Doctors, let’s have a bit of fun. Take a stroll to your front desk and ask your team to name their number one, most important responsibility. I’ll wait right here while you do it.
Did you get answers like these?
- Verifying and processing insurance
- Collecting payments from patients
- Managing patient records
- Greeting patients as they walk in
- Ordering supplies
- Handling the schedule
That’s pretty much what I expected. Now, how many of you got an answer like this?
“My number one responsibility is to talk to new patients, answer their questions, illustrate that we are the best choice to solve their problems, and convert those callers into an appointment.”
Based on my daily chats with doctors, I’m betting all you heard was silence.
Why? Well, it’s likely a lack of clarity regarding job expectations. Assuming your front desk has a position description, it probably lists a variety of daily tasks that are important to helping the practice operate smoothly from day to day. Rarely do I see that the primary objective of the front desk position is to sell the practice to new patients. And yet, if your front desk can’t sell, they won’t have much of a practice to run at all.
I get it. “Sales” is one of those words that makes most people feel, well, icky. It conjures up images of used car dealers in plaid pants, shouting at you in television commercials, or giant “70% off EVERYTHING—we’re going out FOR business!” (sooo clever) signs in the window of a retailer. It would give anyone the shivers.
Actually, sales is the process of helping someone make an informed decision about how to solve a problem. That’s it. No high-pressure, deceitful pitches. No lying or bait and switch. A good salesperson is simply there to listen to your problem and identify if they are the right person to help you solve it. It’s not icky at all.
If the sales are so easy, then why do dental offices convert, on average, only 35% of the new-patient opportunities who contact the office? It generally boils down to two key reasons:
Calls go unanswered. When someone has a problem, they want a solution—right now. If calls aren’t answered because the front desk is too busy or out to lunch, the caller moves on to the next possible solution.
Don’t assume you have to hire more people to take those missed calls just because the front desk is checking out a patient. Often, it’s as simple as asking the person before you, “Do you mind if I grab this call? It’ll only take a second. I want to get their name and number to call them back.” And then do just that.
Another option is to employ an AI chatbot to answer questions on your website or Google ad landing page. We use SmartChat, a bot that can learn your website and any common FAQs, and then answer for you in real time while your team deals with patients.
Online scheduling is another convenient solution for people who are ready to schedule but can’t reach you. Start your voicemail with, “If you’re a new patient, please use our website to schedule online.” The point is to capture your marketing leads where they are and while they are hot. Giving someone the ability to take action helps move a task off their to-do list.
We make assumptions. Often, the first question callers ask is, “Do you take my insurance?” For my fee-for-service practices, I commonly hear teams say that all the caller cared about was insurance. Not true! The caller cared about being able to afford care. That’s a reasonable expectation; very few people have unlimited funds.
Another common assumption is that the caller is just price shopping. When you inevitably hear, “What do you charge for an extraction?” don’t leap to the conclusion that the bottom line is all that matters. If that were the case, we’d all shop at Walmart and never at Target, Macy’s, or Nordstrom. Patients need to understand why the practice is worth more. Do you want to go to an experienced dentist who can do an extraction quickly, or do you want the guy who is cheap but who takes two hours to get it done?
Best practice sales skills
Nobody reading this is going to change their sales lead conversion overnight. It’s a gradual process that requires role-playing, self-evaluation, and practice. Here’s what the most successful practices work on to convert more leads into appointments.
Active listening
Active listening is crucial for understanding patients’ needs and concerns. Your front desk staff must attentively hear what patients say, ask clarifying questions, and demonstrate empathy. This ensures that patients feel valued and understood, which builds trust and paves the way for successful conversions from inquiries to appointments.
Empathy and compassion
Empathy and compassion are key to converting leads. Dental visits can be stressful for many patients, and the front desk must be sensitive to their anxieties and concerns. Demonstrating empathy by acknowledging the caller’s feelings and offering reassurance can significantly improve the new patient’s call and build trust that their experience in the office will be just as warm and caring.
Product knowledge
Having in-depth knowledge of the dental services offered is essential. Can you imagine talking to an office where the person taking the call doesn’t even know if you offer Invisalign, much less what makes it a better choice over traditional braces? The front desk team must be able to clearly and confidently explain procedures, benefits, costs, and the value of the practice over other competing offices.
Overcoming objections
Effectively overcoming objections is a key sales skill, and not just at the front desk! Unless the caller was sent by her favorite Aunt Mary, who sang your praises for an hour, I guarantee there will be objections. Whether the concerns are about cost, time, or treatment, addressing objections with confidence and empathy can turn hesitant inquiries into committed appointments.
Problem-solving
Your callers have a problem. A crown came off, or the kids need dental checkups before the school year starts, or they might just hate the look of their teeth. Those are legitimate problems that require a solution. Hopefully, the solution is you. Your job is to articulate how you can solve the problem better than other options and make the caller’s life easier.
Closing
Closing a new-patient call is often as simple as saying, “Let’s do this …,” and then telling that person what to do. Decision fatigue is real, so many callers simply want you to decide for them. Simply put, don’t ask, tell. There are many different ways to close a caller, so the best salespeople study up on what works. Look up “types of sales closes” and work as a team to determine what scenarios require a certain type of close.
Practice, practice, practice
As the old joke goes, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice!" Learning any new skill takes time. Role-play scenarios in team meetings. Hire a call conversion coach. Use call-recording technology and have the front desk listen to and self-evaluate their calls. If your team is resistant to call recording, I’m going to bet those are the employees who need it the most. Growth-minded teams embrace personal accountability and the opportunity to improve.
Sales, as a concept, isn’t a bad thing. In fact, it’s incredibly helpful. If you want to grow your practice, you must embrace sales training. Your ethics will remain intact, and the community will come to know you as a straight shooter who wants to help people. After all, isn’t that why you went to dental school?
Editor's note: This article appeared in the November/December 2024 print edition of Dental Economics magazine. Dentists in North America are eligible for a complimentary print subscription. Sign up here.
