How to handle a highly emotional phone call

By Jayne Bandy

Most calls we receive in a dental practice are straight forward.

We make a connection with the caller, ask questions to find out more and schedule and confirm an appointment to get everything started.

But occasionally there are those calls that are quite intricate, highly emotional and complicated.

Always keep in mind, when answering calls in a dental practice, that the caller is not ringing you to order a pizza, or to make an appointment to have their hair or nails done or even to have a nice relaxing massage. They are calling because they have a dental problem or concern that that needs fixing!

This is concerning for many callers and can have a big effect on what they say and how they feel on the call.

When you receive calls, you must understand that the caller can be highly emotional, upset and anxious.

One of the best ways to break the ice on a call when the caller is upset and emotional is to first ask for the caller’s name.

Once you know the caller’s name, start to use their name in the phone conversation. The call is a conversation between two people, so start using the caller’s name. It immediately helps you connect and gets the attention of the caller.

The next step in helping a caller who is upset and concerned is to start asking questions to find out more. When you start asking questions, you give the caller the opportunity to tell the story, give you the details of what is happening and often how it is making them feel.

At this point, you listen and don’t interrupt unless you feel another question will help the conversation and show that you’re listening. During the call, you can also respond briefly so the caller knows you are still there listening and that you care.

Listening and asking questions is caring.

Avoid entering into a transactional call with a person who is highly emotional. Now is the time to show empathy and understanding of the caller’s situation and make the caller feel normal and ok.

This is the duty of care you have with every person that calls your dental practice.

Reassure all callers that there is a solution ready for them.

Yes, it is a big responsibility on these very first phone calls and these are the calls that your patients will remember you for.

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1. Dramatically improve new patient call-in conversions to booked appointments.

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About the author

Jayne began her career as an educator. After spending several years teaching, she made the jump to practice management, serving as a Practice Manager for a renowned dentist in Sydney for more than 25 years, giving her first-hand experience at what works when it comes to building and maintaining patient relationships, how to convert leads over the phone and most importantly - what it takes to reach your practice goals. As the CEO and Founder of Dental Phone Excellence, Jayne helps practices convert more calls into appointments, reduce cancellations and nurture effective patient communication that will result in increased profitability. Her past experience as an educator combined with her passion for practice management gives her a unique set of skills that allows your team to fully understand and take advantage of the tools she presents.

For more information on what to say and ask your patients, call 1300-378-044 or email jayne@thedpe.com