Q: I am all about customer service, so I was shocked when I overheard my receptionist speaking on the phone the other day with a patient. She gave the patient inaccurate information and argued with her about her bill. I should pay attention more often, but I cannot be at the front desk to monitor every call and treat patients simultaneously. How can I be sure my staff is properly handling our phone calls?

A: Customer service takes on a lot of different forms in our practices…and the telephone is one of the most impactful ones! If you are “all about customer service,” you are familiar with the theory that one dissatisfied person will tell 9 or 10 other people about their poor experience. Those are numbers you do NOT want to see multiplied. Prospective patients may be influenced – just from one lousy phone encounter, and I do not need to tell you that that is bad for business!

Knowing that your staff possesses the power to either draw your patients in or chase them away, putting the right person in that seat becomes much more critical to your practice-building efforts. Your receptionist is responsible for delivering that first impression, which is a tall order for a new patient who may not yet know your physician skills or charming personality. Greeting every caller as a welcomed guest requires a constant, conscious effort, not just when they feel like it.

Surprisingly, doctors often entrust their staff with such a significant tool as the phone without ensuring they have the necessary training in phone etiquette. While everyone may know how to answer a phone, it does not mean they can manage patient calls effectively. By providing proper training or refresher courses, you can ensure that your staff understands the importance of professionalism and empathy in patient interactions.

 Sometimes, patients indeed drive us to our limits. Still, instead of reacting defensively or angrily, trained personnel would know how to communicate with this individual and follow proper protocol for a successful outcome. Going head-to-head with the patient is not the right path; it only irritates them further, resulting in their leaving the practice.

As a rule, a patient calling to complain about a bill is not meant as a personal attack; they want information. So, suppose staff know enough to remain calm, LISTEN to gather information, control the conversation [with open and closed questions], and provide them with answers instead of a run-around. In that case, they can easily take the phone call more constructively.

If you are suspicious that your staff is mishandling your phone calls, try disguising your voice, call your office, and hear what your patients hear. This is not an exercise in “tricking” staff, but rather one to educate them in best telephone practices. If you think this tactic is sneaky, warn your staff that you will call anonymously. They will either know their stuff or not, and if they cannot appropriately manage the call, then ONE, they should not be in that seat…or TWO, they should receive better training. On the other hand, if they CAN oversee it, it is another reason to praise and congratulate them for a job well done!

Here is what you should be looking for: Is your phone answered in a friendly, helpful, polite way? Is your practice name identified? Are you put on hold [without you are ok] and left there for an eternity? Or worse yet…disconnected? Are you given incorrect information in response to a question? Are you given unauthorized medical advice!? Are you made to feel that your call is unimportant or that speaking to you is inconvenient? Do you feel rushed off the call? In the end, did you think the call was worth your while? And finally, would you call again?

We do not want you to lose your patients or your patience, so consider making some changes now that will make you proud and put your practice in the “customer service spotlight!”