Ep. 220: Missed Calls = Missed Revenue: The Urgent Care Growth Blind Spot
About this Episode
This week on Walk-Ins Welcome, we’re bringing you Michael Ray’s full talk from the Southeast Regional Urgent Care Association (SERUCA) Conference, where he unpacked one of the biggest hidden growth leaks in urgent care today.
The room was filled with operators, owners, and leaders—all asking the same question: Why aren’t our patient numbers matching our marketing investment?
Michael’s answer was direct: It’s not always the marketing. It’s the front desk.
In this candid, data-backed session, Michael walks through real call recordings, real clinic numbers, and a real example of a practice that missed 70% of its inbound calls—while believing they “needed more patients.”
This episode is a powerful reminder that your front desk isn’t just answering phones. They are your first impression, your conversion team, and in many cases, the difference between growth and stagnation.
If you’re spending money on marketing but still feel like something isn’t clicking, this is required listening.
Topics Covered
📞 Why 30% missed calls is considered “industry average”—and why that should concern you
💸 How one clinic unknowingly wasted thousands in ad spend simply by not answering the phone
🎯 The mindset shift from “receptionist” to “revenue driver”
💬 How small scripting adjustments (just seconds long) dramatically improve bookings
📊 Why call reviews and secret shopping reveal more than dashboards ever will
🧠 Where the line is between customer service and giving medical advice
🤖 How AI can support your front desk—but never replace a trained, proactive team
📈 Why front desk training may be your highest ROI move this year
“The front desk can make or break your business."
Michael Ray, Patient Care Marketing Pros
00:00:05 - 00:00:09What's up everyone? Michael Ray here and
00:00:07 - 00:00:11now we have a special episode. So this
00:00:09 - 00:00:13is actually from my front desk talk at
00:00:11 - 00:00:15Seruka which is back in November 2025
00:00:13 - 00:00:18down in New Orleans. I go through the
00:00:15 - 00:00:20importance of a front desk in terms of
00:00:18 - 00:00:22why they're not just your customer
00:00:20 - 00:00:24service type position. They have sales
00:00:22 - 00:00:26pieces added into that. And I'd love for
00:00:24 - 00:00:28you to take a listen and say is my front
00:00:26 - 00:00:30desk doing these things or are they not?
00:00:28 - 00:00:31So take a listen. If you got any
00:00:30 - 00:00:32thoughts, send us an email hello
00:00:31 - 00:00:35patientaremarkpros.com
00:00:32 - 00:00:37and hope you enjoy. Thanks. Hi everyone.
00:00:35 - 00:00:39Uh you already know me, but let's go
00:00:37 - 00:00:41through it. So Michael Ray, I'm the VP
00:00:39 - 00:00:44of operations at patient care marketing
00:00:41 - 00:00:46pros. I've been in the urgent care space
00:00:44 - 00:00:50now about four and a half years. Been in
00:00:46 - 00:00:54the marketing space since 2011. And this
00:00:50 - 00:00:56talk was born out of necessity. So,
00:00:54 - 00:00:58you know, our goal is to get patients in
00:00:56 - 00:01:00your door, but most time that comes
00:00:58 - 00:01:03through a phone call first or
00:01:00 - 00:01:05interaction somewhere. And we learned
00:01:03 - 00:01:07over time that the front desk can make
00:01:05 - 00:01:10or break your business. Uh to a very
00:01:07 - 00:01:11high degree actually. Um, we'll go
00:01:10 - 00:01:13through some stats, but it's one of the
00:01:11 - 00:01:15things that we just we're seeing like,
00:01:13 - 00:01:16you know, we may have gotten you tons of
00:01:15 - 00:01:19calls, but then your front desk is
00:01:16 - 00:01:21trying to diagnose them and then turn
00:01:19 - 00:01:23them away or they're just telling them
00:01:21 - 00:01:24to come in and not telling them to book
00:01:23 - 00:01:26a time and then they don't show up, of
00:01:24 - 00:01:27course. And so that's where this talk
00:01:26 - 00:01:28kind of was born out of those. So, a
00:01:27 - 00:01:30couple things we're going to be going
00:01:28 - 00:01:33through today is kind of one, understand
00:01:30 - 00:01:35that your front desk person is not just
00:01:33 - 00:01:37a receptionist. They're much more than
00:01:35 - 00:01:40that, but you have to be proactive about
00:01:37 - 00:01:42that. So kind of going through like what
00:01:40 - 00:01:43is go from front desk to more like this
00:01:42 - 00:01:46person can actually increase your
00:01:43 - 00:01:48revenue with your current situation. Um
00:01:46 - 00:01:50and then change their mindset from just
00:01:48 - 00:01:52answering questions but being proactive
00:01:50 - 00:01:54in getting people coming into your door.
