
Regardless, it’s a good idea to train staff to remain positive and upbeat, particularly in challenging moments. Otherwise, it’s possible to take out frustrations on patients. In such instances, it can be a big turn-off and could even drive them to another practice.
As all orthodontists know, smiling can make a world of difference in our daily lives. It’s one reason we love helping orthodontists, as they help patients smile more than ever.
We hope these 8 best reception sales techniques to get more patients have been helpful. Have any questions? Feel free to reach out to us at 914-788-1555.
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