#theApexShow 4th March 2010: Tracy Stuart – Telephone skills for a dental practice

mkritzinger Hi everyone, http://tiny.cc/welcome509 the next #theapexshow will start in 10 mins, pls join and introduce yourselves! 

mkritzinger Share your LIGHTBULB moments about today’s #theapexshow on www.theapextribe.com

mkritzinger Welcome to #theapexshow http://tiny.cc/welcome509 powered by Apex http://tiny.cc/5YCoO

mkritzinger Our featured guest on #theapexshow is Tracy Stuart (@ftassociates) watch this intro about her http://tiny.cc/tracy78

mkritzinger Hi @ftassociates thanks for your time we are thrilled to interview you on #theapexshow tonight!

ftassociates @mkritzinger it’s a pleasure #theapexshow

mkritzinger Let’s begin round one of the questions #theapexshow

mkritzinger @ftassociates How should a practice telephone always be answered? #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger Thank the caller, give your name, tell them you can help them and listen to what they want. Smile. #theapexshow

mkritzinger Tracy has prepared a detailed answer about this over here: http://tinyurl.com/detailed1 #theapexshow

mkritzinger Does anyone have a question for @ftassociates on this topic? #theapexshow

ChrisCorona @mkritzinger What kind of dental knowledge should the person answering ideally have? #theapexshow

ftassociates @ChrisCorona Basic knowledge of services, location and fees, job is to get patient through the door not diagnose dentistry #theapexshow

mkritzinger @ftassociates How do you define good telephone skills? #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger Excellent listening skills, smile, ability to build a relationship + understand what patient is looking for #theapexshow

eyeswideshut29 @ftassociates I think it is fantastic with your phone skills, so many people forget that this is important #theapexshow

mkritzinger Ding Ding end of round ONE #theapexshow all unanswered questions will be answered at the end 

mkritzinger Round 2 @ftassociates What are the first things you train staff to do when teaching good telephone skills? #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger Smile, pick the telephone up, listen, relationship building and find out what the patient wants and why #theapexshow

mkritzinger To read Tracy’s detailed answer to this question 2 go here: http://tinyurl.com/detailed2 #theapexshow

mkritzinger Does anyone have a question for @ftassociates on this topic? #theapexshow

mkritzinger Ding Ding end of round TWO #theapexshow all unanswered questions will be answered at the end

mkritzinger Round 3 @ftassociates How do you convert enquiries about the dental practice? Any golden rules? #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger Ask open ended questions and find out why they want this treatment. Listing systems means nothing to a patient #theapexshow

mkritzinger For a longer answer about this by Tracy, visit this link http://tinyurl.com/detailed3 #theapexshow

mkritzinger Any questions to @ftassociates? #theapexshow

eyeswideshut29 @ftassociates Aren’t you the original person who started the Treatment plan/Treatment care coordinator course? #theapexshow



eyeswideshut29 @ftassociates Do you feel it benefits to do both courses together go obtain maximum team performance? #theapexshow

ftassociates @eyeswideshut29 all my pcc’s would have this training in my pcc training programme which is delivered over 4 months #theapexshow

ftassociates #theapexshow pcc = patient care co-ordinator, should be about patient care not just collecting money

eyeswideshut29 @ftassociates wow 4 months, I hear some go over a few days #theapexshow

sylviesturrock @mkritzinger #theapexshow – how do you remuneration for front of house team members as there are no offical qualifications and guidelines

mkritzinger @sylviesturrock Tracy @ftassociates says pay basic salary + performance bonus relating to accepted treatment plan #theapexshow

mkritzinger Ding Ding end of round THREE #theapexshow all unanswered questions will be answered at the end

mkritzinger Round 4 @ftassociates How important are tracking systems in the practice? What value can you get from them? #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger No computer system tracks enquiries that turn into business.Disaster not to monitor marketing activities #theapexshow

mkritzinger Tracy has written a detailed answer about this http://tinyurl.com/detailed4 #theapexshow



mkritzinger Ding Ding end of round FOUR #theapexshow all unanswered questions will be answered at the end

mkritzinger Round 5 @ftassociates How important are good telephone skills at a dental practice? #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger Vital. Without these, patients will not come through the door #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger Any marketing activity makes the telephone ring. What a waste of money without good telephone skills #theapexshow

mkritzinger Here is a link to read Tracy’s more detailed answer to this question here http://tinyurl.com/detailed5 #theapexshow

mkritzinger Ding Ding end of round FIVE #theapexshow all unanswered questions will be answered at the end

mkritzinger This ends our 5 rounds of #theapexshow now there is a general Q&A for 15 mins to ask @ftassociates re telephone skills

ChrisCorona @ftassociates How do you convince/change those members of staff in the training who are perhaps ‘difficult’! #theapexshow

ftassociates @ChrisCorona i find once they understand why and that they are not expected to push patients they are comfortable #theapexshow

mkritzinger @ftassociates How clued up about the practice should the telephone answerer be? And why? #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger Basic knowledge of services, location and fees, job is to get patient through the door not diagnose dentistry #theapexshow

eyeswideshut29 @ftassociates I’ve heard you are the Guru with both PCC/TPC and phone skills I think I will be in touch with you shortly! #theapexshow

ftassociates @eyeswideshut29 thanks i don’t like to boast and hope to be in your practice soon. Stay tuned for magic word #theapexshow

eyeswideshut29 @ftassociatesquite like ur attitude I will def be in touch. most people have their eyes open but they are shut, yours is not #theapexshow

mkritzinger @ftassociates Reception is very busy: patients in front of you and the telephone ringing – what is the best way to handle this? #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger The patient standing in front of you is most important & you should have a telephone system to help manage calls. #theapexshow

mkritzinger @ftassociates How do you deal with rude and difficult patients on the telephone? #theapexshow

ftassociates @mkritzinger Listen to them carefully establish why they are upset, tone & speed of voice is essential ask questions #theapexshow

mkritzinger Stay tuned the MAGIC WORD for #theapexshow REWARD given by @ftassociates very soon! http://tiny.cc/reward576

mkritzinger GONG! That’s the end of this week’s #theapexshow I hope you enjoyed it – please join us for the next one http://tiny.cc/schedule17