00:01:52 - 00:01:56So that's just the goal today to kind of
00:01:54 - 00:01:58get that shift. Um and we're going to
00:01:56 - 00:02:00show examples of what that looks like.
00:01:58 - 00:02:04So first out of the gate though when it
00:02:00 - 00:02:05comes to customer experience what's an
00:02:04 - 00:02:07example of customer service that was
00:02:05 - 00:02:08fantastic for you? Doesn't have to be an
00:02:07 - 00:02:11urgent care. It could be anything. Last
00:02:08 - 00:02:12time I did this talk, they had somebody
00:02:11 - 00:02:13said uh the airport was actually
00:02:12 - 00:02:15wonderful because they lost their
00:02:13 - 00:02:17luggage and they went the extra mile and
00:02:15 - 00:02:20even bought them new luggage, which was
00:02:17 - 00:02:21super cool. So for for the guys here, uh
00:02:20 - 00:02:22what do you think? Is there something
00:02:21 - 00:02:24that comes to mind of a company that
00:02:22 - 00:02:26just went head over heels like just did
00:02:24 - 00:02:28everything right for you and you're so
00:02:26 - 00:02:30surprised by
00:02:28 - 00:02:32Chick-fil-A on a consistent basis?
00:02:30 - 00:02:33>> Yeah.
00:02:32 - 00:02:35>> Ritz Carlton.
00:02:33 - 00:02:36>> Yeah, Ritz Carlton's always good.
00:02:35 - 00:02:38And Ritz Carlton's fascinating because
00:02:36 - 00:02:40they have like actual budgets to take
00:02:38 - 00:02:43care of people. But you think about it,
00:02:40 - 00:02:45it's the mindset, right? Where that
00:02:43 - 00:02:47individual person that may have gone the
00:02:45 - 00:02:49extra mile that was trained somewhere.
00:02:47 - 00:02:51That wasn't just a simple good hire.
00:02:49 - 00:02:53Like that's their culture that they put
00:02:51 - 00:02:55into it. So that's where we want to be
00:02:53 - 00:02:57with our uh front desk. It's like it's
00:02:55 - 00:03:00part of the culture of your business.
00:02:57 - 00:03:01And if you're all about serving, taking
00:03:00 - 00:03:02care of people, well, you got to get
00:03:01 - 00:03:04them in there. And so you got that front
00:03:02 - 00:03:06desk is so important to that piece, but
00:03:04 - 00:03:09you're right. So that's a great one.
00:03:06 - 00:03:10Yeah. So, and that's what we're just
00:03:09 - 00:03:12saying there. So, as you mentioned
00:03:10 - 00:03:14Chick-fil-A, it's actually one of my
00:03:12 - 00:03:17simple examples here. So, this just fun
00:03:14 - 00:03:19information to know when it comes to you
00:03:17 - 00:03:20think of Chick-fil-A and you think of
00:03:19 - 00:03:22McDonald's, right? You think of
00:03:20 - 00:03:23Chick-fil-A as like this higher service
00:03:22 - 00:03:26quality,
00:03:23 - 00:03:28consistent. Um, technically, it's a
00:03:26 - 00:03:30pretty good sandwich, but it's not the
00:03:28 - 00:03:31best sandwich, but it works. Well, look
00:03:30 - 00:03:35at the revenue difference between the
00:03:31 - 00:03:37two because if a if a Chick-fil-A almost
00:03:35 - 00:03:39double or more than doubles a
00:03:37 - 00:03:41McDonald's, but they're pulling from the
00:03:39 - 00:03:42same people like they're who they hire
00:03:41 - 00:03:44is coming out of the same pool of
00:03:42 - 00:03:47people. They're technically, you know,
00:03:44 - 00:03:49going to a certain type of crowd. But
00:03:47 - 00:03:50why is it two to one? Like you look at
00:03:49 - 00:03:51you think about the experience. Like for
00:03:50 - 00:03:54me, I have a child. I have a
00:03:51 - 00:03:55six-year-old and she may mention
00:03:54 - 00:03:57McDonald's, but if if we're having a
00:03:55 - 00:03:59tough day, Chick-fil-A is going to be a
00:03:57 - 00:04:00much more consistent experience. she
00:03:59 - 00:04:02she's going to get exactly what's
00:04:00 - 00:04:03ordered and I'm not questioning what's
00:04:02 - 00:04:05coming up when I open that bag from
00:04:03 - 00:04:08McDonald's if it's the right thing or
00:04:05 - 00:04:09the wrong thing. So that is that mindset
00:04:08 - 00:04:11where I know the customer experience is
00:04:09 - 00:04:13going to be better and so I'm going to
00:04:11 - 00:04:14lean into that more often. So that's
00:04:13 - 00:04:17where we're kind of going with the front
00:04:14 - 00:04:20desk because they are that first touch
00:04:17 - 00:04:22of customer service and it needs to be
00:04:20 - 00:04:24very proactive and very consistent and
00:04:22 - 00:04:26what we've seen in the industry is just
00:04:24 - 00:04:28not and so that's just where we want to
00:04:26 - 00:04:30be with that.
