The online or virtual consultation, which has long been used by some practices, is now being used even more widely. The major benefit is you are now able to get a financial commitment for a paid consultation before a patient walks through your front door. However, the shoppers have time, reasons, and other options and expect more information and attention from the staff answering your phones!
Here are 4 tips to that successful virtual consultation:
TIP 1 – Have an enthusiastic staff that is a team
- The entire staff appreciates the responsibility for the entire team to be involved in the consultation.
- Creating a connection – It is important to use a communication format that allows you to see the caller and for the caller to see you. Your only initial sense is eye contact. There is no tactile capability.
- Listening for the dream, desired goal – Use that as the focus of the consultation. You can set up a visual picture for the caller.
- Having a memory database of positive examples – even if you do not have the ability to show the photos you can have them ready in your mind and give a brief scenario of the patient’s experience. Also be able to refer the caller to your website gallery.
- Demonstrate competence in the equipment you are using. Take time to pre-test before setting up the call. Have all examples ready so that there is no need to have dead air while you search for the perfect before and after photo.
TIP 2 – Develop the staff as problem solvers
- Be prepared with specific information regarding the dream and desire as it pertains to the procedure the individual is seeking. You need to anticipate the questions and objections regarding the service.
- Know when and what to ask – You need to know what questions to ask that actually help you to help the prospective patient determine if they are a good candidate.
- A thorough education of the provider’s expertise is mandatory. You build confidence in the prospective patient if it is apparent that you know the expertise of the doctor and can provide information about what to expect. This is also the opportunity to re-assure the prospective patient that they have made the right decision to select your practice.
- Confident in quoting fees – The prospective patient has already committed financially to the consultation. Therefore, the quoting of fees for the services should be easy.
TIP 3 – Smooth handover from staff to doctor
- The entire staff needs to be aware of what was covered in the initial call and the online consultation.
- The doctor or provider totally understands what the patient expects. The relationship has already been established. Therefore, some of the standard verbiage should be avoided. Consider using situations or comments that were covered in the online consultation as the lead-in to keep the connection going.
TIP 4 – Establish staff routine reviews of online consultations
- Meet periodically to review the results with entire staff.
- Recap of the consultation covering specifics on the results of consultations.
- Also use meetings in preparation for a consultation.
- Provide anything that was learned about the prospective patients that can be used in the future.
- Cover the positives and the negatives. This can also assist the first person that takes the call to be more aware of what help is needed to schedule the online consultation.
CONCLUSIONS
These 4 steps should help you in being more effective in conducting online consultations. However, if you need assistance on how to conduct an online consultation or ensure more positive results, please call our office today. One of account executives would be happy to meet with you. Call 800 272 8436 today. To review the entire presentation, visit our video gallery.