Why is Call Conversion important?
Effective call conversion allows you to establish a connection with the potential patient and optimize your return on investment. When a patient calls into your practice, you set the tone for their first impression. Being able to identify the patient’s pain point and speaking confidently about the practice can assist with converting the call. By paying close attention to the verbiage you’re using and possibly making a few changes, you’ll be able to control the call and lead your patient to an appointment.
Instead of focusing on what you can’t do for a customer, focus on what you can do. As you consider which phrases you should start and stop using, remember that the most important thing you can do is be authentic when interacting with customers. No phrase is a set of magic words that will automatically improve your customer experience. However, understanding which phrases create warm feelings and which come across as impersonal is an important part of thoughtfully responding to customers.
Say This, Not That!
| Say This | Not This |
| I certainly understand that you are a little nervous about this procedure. Please know that we will do everything we can to make you comfortable, and if you’re not, please let us know. | It’s really no big deal. It will be easy. |
| Wow, we are busy with our awesome patients. Now, how can I assist you today? | We are understaffed today. Sorry for the wait. |
| Preventative maintenance | Cleaning |
| Problem-focused | Limited Exam |
| Complete exam | Comp Exam |
| Does your insurance carrier allow you to choose your own dentist? | PPO |
| We’re looking forward to seeing you on Thursday at 2:30 PM! | Please give us 48 hours notice if you need to cancel… Take the word “cancel” out of your vocabulary! |
| Let me find out for you. | I don’t know. |
| It is an investment. | Yes, it’s expensive. |
| I can absolutely help you with that. | I can’t. |
| We’re booking out this far. | Our next available appointment is: |
| We appreciate your feedback. | I don’t believe you. |
| Did you know about our additional service? | Is that all? |
| Let me see how I can fix this. | It’s not my fault. |
| You’re welcome. | No problem. |
| I’ve never had someone bring this to my attention, what more can you tell me about the issue? | You’re the first problem I’ve had with this/No one else has complained about this. |
“No” or “Um”
Everything that is said to patients should be confident, secure, and without saying “No” or starting with “Um….” This means when a patient asks, “Do I really need this?” everyone on the team is confident and knows that the answer cannot include the words “No – you can wait” or any hesitation in answering such as “Um—I think you should do it.” You are healthcare providers and your team needs to confidently respond to your patients in such a way that they believe you. Ultimately, this work is about taking care of our patients, not only clinically but also verbally, so they know they are making the right decision with the right office.
“I don’t know.”
Patient’s aren’t necessarily concerned with representatives that know everything. They’re more concerned with representatives that actively listen, and then kindly and promptly respond with accurate information. Here are a few examples of phrases to use in place of “I don’t know”:
- “That is a great question! Let me find out for you. While I’m looking into that, who do I have the pleasure of speaking with today?
- “Allow me to check with the office manager to ensure that I can provide you with accurate information.”
- “Great question! Let me find the correct information for you.”
The Proper Answers to Common Caller Questions
Do You Take My Insurance?
If in-network:
- “Excellent. Let me gather some information from you and we’ll do a complimentary benefits check.” Let’s get you scheduled and I’ll follow up with your insurance company.”
- “The important thing is to get you the dental care you called us about today.”
How Much Will It Cost?
- “That’s a common question and we understand that you want to make sure you can fit the cost of the dental care you need into your budget.
If out-of-network:
- “We have a lot of patients with that type of insurance and we will file the claim for you.”
- “Let me call your insurance company to confirm how your specific plan will work in our practice.”
- “We never want there to be any surprises and if your plan doesn’t cover as much as you expect, we have some financing options that can fill in the gap.”
- “When you come in for your appointment, the doctor will see what you need to fix the problem that you called us about today.”
- “Our goal is to always provide high-quality care at an affordable cost and you’ll find that our prices are right in line with other dentists in this area.”
- “Once we see what you need, we can talk about all of your options for treatment and the best way to fit any costs not covered by insurance into your family budget.”
- “A lot of people prefer a monthly payment plan. We offer (CareCredit, in-house financing, etc).”
- “We have a lot of options to help you fit the care you need into your family budget.”
Do You Have Anything Sooner?
- “I wish we had something earlier. Let’s schedule your appointment for the date we have available and I promise I will call you if we have another time open up.”
- “You’re going to love Dr. Smith and our entire team. We’re known for the high quality of care we provide, and that’s why we don’t have any openings right now.”