00:04:28 - 00:04:32And this is where then the mindset shift
00:04:30 - 00:04:34starts to come in. So they're not just
00:04:32 - 00:04:36answering the phone, but they're taking
00:04:34 - 00:04:38those potential leads and they're
00:04:36 - 00:04:41saying, "Can I make you into a patient
00:04:38 - 00:04:44of some sort? Can I take the the five
00:04:41 - 00:04:45seconds extra and ask the question?
00:04:44 - 00:04:47Would you like to go ahead and come in?
00:04:45 - 00:04:49Can I get your information? I'll put you
00:04:47 - 00:04:51down for a time." Um because it's so
00:04:49 - 00:04:53easy to say, "Hey, I'm busy." Yeah, just
00:04:51 - 00:04:55come in. Well, we're open till this
00:04:53 - 00:04:56time. Just come in. And that's just it
00:04:55 - 00:04:59doesn't work. I mean, it's the same
00:04:56 - 00:05:01thing if you go to like Target and
00:04:59 - 00:05:03you're in the checkout lane line and
00:05:01 - 00:05:05they say, "Do you want to get a Target
00:05:03 - 00:05:06card?" Like, "Well, no, I really don't."
00:05:05 - 00:05:08But if they didn't ask, I would never
00:05:06 - 00:05:10even think it existed in the first
00:05:08 - 00:05:13place. It's the same simple concept. I
00:05:10 - 00:05:15think people just overlook that. Um, and
00:05:13 - 00:05:19then just like I was saying here, when
00:05:15 - 00:05:21we've had now a front desk that was not
00:05:19 - 00:05:23doing well and then we trained them a
00:05:21 - 00:05:25little bit or trained the trainer to
00:05:23 - 00:05:27train them more often or they swapped in
00:05:25 - 00:05:29somebody who was doing well, they're
00:05:27 - 00:05:31instantly their patient volume went up
00:05:29 - 00:05:32just because the calls were already
00:05:31 - 00:05:34there. The patients were already
00:05:32 - 00:05:36available, but they weren't being pushed
00:05:34 - 00:05:38into the into the clinic essentially.
00:05:36 - 00:05:40And that's just a huge huge thing
00:05:38 - 00:05:42because we even seen it now where we'll
00:05:40 - 00:05:44have two locations from the same
00:05:42 - 00:05:46company. One's doing amazing and the
00:05:44 - 00:05:49other one's not, but our data looks
00:05:46 - 00:05:51good. Then we go listen to calls and it
00:05:49 - 00:05:53becomes very apparent that one person
00:05:51 - 00:05:54doesn't care and the other one does
00:05:53 - 00:05:57care. And that's where all that starts
00:05:54 - 00:05:59to make the difference.
00:05:57 - 00:06:01But let's th throw some numbers at it.
00:05:59 - 00:06:02Now, is this something you want to tell
00:06:01 - 00:06:04your front desk up front? Maybe, maybe
00:06:02 - 00:06:07not. Kind of give them an idea what's
00:06:04 - 00:06:10happening here. So, we know in our world
00:06:07 - 00:06:14that a call for us to get you a call
00:06:10 - 00:06:16into your clinic, it's around $9 to $17
00:06:14 - 00:06:18to get that call to come in through all
00:06:16 - 00:06:20the conversion cost. That's about where
00:06:18 - 00:06:22it lives. So, we'll just call it 10
00:06:20 - 00:06:25bucks just for easy math. So, if we had
00:06:22 - 00:06:2830 calls flowing into your clinic,
00:06:25 - 00:06:29that's a $300 to $500 worth of potential
00:06:28 - 00:06:32leads that they could just be tossing
00:06:29 - 00:06:37away because they were too busy or
00:06:32 - 00:06:38didn't care um or just simply hung up.
