Why do friendly front-office dental staff struggle to convert phone inquiries?
Because being nice and being effective at booking appointments are not the same skill. Most dental front-office staff are kind, helpful, and informative. They will answer the patient’s questions for as long as the patient wants to ask them. They will recommend the doctor warmly. What they typically will not do without training is ask for the appointment directly and firmly. Asking for the sale is a learned move. The natural human instinct is to be polite and let the patient decide on their own time. The patient hangs up intending to call back later and never does. Phone training teaches staff how to ask for the appointment without losing warmth. Without that training, the warmth stays and the appointments evaporate.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.