Leading From the Front

Brand Loyalty: Delivering exceptional service from responding to an enquiry, then throughout the consultation and treatment process and follow-up, creates a memorable experience for clients. Satisfied clients are more likely to become loyal, returning for additional treatments and, in turn, recommending the clinic to others.

Measure marketing effectiveness: Tracking and analysing the source of enquiries ensures that the clinic can assess the effectiveness of marketing campaigns. A clear understanding of where new enquiries come from enables the clinic to optimise outreach strategies and allocate valuable resources more efficiently.

 

New enquiries are the lifeblood of any aesthetic business. Each one that converts to a new client or patient for the clinic will generate valuable income for the business, so it’s critical to ensure your staff is able to respond efficiently and effectively, whether over the phone or online.

 

Have you stopped to consider the impact your front-of-house staff are making on your growth, revenue, and client retention? The first point of contact for your business is where the first impact starts – is it time for you to review your approach to this area of your business? A great place to start is to put yourself in your client’s shoes, whether new clients or existing ones. Take a close look at your processes - running through what happens when they call, email, text, WhatsApp or social media message you. Look at the steps carefully to identify if there are any gaps. 

 

When contacting the clinic via phone, the caller should receive a response within a few rings from a knowledgeable person who can discuss their requirements and book an appointment there and there. The person responding to the call should have time to spend with a prospective new client who has a lot of questions. You need to have a well-trained receptionist who can answer questions as well as ensure that the caller feels like the most important person in the world at that moment in time. Callers should receive undivided attention and not be rushed off the phone – there’s nothing worse than the person handling the call coming across as distracted. Your receptionist needs to be able to secure the appointment booking – it’s up to you to ensure they have the necessary skills. 

 

Review your call-handling provision regularly. Retainably assess your call-to-appointment conversion and client retention statistics, ensuring that you’re making the most of all opportunities. If your staff are struggling in this area, invest in training for them. If you’re missing calls when either you or your staff are tied up, look at outsourcing appointment booking support - it’s important that you take action.

 

Enquiries coming into the clinic via emails or social media channels need to be responded to in an efficient and effective way. Make sure you have a process in place for your staff to follow – from initial response through to follow-up. If you don’t have a clear protocol for lead management, many of these enquiries will simply become lost leads. It’s harder to engage people who enquire online as there’s no opportunity to build a relationship in the same way as over the phone – wherever possible, your staff need to be trained to try to get the enquirer to speak with them over the phone – increasing your chance of converting them into a valuable new client.