00:06:37 - 00:06:40We've seen that so many times where
00:06:38 - 00:06:42they'll just hang up and just not answer
00:06:40 - 00:06:43the phone at all because they're too too
00:06:42 - 00:06:46much going on. We've seen it quite a
00:06:43 - 00:06:48bit. So, it's that mindset of these are
00:06:46 - 00:06:50dollars being lost, but these are like
00:06:48 - 00:06:52that's just the dollars being lost. is
00:06:50 - 00:06:54not including the opportunity loss that
00:06:52 - 00:06:56could be happening. So let's say the 30
00:06:54 - 00:06:58calls if half of them became patients.
00:06:56 - 00:07:00Well, that's a huge number that day and
00:06:58 - 00:07:03that can make it from a good day and a
00:07:00 - 00:07:04bad day. So really simple, but I just
00:07:03 - 00:07:05want to paint the picture on the
00:07:04 - 00:07:07numbers. If you're having a conversation
00:07:05 - 00:07:09with your front desk person and and they
00:07:07 - 00:07:10don't get it, you can say, "Well, this
00:07:09 - 00:07:12is what it's when that call comes in,
00:07:10 - 00:07:14this is what it's probably costing us
00:07:12 - 00:07:16for that call to show up." So that's
00:07:14 - 00:07:18where we want to focus on. So here's a
00:07:16 - 00:07:20real life example. This actually
00:07:18 - 00:07:21happened to a client of ours. I I
00:07:20 - 00:07:23couldn't believe it. So that's why I'm
00:07:21 - 00:07:26making an example. I won't name names,
00:07:23 - 00:07:29but it is an urgent care in Florida. So
00:07:26 - 00:07:31not not Louisiana. So we're good.
00:07:29 - 00:07:34But urgent care in Florida. So these are
00:07:31 - 00:07:35real numbers that actually happened.
00:07:34 - 00:07:37Complaint came to us. I need more
00:07:35 - 00:07:39patients. I need more patients. You said
00:07:37 - 00:07:42you can get me more patients. Cool.
00:07:39 - 00:07:45Let's go look at the data first. 427
00:07:42 - 00:07:49calls were generated from our ads only
00:07:45 - 00:07:50for $5,000. $11.70 per call. right in
00:07:49 - 00:07:52right in the sweet spot for us for what
00:07:50 - 00:07:55we know it's supposed to be working.
00:07:52 - 00:07:58Went to the recordings, analyzed the
00:07:55 - 00:08:02recordings, 70% of calls went
00:07:58 - 00:08:05unanswered. 427 calls came in, 299 were
00:08:02 - 00:08:08just ignored. 299.
00:08:05 - 00:08:09And it wasn't simply
00:08:08 - 00:08:11um it was going to the wrong number. It
00:08:09 - 00:08:13was going to the right number and they
00:08:11 - 00:08:16just wouldn't answer it. But it became
00:08:13 - 00:08:18real interesting because he said, "I
00:08:16 - 00:08:19don't have enough patience, but my but
00:08:18 - 00:08:20my staff's too busy. That's why they
00:08:19 - 00:08:21can't answer the phone." It's like,
00:08:20 - 00:08:24well, those two things can't exist
00:08:21 - 00:08:25together. They just can't, you know, and
00:08:24 - 00:08:27but you hear it, right? You've heard
00:08:25 - 00:08:29this before. Your staff said, "We're so
00:08:27 - 00:08:32so busy." You're like, "Patient count
00:08:29 - 00:08:35says otherwise. I don't know what you're
00:08:32 - 00:08:37busy with, but it's not this." And so,
00:08:35 - 00:08:39and then the uh clinic owner was very
00:08:37 - 00:08:41open. He's like, "Yeah, they say they
00:08:39 - 00:08:43get busy, so they just can't get to all
00:08:41 - 00:08:45the calls." That's just unacceptable.
00:08:43 - 00:08:48Like straight up, like you're spending
00:08:45 - 00:08:50five grand and you're tossing away four
00:08:48 - 00:08:52over 4,000 of it just because they don't
00:08:50 - 00:08:54want to answer the call. This is real.