- “I promise that Dr. Smith is worth the wait.”
I Will Call You Back.
- “I’m really glad you called us today to let us know about the problem you have.”
- “We’d like to take care of it so you feel better and will be able to (name benefit).”
- “Do you have any other questions or concerns that I can answer for you while we’re on the phone right now?”
- “Of course, and I’d be happy to follow up with you in a few days too. What is the best number to reach you?”
Moving Indecisive Callers to Yes
- “(Name), I certainly understand that you want to check your schedule. I want to let you know that the doctor’s schedule fills up quickly, so I want to make sure I reserve time for you. Let’s go ahead and add you. My name is ____________, and if this doesn’t end up working for you, please call me back and we’ll find you another time. Would mornings or afternoons work best for you?”
When the Caller is Clearly Price-Shopping
Redirect the conversation back to the reason for the call.
- “That’s a great question, (Name). Has someone told you that you need a crown? Are you experiencing any pain?”
- The answer will tell you whether the caller has seen another dentist, in which case you can compliment the caller on getting a second opinion. Ask several questions to establish a rapport with the caller and determine the level of urgency for scheduling an appointment.
- “What I want you to know is that treatment is patient specific, so it’s difficult to give you an exact amount.”
- “Let’s start by finding out exactly what you need and determine what’s a priority.”
- “We have a lot of options to help you fit the care you need into your family budget.”
Suggested Redirect Scripting
A simple strategy for shifting consumer focus is to disrupt their complacency by asking clinical questions about their specific treatment that they will unlikely be able to answer. This allows for a gentle transition into scheduling an appointment to better diagnose the issue, provide accurate treatment and appropriate pricing.
General Questions
“Have you been diagnosed as needing treatment by another dentist?”
“What makes you think you need a ?”
“When was the last time you saw a dentist for a checkup and cleaning?”
“What’s bringing you in to see the doctor? Are you having any pain or is it time for your cleaning and check up?”
“Are you having any pain or discomfort with that?”
Crowns
“What type of crown do you need?”
“Do you know if the tooth will require a build up?”
“Do you know the millimeters of gum or bone surrounding the tooth?”
Fillings
“Do you know what type of filling you need?”
“Do you know how many surfaces the filling needs to be?”
“How long have you had the existing filling?”
Implants
“What type of implant do you need?”
“Do you know the bone density of the area where the implant is needed?”
“Will you require a bone graft?”
“Do you know the millimeters of gum or bone surrounding the tooth?”
Preventative Maintenance (Cleanings)
“Do you know what type of cleaning you require?”
“How long has it been since your last cleaning?”
“Do you know if you have any bone loss around any of your teeth?”
Root Canal — Endodontics
“Do you know how many roots the tooth has?”
“Does the decay extend beyond the gumline?”
“Do you know the millimeters of gum or bone surrounding the tooth?”
Invisalign®/Clear Aligners
“Have you been to an orthodontist before?”
“Have you been diagnosed by a dental provider as needing orthodontics?”
“Do you know what type of clear aligners you require?”
“Do you know if you have any bone loss around any of your teeth?”
“Do you know how many teeth in each area of your mouth will require movement?”
Extractions
“What type of extraction do you need?”
“Is the tooth impacted?”
“Will you require a bone graft?
“Do you know the millimeters of gum or bone surrounding the tooth?”
Pediatrics
“Is this your kiddo’s first visit to the dentist?”
“Are they having any pain or is it time for their check-up?”
“How old is the child we’ll be visiting with?”
Pediatric Phone Calls
A pediatric dental office should be a place where a child can get support and encouragement as they learn how to take care of their teeth for the rest of their lives. As a member of the team talking to the adults in charge of these youngsters, it’s important to remember to build relationships with both the child and the adults. Here are a few things you can do when making an appointment for a new patient that will make a great first impression and help you build a strong relationship with the child’s parents.
- Ask for mom/dad/grown-up’s name and use it throughout the call.
- Many team members forget to do this and only ask for the patient’s name. The parent isn’t your patient, but they are the “buying persona” you’re trying to meet.
- Ask if their child has ever been to the dentist before, and set proper and fun expectations.
