Receptionist Training – Could Your Front Desk Be Sending the Wrong Message? The most crucial interactions between your clients and your dental practice often occur before a patient ever steps foot into the exam room. In fact, your front desk can make or break the relationship you have with your clientele with a few simple words or actions. This is why receptionist training is so critical. Are you confident that the message your front desk is sending to current and prospective clients is a good representation of your practice? Let’s take a look at a few key factors that are typically covered in a dental office receptionist course so you’ll know what to model in your own practice.
Welcoming but secure Your clients entrust with you with a decent amount of their personal information, including everything from their address and phone number to their social security number, medical records and payment information. It’s absolutely essential that your receptionist training include details on how to project a welcoming feel at the front desk while also assuring patients that their information will always be kept secure. You can also support this physically by offering a lower, wider desk surface to allow more openness and person-to-person contact but also keeps sensitive information securely stored behind the desk.
Professional but not stuffy You want to make sure your front desk adequately conveys the quality and professionalism you offer to your patients. Not only should the desk area be kept tidy, organized and free of clutter, but the receptionist should present him or herself in a way that is friendly and engaging yet also professional in appearance, tone and mannerism. For some, this will come naturally. For others, receptionist training that includes etiquette can help get your team up to par and ready to represent your brand in the best possible light.
Personal but not too personal A good receptionist will make callers and visitors feel welcome and at ease. A big part of this involves personalization – that is, things like addressing clients by their first name
and making an effort to get to know a little bit more about them. This can be taken too far, however, if you’re not careful. Remember – your clientele has to trust you if they are going to hand over their personal information. If they feel as though your front desk agent is being a little too friendly, they may shy away from sharing their personal details, which could ultimately result in lost business for you. Make sure your team understands and respects boundaries.
Busy but not oblivious A dental office front desk is a busy place. There are phones ringing, patients checking in and out, documents to be filed, appointment reminders to be sent and so much more. You obviously want a receptionist that is a hard worker and capable of getting the job done. What you don’t want, however, is someone who is so focused on the task at hand that callers and visitors feel ignored. As such, part of your receptionist training should involve teaching the importance of always serving the client’s needs first. In other words, your front desk team must know how to prioritize.
Confident but not cocky When a client or prospect has a question, having a savvy receptionist that can answer right away is great. Problems come into play, however, when a front desk agent gets a little too confident and borders more on cocky. In this case, he or she may answer inquiries without checking first and risk potentially giving out incorrect information. A receptionist who is overly confident may also tend to be argumentative with callers or visitors. You want someone who knows his or her stuff but isn’t afraid to double check when necessary. The front desk is the focal point of your office. You want the individual(s) running the show to send the best possible message to each and every person that calls or stops in. Incorporating these five factors into your receptionist training (or choosing a dental office receptionist course that covers these things) will ensure that your team will be the face you want representing your practice brand.