00:08:52 - 00:08:56So, this is something that we see a lot
00:08:54 - 00:08:59of. Uh this is just a great example
00:08:56 - 00:09:01because it was very recent. So, like two
00:08:59 - 00:09:03or three months ago. Um it was very
00:09:01 - 00:09:05real. And then we and then I went in and
00:09:03 - 00:09:07listened to the calls and then sat down
00:09:05 - 00:09:10with him later and said, "You have a
00:09:07 - 00:09:12problem. Your main front desk person is
00:09:10 - 00:09:15rude. You could tell in her tone, she
00:09:12 - 00:09:17doesn't want to be there. She just wants
00:09:15 - 00:09:19to answer the call and just give the
00:09:17 - 00:09:22most blank answer she can and get off
00:09:19 - 00:09:24the phone. And he says, "Well," and this
00:09:22 - 00:09:26this urgent care has been around for
00:09:24 - 00:09:29seven, eight years. He said, "Well, she
00:09:26 - 00:09:31was my first hire." I'm like, "Yeah, the
00:09:29 - 00:09:33higher that you needed five, seven years
00:09:31 - 00:09:36ago is not the higher you need today."
00:09:33 - 00:09:38And she's throwing away dollars and not
00:09:36 - 00:09:40not in addition to the what's being
00:09:38 - 00:09:41missed cuz then they're on the same uh
00:09:40 - 00:09:42set of calls. There was a call like,
00:09:41 - 00:09:44"Man, this lady is really great." Yes,
00:09:42 - 00:09:47my nurse practitioner. She was just
00:09:44 - 00:09:49filling in. Well, she's wonderful.
00:09:47 - 00:09:51We need her on the call more often cuz
00:09:49 - 00:09:52she was proactive, had good tone, you
00:09:51 - 00:09:54could tell she was smiling, all the
00:09:52 - 00:09:56things. And it made all the real
00:09:54 - 00:09:58difference there. So this is what
00:09:56 - 00:10:00matters because you know you could be
00:09:58 - 00:10:02spending tons of money on marketing
00:10:00 - 00:10:04doing all the right things but the
00:10:02 - 00:10:06second that phone call connects over and
00:10:04 - 00:10:09they pick up the phone and it's not a
00:10:06 - 00:10:12good experience you just lost it because
00:10:09 - 00:10:15sadly in our urgent care niche there's
00:10:12 - 00:10:17no branding. People aren't they're not
00:10:15 - 00:10:18ready to they don't know the urgent care
00:10:17 - 00:10:21from the next urgent care. They just
00:10:18 - 00:10:22know they need somebody now and because
00:10:21 - 00:10:24of that they're not going to remember
00:10:22 - 00:10:26who they called or they're not going to
00:10:24 - 00:10:28they say yes so what it's over here in
00:10:26 - 00:10:30this shopping center and they start
00:10:28 - 00:10:31driving that way and they see one that
00:10:30 - 00:10:33looks like the same one and they pull in
00:10:31 - 00:10:36don't even realize it. We've seen that
00:10:33 - 00:10:37plenty of times. So, so what does this
00:10:36 - 00:10:39boil down to? This is all the revenue
00:10:37 - 00:10:41leaks that you're seeing. Missed call is
00:10:39 - 00:10:43the wasted ad spent also the wasted
00:10:41 - 00:10:45opportunities. The poor experience. So
00:10:43 - 00:10:47you guys have a lot of experience in
00:10:45 - 00:10:50good and bad reviews in this in your
00:10:47 - 00:10:51niche. And the the challenge is that the
00:10:50 - 00:10:53bad review can start with the phone
00:10:51 - 00:10:55call. It can start with that when they
00:10:53 - 00:10:58walk into your clinic and that front
00:10:55 - 00:10:59desk is not having a good day. Like all
00:10:58 - 00:11:01these different things where the doctor
00:10:59 - 00:11:03may have done the right things, the
00:11:01 - 00:11:05nurses did the right things, the
00:11:03 - 00:11:09diagnosis was great, everything was
00:11:05 - 00:11:10good, but the way the front desk
00:11:09 - 00:11:12interacted was not good. They just you
00:11:10 - 00:11:13could tell they didn't want to be there.
00:11:12 - 00:11:15then you lose that opportunity. They
00:11:13 - 00:11:17don't want to ask for a review because
00:11:15 - 00:11:19it's just not part of their job to ask.
00:11:17 - 00:11:20Like we hear that. So those are real
00:11:19 - 00:11:23opportunities there that can really
00:11:20 - 00:11:25cause disruptions for you. So anyway, so
00:11:23 - 00:11:27missing follow appointments is the loss.
