So you’ve got a dental office with technicians and great patient care specialists. Who’s the most important person in your business?
The answer is surprising to some. The surprise is that it’s not you. It’s actually the front-desk person. They are a patient’s first and last point of contact. They set the tone for the patient’s experience at your practice.
Female patient coming to dental surgery check-up appointment reception
He or she must possess patience, knowledge, grace under pressure, and the ability to show empathy, along with being efficient and effective.
When recruiting for this crucial position, the following skill sets are of key importance:
∙ Sales skills
. Telephone skills
∙ Gathering and interpreting data
∙ Patient orientation
∙ Developing and providing information about a comprehensive treatment plan
∙ Reviewing financial options for the patient to receive care and treatment
∙ The ability to generate reports to assess the success and progress of your business team
∙ Review and make necessary adjustments to procedures and processes through daily, biweekly, weekly, or monthly meetings and discussions
As you can see, this is a position that goes well beyond “receptionist.” Your front desk person has to wear many hats throughout the day, and it all starts with how they answer the phone.
If you want to talk about how I can make your dental practice a dynamo in customer service, please get in touch.