In 2024, do you have goals you want to achieve for your dental practice? If you’re like most practice owners, you probably want to get more patients through the door. Once they’re in your office, your clinical prowess and personable chairside manner can win them over, but if you aren’t using a call answering service (or the right one), you could lose potential patients with the first phone call.
Although the year is basically half over, it’s not too late to take a step in the right direction for your practice. Here are three good reasons you should take advantage of a call answering service now.
Better Customer Service
Not every administrative professional has great phone skills. Call handling requires more than just competence—it requires a friendly voice and demeanor and proficiency with customer service. Your patients want more than just their call to be answered by a real person. They want their needs to be met and to feel appreciated and well cared for.
A call answering service has already recruited professionals who check off all these boxes. They specialize in phone etiquette and customer service. Plus, if you choose the right call answering service, patients can schedule appointments directly in your practice’s calendar. As a result, they can hang up after the call feeling that your practice has treated them well—even though the whole call was handled externally.
Less Wasted Time in the Office
Your office can receive all kinds of calls, not just patients wanting to schedule an appointment. Calls from family trying to reach a team member, sales reps trying to win your business, patients asking questions about aftercare, as well as patients needing an emergency appointment. Sometimes, it can be challenging for your team to get any real work done because they’re dealing with the phone. However, a call answering service can take this time-consuming task, freeing your in-office team to worry about in-person patients and concerns.
Better Reputation and Opportunity for Growth
As a modern business owner, you’re well aware of just how valuable positive reviews can be. Online reviews are the new word-of-mouth recommendations. Your practice’s reputation matters in attracting patients, and if you take advantage of a call answering service, you have the chance to make a powerful impression for good. Instead of just leaving a message, your patients can talk to a real person who takes care of them—before they even set foot in the office. This sets a positive tone for the rest of their care and can motivate them to give you a five-star review and recommend friends and family to you.
A call answering service may not be the resource you think of to help you achieve your 2024 goals, but these professionals can make a significant, positive difference for your practice and for your patients.
About Dental Support Specialties
Since 2008, Dental Support Specialties has offered remote administrative support for dental practices throughout the country. The team of professionals come with years of experience and training, which means we not only have the customer service skills to help patients but also the technical know-how to work with your scheduling software. Contact our team to learn more about the impact we could have on your business.