00:11:25 - 00:11:30So you know there's always that chance
00:11:27 - 00:11:32um when they have a visit come on. It's
00:11:30 - 00:11:34that proactive piece of it. Can I get
00:11:32 - 00:11:36you coming back for hey you just came in
00:11:34 - 00:11:37for this you know flu is coming up. I'd
00:11:36 - 00:11:40love to get you to do a flu shot or you
00:11:37 - 00:11:42mentioned you had a child that that
00:11:40 - 00:11:43plays sports or doing sports physicals
00:11:42 - 00:11:45like these little extras that can make
00:11:43 - 00:11:49the difference just to ask them to come
00:11:45 - 00:11:51back in because that repeat patient is
00:11:49 - 00:11:53worth a lot of money to you but it's
00:11:51 - 00:11:55easily thrown away. So just things you
00:11:53 - 00:11:58have to think about.
00:11:55 - 00:12:00Okay, so let's talk about some best
00:11:58 - 00:12:02practices. So here's the shift, right?
00:12:00 - 00:12:03We're we're we're done with being a
00:12:02 - 00:12:06receptionist. We're more of a sales rep
00:12:03 - 00:12:08situation. very proactive, doing all the
00:12:06 - 00:12:09right things, having the right
00:12:08 - 00:12:12conversations. You know, this is not
00:12:09 - 00:12:16just a yes, no situation. And here's a
00:12:12 - 00:12:18great example of this where passive is,
00:12:16 - 00:12:20yeah, come in. Are are do you guys take
00:12:18 - 00:12:22appointments? Sure, but just come on in.
00:12:20 - 00:12:25Which is probably the most common phrase
00:12:22 - 00:12:27we hear on most calls. We know they take
00:12:25 - 00:12:28appointments.
00:12:27 - 00:12:30And the person asks, "Can I make an
00:12:28 - 00:12:33appointment?" They'll say, "No, but just
00:12:30 - 00:12:36come on in." Are they going to come in?
00:12:33 - 00:12:39Maybe. maybe not, you know, right? So,
00:12:36 - 00:12:40it's a challenge. So, the pro the
00:12:39 - 00:12:42proactive side is, yeah, I have a time
00:12:40 - 00:12:45today that works for you. Let's go ahead
00:12:42 - 00:12:48and get you in. Um, and then go ahead
00:12:45 - 00:12:49and say, you know, right now it's 1:00.
00:12:48 - 00:12:51You know, if you want to come in at 2 or
00:12:49 - 00:12:531:30, we have a slot for you. Come on
00:12:51 - 00:12:55in. Let me get some basic information
00:12:53 - 00:12:58from you. Uh, it's just simple simple
00:12:55 - 00:12:59little adjustments. When I say 5
00:12:58 - 00:13:01seconds, like this is just an adjustment
00:12:59 - 00:13:03of phrasing that makes all the
00:13:01 - 00:13:05difference. Couple of quick wins though.
00:13:03 - 00:13:07when you talk to any of your people is
00:13:05 - 00:13:10always smile on the phone. This is like
00:13:07 - 00:13:12sales 101, smiling on the phone. Have a
00:13:10 - 00:13:14nice warm tone. How are you today? If
00:13:12 - 00:13:17you can use their name, use their name
00:13:14 - 00:13:20if they can. And be proactive with all
00:13:17 - 00:13:22conversation, not just a very passive,
00:13:20 - 00:13:23you know, thanks for calling, but I
00:13:22 - 00:13:26don't want to talk to you type of thing.
00:13:23 - 00:13:30So, this is that shift, right? Like this
00:13:26 - 00:13:32what starts to make the difference.
00:13:30 - 00:13:34So, here's another some real life
00:13:32 - 00:13:38examples. Once again, these are It's
00:13:34 - 00:13:39sad. This is real, but it is. Uh, so
00:13:38 - 00:13:40here's a couple things. Your clink does
00:13:39 - 00:13:43does point, but takes time for front
00:13:40 - 00:13:45desk on the phone. Um, and this is like
00:13:43 - 00:13:46the real situation. Don't need to make
00:13:45 - 00:13:48appointment. We do, but come on in. Just
00:13:46 - 00:13:50show up before by 6:30 cuz we close at
00:13:48 - 00:13:527:00.
00:13:50 - 00:13:54And like that's a very negative way of
00:13:52 - 00:13:57saying something where you could just
00:13:54 - 00:13:59simply say, "Hey, you know, uh, can I
00:13:57 - 00:14:00get you down for 6:30 because I want to
00:13:59 - 00:14:02make sure you get taken care of before
00:14:00 - 00:14:05we close up at 7:00 and you're not
00:14:02 - 00:14:06running late." It's the same
00:14:05 - 00:14:08conversation just turned a little bit.
