Free CA newsletter. reply to: LadyDusty@aol.com BACK TALK SYSTEMS, INC. 14998 W. 6th Avenue, Suite E-500 Golden, CO 80904-5025 800/937-3113 800/696-1165 (fax) www.backtalksystems.com Team Tip #22 THE PRESENTATION OF YOUR OFFICE IN THE INITIAL PHONE CALL A great staff must be trained in the art of presentation. Do you realize that all of you are sales people? My guess is that most of you don't look upon your job as sales, but I believe that's exactly what it is. Your entire office is employed to sell a product. That product is chiropractic, a holistic approach to health care, based on proper diet, exercise, nutrition, and spinal alignment, all of which maintains optimal energy flow to every area of the body. The result is maintaining the body's ability to heal itself without drugs or surgery for the continuation of a healthy and active life. If every person who called your office understood and believed this, do you think you would have patients to treat? Do you think that they would pay for a visit once a month in order to lead a healthy and active life? WAKE UP EVERYONE! Your job is NOT just to relieve your patients' pain. It is to educate them about the benefits of chiropractic care. Your ultimate goal should be to have all of your patients on a maintenance program. Can you imagine how successful you would be if everyone who walked through your door became a maintenance patient? You'd have no time for patients in pain. The best part is that maintenance patients pay you in cash and are happy to do so. So, if your ultimate goal isn't to have maintenance patients, I would encourage you to reevaluate your ultimate goal. Your future is in maintenance and your job is to educate. The first task is to get the patients into your office. The fact is that you know you're the best, but the person calling your front office doesn't. That's why you must be sales people! Those potential patients on the phone must perceive your office as the best, even if you might be more expensive. After all, we know that there is a chiropractor down the block that is willing to treat the patient for less. Your job is to convince the caller that you are the better value. It's amazing that there are people who are willing to put their bodies in the hands of the practitioner with the lowest prices. It's the same person, who wants designer clothes and the name brand sunglasses, looking for the cheapest doctor! So the first task when possible new patients call, wanting to know "how much you charge" is to convince them that money is not the most important factor! These people don't really want the cheapest doctor. They just don't know what questions to ask. YOU must know what they are asking and give it to them! Usually, we get two types of phone calls from Potential Patients. The first type of caller is the shopper. He found your name in the yellow pages or on a list. This person has no allegiance to our office and is the most challenging. I love to get calls like this because I challenge myself to convince him that he wants US! The second type is the Potential Patient who has been referred to us from another satisfied patient or physician. Of course, this is the most desirable caller because your job has already been done. This person has already been convinced that he needs to be in our office. Unless your staff is totally incompetent, this is an easy patient to confirm. At the conclusion of the phone conversation, this Potential Patient must understand the following: 1. This chiropractor gets referrals from patients and physicians. 2. I have called the best chiropractic office. This office is professional, yet caring. 3. This chiropractor is the most competent and experienced to help me with my problem. 4. My health should be entrusted to the most competent practitioner not the least expensive. 5. My symptoms should not be ignored or they may get worse. 6. I have confidence in this chiropractor. The staff member answering the phone should give the caller undivided attention. She should be positive, confident, courteous, understanding and enthusiastic. Before answering she should be EXPECTING a Potential Patient. The staff member must believe that this is the best office, this is the best staff and this is the best chiropractor. No patient belongs anywhere else. Always use a "New Patient Phone Call" form. All information must be given and received properly. Never begin the conversation without the form. The first "feeling" we want this person to receive is that of organization. The following phrases are examples of our scripting: ____________ Chiropractic Group, this is Susan (confident and enthusiastic). I will be happy to go over our charges with you, but first I need some information (no fees until you WOW them). Were you referred to our office by one of our patients or another physician? OH, I have to tell you that you got lucky! You've called the best chiropractic office in the area. I know you don't believe that yet, but you will. Our office has been in Philadelphia for 20 years and we have an excellent reputation. Most of our patients have been referred by other patients or by physicians. May I have your name, address and phone number please (he or she may he reluctant to give that information, so don't insist on it)? Mr. Smith, can you tell me what kind of symptoms you're experiencing or are you interested in "wellness care"? How long have you been having these symptoms (establish chronic or acute, if acute get them in TODAY)? We treat lots of violinists. In fact, Dr. _____________ is the chiropractor for the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. I'll bet we treat most of the violinists in the orchestra. Many cervical problems are occupational hazards for musicians (establish a connection). Do you have pain down your arm yet? Well, that is a symptom that should not be ignored. It is much more difficult to heal when it becomes chronic. I would suggest that if you don't make an appointment with us, you find another chiropractor. It sounds like chiropractic treatments are what you need. Please do me a favor and don't go on looking in the yellow pages! Chiropractors are not all created equally any more than medical doctors are. I would encourage you to ask your friends or family for a referral. It is important to place yourself in competent hands! Let me tell you what I would suggest. Come into our office for a consultation. The initial consultation is free, and it would give you the opportunity to meet the doctor and decide if you feel comfortable with him and our office. Our doctor would be able to tell you if your problem can be corrected with chiropractic treatments. After the consultation, you can then decide if you want to be treated here. You will not be charged until you decide to be treated. Why don't you come in this afternoon as we always keep open space in our appointment book for new patients because they're usually in pain and need to be seen right away? I'm going to schedule a consultation. I'll leave enough time for you since almost everyone stays for treatment. If you decide to be treated, you will be here approximately one hour. You'll have a consultation, a thorough examination, possibly an X-ray and we may be able to give you some relief from your pain today. Now, let 's discuss our fees. The consultation is free. Your initial visit will be $______, and that includes the report of findings consultation on your second visit, to go over the results of your examination, If X- rays are needed, the most they will cost is $_____. We accept checks, cash, MasterCard or Visa. Do you know where we're located? When you come in, please give us your insurance card and I will have someone check on your coverage and we will explain it to you then. We ask that you pay us at the time of service, and we will give you a receipt to send to your insurance company. They will reimburse you directly. Mr. Smith, I'm glad you decided to come in, it sounds like you could use some help! You have just given this person the feeling that he called the most competent chiropractor, and that his staff is professional, confident, and caring. The reason for his call was not to save money but to get relief from his pain. Given the opportunity, most people will come to the conclusion that less is not always better especially when their health is at stake. If the Potential Patient does not respond with a firm appointment, let him know that he is welcome to call back at any time with further questions, and to just ask for Susan. Additionally, let him know you would like to send some literature about your office and about chiropractic treatments. If you were not able to get his address, ask for it again. Just remember... everything is in the presentation so get good at it! GOOD LUCK. You may order our new TEAM TRAINING AND PRACTICE MANAGEMENT MANUAL package, from which this article is taken, by calling 800/937-3113 today. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO RECEIVE OUR FREE CA TIPS OF THE WEEK AND OTHER SPECIAL OFFERS, PLEASE TYPE "REMOVE" IN THE "SUBJECT" BOX AND REPLY TO LadyDusty@aol.com OR TELEPHONE 800/937-3113 TO REQUEST REMOVAL.