From appointment reminders to payment follow-ups, phone calls are crucial for any veterinary practice. Learn how to answer client calls to put your best foot forward and stay efficient.

How are your staff members’ phone answering skills? Whether you’re confident in your team’s phone skills or not, the right tools and training can help get your staff in a position to grow your veterinary practice. Learn how to help your practice excel at answering client phone calls.

Stick to the Script

Without standards for answering clients’ calls, you’re leaving a lot to chance. Your staff members may be great communicators, but they can still make costly mistakes when fielding phone calls. A script is a good way to avoid these pitfalls. Here is an example of a great phone call flow.

1. Educate your staff on telephone etiquette. 

   1. Answer all inbound calls with a warm greeting and a thank you for calling your practice. 

   2. From there, they should take down the caller’s name and ask how they can help. 

   3. Your staff should speak clearly, in an upbeat tone, and use the caller’s name naturally throughout the conversation.

2. Make sure your team is well-versed in your services.

   1. Most pet owners need help figuring out what their pet needs. 

   2. This is where your team can explain your services and position your practice as a solution to the needs of pet owners.

3. Have your staff close the deal and schedule the client’s appointment. 

   1. After the appointment is on the calendar, have the staff answer any questions the client might have regarding the appointment

   2. Once your staff has answered all questions and confirmed the appointment time with the client, have them thank the client by name for choosing your practice.

Be As Convient As Possible To Pet Owners

Missed phone calls, long holds, and limited communication options with your practice are major turn-offs for pet owners. Without ever having the chance to talk to them, you could lose new clients just because you didn’t have protocols in place to ensure a seamless, convenient experience.

Your website and phone line are the first and second points of contact that pet owners have with your veterinary practice. Many pet owners are hesitant to bring their pets to veterinary practices and most are looking for any excuse not to schedule an appointment unless they absolutely have to. 

Any fumbles online or during the over-the-phone experience can give them the excuse they’re looking for. 

Make sure your team is answering client phone calls as quickly as possible and confident in their ability to efficiently and knowledgeably navigate these calls. 

Try calling your practice with a random phone number to test your over-the-phone experience. This can give you a great idea of your potential clients’ first impressions and where your team needs improvement.

Get the Tools You Need

Maintaining a smooth client experience on your phone line can be hard to do if you are receiving more calls than you can take or have a long list of clients to call with appointment reminders. 

Fortunately, you can streamline this process and allow your front practice to focus on taking care of clients with tools like online scheduling, automated reminders, and 2-Way Chat. Our tools have two major benefits: 

1. Convenience. Clients can schedule appointments and communicate with your veterinary practice from their couch. You don’t have to change your practice’s workflow, and you can still offer more convenience and better care to pet owners.

2. Efficiency. Your staff members can book more appointments and communicate with pet owners in less time than before. Taking back those valuable minutes can save you time and money for your veterinary practice.

Take Control of Your Client Experience

Chckup has the tools and expertise to help you intelligently shape the future of your veterinary practice. Avoid missed phone calls, improve communication, and increase client satisfaction. 

Let us help your practice put its best foot forward with the best tools possible to show clients you care. 

Schedule a demo today!