00:14:06 - 00:14:11It's much more proactive. I'm probably
00:14:08 - 00:14:13going to say yes way more often than I'm
00:14:11 - 00:14:15going to say no to something like that.
00:14:13 - 00:14:17So, just kind of think through that for,
00:14:15 - 00:14:19you know, for those who know your front
00:14:17 - 00:14:22desk, which route do they go? Do they
00:14:19 - 00:14:24say, "Please show up by 6:30 cuz we
00:14:22 - 00:14:26close at 7:00." Or, "Hey, we close at
00:14:24 - 00:14:287:00. Just make sure you show up at
00:14:26 - 00:14:31before 7:00." Like, which route do y'all
00:14:28 - 00:14:34train your people on? I'm curious.
00:14:31 - 00:14:36>> We train them to say, um, a lot of times
00:14:34 - 00:14:39it's like for two physicals
00:14:36 - 00:14:42>> and we'll say, you know, um, come in by
00:14:39 - 00:14:45six where the provider can
00:14:42 - 00:14:49>> timing your physical prior to cleansing,
00:14:45 - 00:14:49>> right? Um,
00:14:49 - 00:14:53>> yeah. And but the cool part is with that
00:14:51 - 00:14:54you can say, "Hey, we're going to
00:14:53 - 00:14:57schedule for six o'clock." So, we have
00:14:54 - 00:14:59the whole time to take care of you. Um,
00:14:57 - 00:15:00and that's way more inviting to, "Hey,
00:14:59 - 00:15:04just show up by this time. We'll see if
00:15:00 - 00:15:06it works out." So, way more inviting.
00:15:04 - 00:15:10It does help for sure because we even we
00:15:06 - 00:15:13even had a clinic that um
00:15:10 - 00:15:15all of their do calls they asked for
00:15:13 - 00:15:17they told them appointment they required
00:15:15 - 00:15:18the appointment all these things. And
00:15:17 - 00:15:20then the second urgent care call came
00:15:18 - 00:15:22in. Yeah. Just come in when you want.
00:15:20 - 00:15:24And I went to the owner. I said why is
00:15:22 - 00:15:27this so good on DOT but not so good on
00:15:24 - 00:15:29urgent care? He said we require it. I
00:15:27 - 00:15:31said why can't you just require it for
00:15:29 - 00:15:34the rest?
00:15:31 - 00:15:36like just twist that a little bit to the
00:15:34 - 00:15:37rest of them and then you'll be great.
00:15:36 - 00:15:38Um, so that's one of the things, right?
00:15:37 - 00:15:40So you just have to be, you know,
00:15:38 - 00:15:42consistent with that and just make it
00:15:40 - 00:15:44mandatory and just say this is what we
00:15:42 - 00:15:45do every single time. So here's some
00:15:44 - 00:15:47other things example. This is a real
00:15:45 - 00:15:51example with a clinic, another clinic
00:15:47 - 00:15:54out of Florida, um, different one. So,
00:15:51 - 00:15:57this person, this was fascinating
00:15:54 - 00:16:00because the front desk just was making
00:15:57 - 00:16:02up pricing on the fly,
00:16:00 - 00:16:04which is really scary. Uh, and we didn't
00:16:02 - 00:16:07believe it because we were wonder like,
00:16:04 - 00:16:09why is this person so upset on the call
00:16:07 - 00:16:11and then we listened to the calls and
00:16:09 - 00:16:14they had called more than once. On
00:16:11 - 00:16:17Thursday, how much are physicals? 125.
00:16:14 - 00:16:19Okay. On Friday, same front desk, how
00:16:17 - 00:16:24much physicals? 150. All right.
00:16:19 - 00:16:25Saturday. They're 100 bucks. Come on in.
00:16:24 - 00:16:27I know. It's like
00:16:25 - 00:16:29>> let's go show up Saturday. Get the best
00:16:27 - 00:16:30deal. And obviously that person is just
00:16:29 - 00:16:33throwing numbers out there. So if they
00:16:30 - 00:16:36did show up, it was not $100. It was
00:16:33 - 00:16:37probably $200. Uh and what is that going
00:16:36 - 00:16:39to result in? A bad review, bad
00:16:37 - 00:16:40experience, and that patient doesn't
00:16:39 - 00:16:42want to be there, but they're already
00:16:40 - 00:16:46there. And then it just hurts you long
00:16:42 - 00:16:48term. And so that creates a trust issue.
