Daniel Bobrow

April’14 Call Evaluation

Please listen to the call, and then read our Evaluation.

» Click here to listen to April’s call

Call Analysis and Recommendations

As all aspiring TAFI Masters know, we typically focus on how first-time telephone callers are being handled by Team Members because these are the callers with whom you’ve yet to have an established relationship based on trust and familiarity and can, therefore, be the most challenging ones with which to make a solid connection.

The song New York famously shares that “If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere.” It’s the same idea with first-time callers. Once you’ve mastered connecting with these callers, doing so with others is a snap.

One way (in addition to telephone skills mastery) in which we help dental practices grow is by sharing ways to grow their Professional Referral Network. This month’s call is to a specialist’s office from someone confirming the appointment for her employer. While not a prospective patient, they are a current or prospective referral source.

Rather than share our Evaluation, I simply ask you to answer the following questions:

How well did you feel the Team Member connected emotionally, that is, how well did she:

• established rapport
• convey empathy
  and
• exude enthusiasm?

What might she have done differently?

If you were the caller (team member of another dental office) and you had a choice of people to whom to refer, how comfortable would you be introducing your valued patients to this office?

Every contact with a current or prospective patient, or addition to your Professional Referral Network represents a potential Moment of Power. Our practices prosper when each of us does all we can to capitalize on and amplify these Moments.

March’14 Call Evaluation

Please listen to the call, and then read our Evaluation.

» Click here to listen to March’s call

Call Analysis and Recommendations

• Unfortunately “We do not” seemed to be the dominant theme of the Team Member’s communication with the caller. Far better is “Yes We Can!”
• The Caller used the Team Members name: the Team Member did not reciprocate
• The Team Member keyed in on the one answer of two she could not answer with a ‘yes’
• Single word answers such as ‘Yep’ miss an opportunity to demonstrate professionalism and caring
• The Caller asked the questions and so remained solidly in control of the conversation
• The Team Member’s answer to the “special needs question” was basically “no” as well. This was made without bothering to ascertain what the Caller meant by Special Needs. Here was an opportunity for the Team Member to regain control of call, as well as to demonstrate empathy, and to confirm whether the practice was in fact (not) able to provide what the caller needed for her special needs child.
• The Caller, in essence, gave the Practice three opportunities to demonstrate its ability to help her and her child. In this case, life, sadly, imitated Baseball: Three strikes and you’re out.

February’14 Call Evaluation

Please listen to the call, and then read our Evaluation.

» Click here to listen to February’s call

Because calls like this will happen…

This poor team member was clearly ill prepared to respond to the caller’s request.

Her response was one of incredulity again, owing to a lack of preparation.

Then the team member used verbiage and a tone, which suggested embarrassment and annoyance with the whole matter, and only served to further diminish the stature of the practice in the eyes of the caller.

Rather than evaluate her verbiage, let’s share how such a call ought properly to be prepared for and handled.

First, there should be a copy of the mailer in front of every telephone, and each Team Member who might answer the telephone should be thoroughly familiar with the Mailing’s content and its schedule (this goes for your on hold message, website, and every other communication a prospective patient may receive).

Next, deftly handle the call by:

Confirming the Caller’s Request (Simply employ the TAFI Introduction)

Team Member: I can help you with that. My name is XXX. May I ask with whom I’m speaking?
Caller: This is YYY
Team Member: Hello YYY. Are you referring to our New Patient Invitation?
Caller: Yes.
Team Member: We’ll be happy to remove you from any future communications from our office. We certainly hope it in no way inconvenienced or offended you.
Caller: Oh no. It’s just that we get so much mail and we already have a dentist who we love.
Team Member: I understand, and it’s great to hear that you’ve got a great relationship with a dental practice. The purpose of the Invitation is to help people find a dentist if they don’t have one, or who are not thrilled with their current provider. It’s simply a way for us to better connect with our community.
Caller: I understand.
Team Member: Thank you. Now, if you don’t mind sharing the name and address as it appears on the Invitation, I’ll be happy to ensure you receive no further communications from us.

Using verbiage like this you will, at the very least, demonstrate your caring and professionalism, and even possibly encourage the caller to consider whether in fact a complimentary visit to compare your office with hers might not be a good idea after all.

January ’14 Call Evaluation

Degree of Call Difficulty (1-10 scale with 1 easiest and 10 most difficult) – 2

Please listen to the call, and then read our Evaluation.

» Click here to listen to January’s call

Comparison With THE TAFI INTRODUCTION™

The Greeting

ACTUAL: “Thank you for calling PRACTICE NAME. This is TEAM MEMBER’S NAME”
TAFI INTRODUCTION: Ideally, the Greeting includes the Practice’s Tagline, as well as a request of “How may I help you?” with an enthusiastic and sincere inflection.

Caller: “I’d like to make an appointment.”
ACTUAL: Okay. Have we seen you here before?”
Notes: Reasonable inflection. The question, however, is premature, as this is a Qualifying Question that should not be asked until the Team Member has effectively ‘connected’ with the Caller.
TAFI INTRODUCTION: I can help you with that. My name is TEAM EMEMBER’S NAME. With whom am I speaking?

Caller: No it would be for a new patient.
ACTUAL: Oh, okay, all right………..And is it for a cleaning?
TAFI INTRODUCTION: Wonderful – Are you in any discomfort presently USE CALLER’S NAME?

Caller: No. His tooth hurts, he says.
ACTUAL: Okay. And is there any insurance?
Caller: Yes
ACTUAL: Okay. And who is the insurance through?
Caller: Blue Cross

TAFI INTRODUCTION: I’m so sorry to hear that. Let’s see what we can do to get your brother in just as soon as possible. Do you have your schedule handy?

ACTUAL: Okay. Okay.

General Comments

Question 4 of the TAFI INTRODUCTION. Who may we thank for referring you to us?
This was not asked. Savvy TAFI Masters know that this question showed confidence in the quality of one’s Offering.

Question 5 of the TAFI INTRODUCTION Would you mind if I place you on hold for just a moment, so I can get to my desk, and give you my undivided attention?
While probably unnecessary with this call, TAFI Masters rely upon this to ‘break state’ that is, give caller and Team Member the chance to relax and begin the conversation anew, which is a great way to increase the appointment scheduling percentage. Employing this technique requires the existence of a professionally produced, and regularly updated, on hold message.

DECEMBER 2013

Because first impressions don’t always wait

For December’s Call Of The Month, we’d thought we’d simply share a stellar example of an Outgoing Message, aka Voicemail Message, which callers hear when they call this office and are unable to speak with someone. A nearly identical version of this call recorded on the doctor’s personal voicemail so that, when the office is closed, calls are forwarded to him for prompt follow-up.

Please listen to the call and then read our Evaluation.

» Click here to listen to December’s call

Call Analysis and Recommendations

The message is recorded in the doctor’s own voice – those who are current patients will recognize it and thereby be reminded of how engaged and concerned this doctor is for his patients.
He first thanks the caller for their decision to contact the office – this supports and acknowledges the caller for making what might have been an uncomfortable call.

He then restates his practice tagline – reminding (or informing, if a first-time caller) of the practice’s commitment to a ‘positive patient experience.’

He clearly enunciates and varies the tone of his voice.

The message reminds people that the information they share is kept confidential and will be used to learn how to help them.

Instead of simply advising people, in the event of an emergency, to ‘call 911’ or similar, the message lets callers know exactly how to reach the practice, as well as the fact that ‘we’re concerned.’

The message is also short (less than 30 seconds), which shows respect for the caller’s time.

The only piece of constructive observation is that the ending could be a bit more upbeat.