It goes without saying that your new front-desk team members need basic training to know how to perform the fundamental functions of the job. But a proper receptionist training program goes far above and beyond that — the best front-desk staff members engage with the client, each and every time, in order to nail down that appointment.
If your veterinary practice skimps on proper receptionist training, the results won’t be pretty.
There Won’t Be Consistency
One of the greatest benefits of good receptionist training, including using a phone script, is that it allows your practice to provide the same exact experience to each and every customer, every time. Each customer is greeted the same way, and guided through the phone call in the same manner until an appointment is secured. In this fashion, your business is able to implement quality control — you know that each customer receives the same treatment from your front desk, every time.
Appointment Opportunities Will Be Missed
Without the right receptionist training, appointments that should have been booked will get missed. Take price-shopping as an example. Callers contact your practice looking for a price. If your untrained receptionist gives it to them right off the bat. They’re likely to hang up and shop around for the best price available. If your team member has been taught how to handle price-shoppers with good receptionist training, though, there’s a chance that caller could get converted into a paying client.
The Schedule Will Suffer
When appointments start getting missed thanks to price-shoppers, no-shows, and other problems that stem from a poorly performing front desk, the schedule starts to show that lack of care. All of a sudden, you’ll start having gaps in the schedule, which leads to unnecessary downtime that can’t be made productive. When staff undergoes proper receptionist training, on the other hand. They’ll know to chain-link appointments in order to prevent those gaps.
Revenue Will Be Lost
Appointments falling through the cracks, gaps in the schedule… all of this leads to one inevitable conclusion: a loss of revenue. Without receptionist training, your practice’s entire foundation of getting appointments on the schedule starts to fall apart. That means you don’t retain the customer base that makes your business profitable.
Clearly, a great receptionist training program is of the utmost importance for your veterinary practice. If you don’t already have one in place, it’s time to get ahead of the curve. Your practice’s success depends on it!
