BACK TALK SYSTEMS, INC.

14998 W. 6th Avenue, Suite E-500

Golden, CO USA 80401



USA 1-800-937-3113

CANADA 1-800-461-0100

UNITED KINGDOM 44(0) 1202-534-986

AUSTRALIA 1-800-800-963

www.backtalksystems.com



CA TIP #19

TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE



Previously, I indicated the importance of handling the potential 
new patient phone call and knowing how to take control of the call 
so the caller will want to make an appointment at your office.  Staff 
members must be trained on how to handle these calls because one 
lost patient means you have also lost patients who would have been 
referred by the potential patient also.  Proper scripting is paramount 
for success.



First, I want to address the way you answer the phone.  As I 
indicated previously, the feeling your caller gets when you answer 
the phone is critically important.  You are the first contact with 
your office and he/she will make an immediate judgment.  
Remember, these patients judge your chiropractor by your 
professionalism and demeanor.  The words you use and the tone of 
your voice will make the difference between the caller getting a 
good feeling or a bad one.  For the next week, every time you make a 
phone call, notice how the person who answers makes you feel.  They 
can make you feel very special or like a nuisance just by the tone of 
their voice. 



YOUR PHONE ANSWERING TECHNIQUE SHOULD BE SHORT AND TO THE 
POINT, GIVING THE CALLER THE PERCEPTION THAT YOU ARE BUSY YET 
FRIENDLY AND PROFESSIONAL.  YOUR VOICE SHOULD BE PLEASANT AND 
UPBEAT, WARM AND WELCOMING.  Example:



"Smith Chiropractic, this is Susan."

Always give your name when answering the phone.  People want to 
know who they're speaking with and they also want to use your name!



Incidentally, I realize most people resent being told about 
telephone answering techniques.  Answering the phone is a very 
basic procedure, but so many people do not handle telephone protocol 
properly.  So, as long as we're talking about how to answer the phone 
allow me to give some advice.  First, do not interrupt your 
chiropractor every time someone asks for him or her.  Unless 
instructed otherwise, during patient hours, you should take a 
message.  For example:  "Dr. Smith is with patients and has asked me 
to take a message."  This will tell the caller that you are doing this 
at the request of the doctor and they will be more compliant.  "Is 
there any way I may be of assistance?" The reason for the call may 
well fall within your job description such as scheduling an 
appointment.  "May I have your name?" If you do not understand the 
name, ask them to repeat it.  Do not hesitate to ask the person for 
the correct spelling.  In other words, write it down correctly!  " May 
I tell Dr. Smith the reason for your call?"  Always write the date and 
time, the reason for the call, if possible, and your initials.  I can not 
stress enough the importance of telephone answering etiquette to 
help professionalize your image and your chiropractor's. 



Once you get the indication that the call is a potential new patient, 
the first thing you should reach for is your New Patient Telephone 
Intake Form (a sample of the form is on page 25 of your manual).



Your telephone intake form should have all the questions you will 
need to ask the patient and in the proper order.  Even more 
importantly, the form should contain scripting for the questions you 
are going to ask.  Your intake form will also allow you to write down 
important information about the patient and any particular concerns 
the patient may have.  This will alert your chiropractor of special 
needs or concerns ahead of time.  Additionally, the new patient 
intake form will keep you from forgetting to get pertinent 
information.  The new patient intake form should be the first form 
that goes into the new patient file.



Scripting to be continuedä



The preceding information has been excerpted from The 
Chiropractic Team Training and Practice Management Manual written 
by Susan Hoy and available at Back Talk Systems.  This manual 
contains over 200 pages of team training tips and practice 
management procedures and forms.  Why not join the hundreds of 
chiropractors who have already made the commitment to organize 
and systemize their office.  For more information contact Back Talk 
Systems at 800-937-3113 or log onto their website at 
www.backtalksystems.com