Do You Know How Much Time Your Frond Desk Spends Looking Up Information for the Same Questions?
t can’t be over-emphasized how important and valuable providing scripts to your front desk team can be to your dental practice. The correct use of front desk scripts has the power to elevate the patient’s experience from the normal to the extraordinary and to give your staff the confidence to impress every current and prospective patient.
1. Answer Questions With Confidence
The first person any prospective patient is likely to come in contact with is a member of your front desk team. When that staff member has scripts to refer to that cover all the common questions they may be asked, he or she can answer with certainty.
For instance, the first questions asked by many prospective patients will concern costs and insurance. When the person answering the phone has a script available that tells them all the insurance plans that are accepted by the practice and other financial information there will be no confusion or hesitation. The team member will come across as confident and professional and this will communicate to the patient.
2. Save Time and Increase Efficiency
Valuable time can be lost when no script is available. Some questions can be more difficult to answer than others and having a script can make all the difference. Let’s say a prospective patient calls the office asking whether one of the dentists is experienced in root canals. By having a script available that details each dentist and the services they provide, the front desk can match the patient with the right doctor without having to consult the office manager or a member of the technical staff.
Scripts help the front desk run smoothly without making patients wait and without interrupting other personnel.
3. Other Team Members Can Easily Fill In
When the phones are ringing off the hook and the receptionist is overwhelmed with calls and taking care of patients, other personnel can easily help out if there are scripts available to answer any question or situation.
The front desk team has a very important and detailed job and even though other staff members are highly qualified in what they do, they are unlikely to know the answers to situations that are a normal part of the life of a receptionist. So, when things are busy and other team members are called upon to help out at the front desk, the availability of scripts will make all the difference.
4. Improving the Patient’s Experience
The goal for any dental practice is to provide the patient with the best possible experience. With the proper use of front desk scripts you can make each person comfortable and confident in you starting from the moment they make their first call to your office.
When the patient has received great service throughout their visit, they will certainly return for their next appointment and recommend you to their friends. This increase in patient satisfaction easily turns into practice expansion and an increase in ROI.
5. Training New Employees and Temps
Training a new team member or a temporary employee becomes a breeze when scripts are available. No more hours spent explaining details such as insurances accepted, office hours, doctors’ names and specialties, and all the other intricacies of the front desk job. And no more endless questions and note taking. With scripts this work is done.   Â
