14
Aug
2024
14
Aug
2024
The phone will be one of the oldest technologies your business uses. Over recent years, the phone has seen a widespread transition to digital, opening up a whole new set of opportunities to leverage this vital touchpoint.
Clinic businesses receive a high volume of client calls every month. On average over 35% of these calls are being missed. This problem is further exaggerated by the fact that over 60% of the calls are trying to deal with an appointment booking. Despite this risk to revenue and the client’s experience, calls are still not being managed or measured effectively.
This is Why:
The Reality of Online Booking
In the advent of online booking, which was sold as the catch-all for every appointment booking outside of the front-desk, most Clinic Business Owners and Managers have since realised that this has not been the case and that within this industry, the “Uber” experience is not always a perfect fit, due to the very personal nature of many of the services and treatments offered. Furthermore, with new clients required to create an account before booking, the attraction to call up becomes even stronger. The subsequent conclusion of this, is that for new clients, the phone may well be the dominant channel.
One great benefit that was borne out of online booking was the ability to capture valuable data around the client journey. The digital nature of this channel has allowed businesses to drill-down and understand the behaviour of their clients and their spending patterns, and adapt accordingly.
The Importance of the Phone Channel
This data analysis is to be encouraged, however, within the Clinic sector the phone channel is typically more than equal to the size of online booking volume, yet businesses do not know what type of transactions are occurring through this channel. This is further compounded by the fact that there is a human element within every interaction that can potentially alter the outcome negatively. With no ability to analyse and apply critical “micro-adjustments”, this negative client experience will continue unchecked.
Maximising the Phone Channel
In summary, after rebooking on-premises, the phone is the next largest revenue channel, and therefore, your business deserves that same level of visibility and control around client call behaviour and outcomes, as it has with online bookings. From the moment a client dials your number, they are immersing themselves in your brand. It is vital to have a way to track how effectively you are utilising this communication method with solid data, as opposed to relying on assumptions. By providing your Front-of-House team with the training, tools and processes required, you can motivate them to capitalise on every opportunity to generate more revenue.
How can your Phone Channel be Improved
Implement professional messaging specific to your business which will elevate the brand status and provide a logical structure to your client’s call journey. Offer SMS notifications for hang-ups, to keep clients informed and assured they will be dealt with. This practice shifts the initiative back to the Clinic to deliver consistently favourable outcomes.
Empower your team to build £1,000s in additional revenue by leveraging actionable call data. By implementing trackable call logs, Front-of-House teams can easily manage the call flow and confirm with certainty that every enquiry has been dealt with.
It is advisable to have call recording in place, firstly to protect the business if there was ever a dispute and secondly to help with the training of staff. Pairing this with tagged calls allows for immediate drill-down to understand how certain call types are being handled and where improvements can be made. Tagging calls also enables you to gain a new level of understanding as to why clients are calling and the revenue impact via this channel.
Set Call Management Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for all of the team to adhere to. Front and centre KPIs will allow staff and management to have confidence in the level of support clients are experiencing with the brand. In simple terms, if you cannot measure it, you cannot manage it. Where KPI shortfalls exist, this is an opportunity to help develop your team’s skill set and improve standards.
The Results of a Coherent Structured Call Management Strategy
Ultimately, Clinic Owners and Managers quickly realise managing this sales channel is not a luxury, but a necessity which ensures a seamless, 360-degree client touchpoint experience, driving efficiency and maximising revenue.
If you would like a free front-desk consultation, please contact VOCA through the following channels and quote the Consulting Room:
Read it? Loved it? Want to share it?