- “Is this your child’s first time going to the dentist? How cool! We work hard to make sure kids have a great time at the dentist so they can keep their teeth healthy for the rest of their lives. Here are a few ways you can help your child get ready. First, talk to them about the visit. Tell them they’ll meet some new friends, we’ll take some cool pictures of their teeth, they’ll get their teeth cleaned, and at the end of their time with us, they can pick a prize from a toy box! Telling your child what to expect at the practice can help calm any nerves they might have about going.”
- Think about the things that might make your office stand out: a fun atmosphere, video games in the waiting room, movies they can watch, language that children can understand, office tours, snacks, games, toys, prizes/goodie bags to take home, etc.
- Use positive energy.
- Every parent wants to take their child to a place where they will be well taken care of. Make sure to greet these adults with kindness, friendliness, and an amazing first impression when they call to make an appointment.
Building Rapport
Building rapport with patients is very beneficial. Using the patient’s name is a simple technique that can help. It can also be useful to be aware of personal aspects of the patient such as their location, whether it’s their birthday or a national holiday that may have occurred recently. Here are some examples:
- Do you prefer to be called [FIRST NAME] OR [MR. OR MRS. X]
- What’s the weather like where you are today?
- Are you originally from [CITY]?
- What I will do for you now is [LET PATIENT KNOW WHAT YOU’RE DOING FOR THEM]
- This will be fixed for you by [ACCURATE DEADLINE], [PATIENT NAME].
- My name is [NAME], if you need anything at all please feel free to give me a call.
Empathy Related Verbiage
| “Happy to help!” | “I’m not sure, let’s find out!” |
| “I understand how (blank) that must be…” | “I know this must be frustrating” |
| “As much as I’d love to help…” | “I’m sorry to hear that you’re having trouble with this!” |
| “That is a great question!” | “I can absolutely help you with that!” |
| “Nice to meet you!” | “I just wanted to update you….” |
| “May I ask why that is?” | “We really appreciate you!” |
| “Thanks for bringing this to our attention!” | “It sounds like a comprehensive exam might also be useful for you.” |
| “How is your day going?” | “Is there anything else I can help you with today?” |
| “Thank you for being our customer!” | “I see what you mean.” |
| “I’m sorry to hear that..” | “Thanks for reaching out.” |
Positive Words
| Absolutely | Amazing | Brilliant | Certainly |
| Completely | Creative | Definitely | Enjoy |
| Essential | Exactly | Excellent | Exceptional |
| Exciting | Exclusive | Exquisite | Fantastic |
| Fascinating | Favorite | Friendly | Fully |
| Generous | Great | Ideally | Impressive |
| Interesting | Marvelous | Memorable | Outstanding |
| Positively | Quickly | Recommended | Renowned |
| Sensational | Skillful | Splendid | Superb |
| Terrific | Thriving | Unbeatable |
Examples of Positive Words
| I definitely will make sure that it gets addressed… |
| I absolutely agree with you… |
| I can certainly help you with that… |
| That is exactly right… |
| I completely agree with you.. |
| I will quickly run through this with you.. |
| That is a fantastic option… |
| Great news! |
| Marvelous choice… |
| That is an excellent question… |
| I hope you enjoy your…. |
| Splendid! All that is left to do now…. |
| Yes, it is essential that you… |
| It is a very generous offer… |
| I can highly recommend |
| Thanks, we aim to provide friendly service… |
| That’s certainly impressive, Mrs. Smith… |
| That is an interesting idea… |
| Brilliant! I’m glad we’re on the same page… |
| Yes, it is an exciting offer, let’s get you scheduled… |
| I think that it’s a terrific option… |
| That is absolutely fascinating… |
| You certainly are an expert on this… |
| That is personally my favorite option… |
| It would definitely be ideal, considering your situation… |
Alternatives to “No Problem”
- “Thank you for your call or question.”
- “You’re welcome, thank you for your call!”
- “Of course!”
- “My pleasure!”
What NOT to Say
While using positive words is important, it is equally important that you don’t use negative words when speaking to your patient – even if you agree with their complaint! You want to sound empathetic, but don’t want to worsen the situation so avoid phrases with intensely negative words.
| “We can’t believe it either. That totally sucks!” | “That is awful!” |
| “Unfortunately, no…” | “I can’t help with that.” |
| “You misheard me.” | “I’m having a bad day.” |
| “We’ve never had this issue before.” | “Calm down.” |
| “That’s impossible.” | “There’s nothing we can do.” |