00:16:46 - 00:16:49And so when you have a trust issue, it
00:16:48 - 00:16:51just makes it harder. And that's the
00:16:49 - 00:16:54thing too, like we we see it quite a bit
00:16:51 - 00:16:55where the owner will tell us this is the
00:16:54 - 00:16:57pricing we're having for our special,
00:16:55 - 00:16:59but they didn't communicate that very
00:16:57 - 00:17:01well to their front desk or any of their
00:16:59 - 00:17:03staff. And there's confusion that pops
00:17:01 - 00:17:05up very quickly. So these are things you
00:17:03 - 00:17:06have to make sure like if I'm training
00:17:05 - 00:17:09people, how often am I training them? Is
00:17:06 - 00:17:11it just once a month, once a quarter? Am
00:17:09 - 00:17:13I updating them correctly on the things?
00:17:11 - 00:17:16So this is where it actually begins to
00:17:13 - 00:17:18matter. Um, but it was the funny part.
00:17:16 - 00:17:20So that same front desk person that just
00:17:18 - 00:17:24made up pricing on the fly, there was
00:17:20 - 00:17:25another call that came through and
00:17:24 - 00:17:28basically they said, "I don't think we
00:17:25 - 00:17:31treat that." Okay. Well, we we we're
00:17:28 - 00:17:34actually in like an hour later from that
00:17:31 - 00:17:36call, we have a meeting with the owner
00:17:34 - 00:17:37and we said, "We thought you we thought
00:17:36 - 00:17:39you did this service." "Oh, I do."
00:17:37 - 00:17:41"Well, listen to this call." He listens
00:17:39 - 00:17:42to he's like, "Why?" And so he said,
00:17:41 - 00:17:45"What's the number?" Calls that patient
00:17:42 - 00:17:46and says, "Hey, are you in still need of
00:17:45 - 00:17:48this?" "Yes, I am." Well, come in at
00:17:46 - 00:17:50this time and I'll take care of you. And
00:17:48 - 00:17:52they showed up. And it was just a simple
00:17:50 - 00:17:54call back because their their front desk
00:17:52 - 00:17:56just simply threw somebody away. And I
00:17:54 - 00:17:58will say in that same conversation with
00:17:56 - 00:18:00that owner, he said, "Well, this is my
00:17:58 - 00:18:04whatever operations person. Hey, we're
00:18:00 - 00:18:06about to fire this front desk person."
00:18:04 - 00:18:08It's real though because they're just
00:18:06 - 00:18:09throwing away dollars. Um, and it's so
00:18:08 - 00:18:11easy to overlook it because there's so
00:18:09 - 00:18:13much volume coming in. I don't have time
00:18:11 - 00:18:14to look at all these things, but you can
00:18:13 - 00:18:17find trends really quickly. When we
00:18:14 - 00:18:19review calls within like 20 to 30 calls,
00:18:17 - 00:18:22you know what's going on and you know
00:18:19 - 00:18:24where the problems are and we're very
00:18:22 - 00:18:25confident in that. So, a couple other
00:18:24 - 00:18:28things that matter in the world of front
00:18:25 - 00:18:31desk. Always answer within three w three
00:18:28 - 00:18:33rings or less. Uh there was one clinic
00:18:31 - 00:18:34says they have a one ring policy. So, it
00:18:33 - 00:18:37only rings one time and they have to
00:18:34 - 00:18:39answer it. That's a huge thing because
00:18:37 - 00:18:42if for any of us, right, if I do three
00:18:39 - 00:18:44rings, are they open? Right? That's a
00:18:42 - 00:18:46quick thought. Are they open? Uh they're
00:18:44 - 00:18:47too busy right now. I'm just going to go
00:18:46 - 00:18:49to the next one because they can't pick
00:18:47 - 00:18:51up the phone. They must be busy. All
00:18:49 - 00:18:54different things. Next is if they can
00:18:51 - 00:18:55use the name. So if the name comes in or
00:18:54 - 00:18:57if it's like their phone system
00:18:55 - 00:18:59recognizes an existing patient at some
00:18:57 - 00:19:01point or they can connect the dots or
00:18:59 - 00:19:03they even say, "Yeah, my name is
00:19:01 - 00:19:05Michael. Cool. Hey, Michael. This is
00:19:03 - 00:19:07what we want to do for you." Just using
00:19:05 - 00:19:10your name kind of cleans it up a little
00:19:07 - 00:19:12bit because it allows them to feel more
00:19:10 - 00:19:14personal and it kind of buys them in a
00:19:12 - 00:19:15little bit more because that little bit
00:19:14 - 00:19:17of edge of buying in, it makes it that
00:19:15 - 00:19:19much easier to get them to say yes to
00:19:17 - 00:19:22come in. So I use So use your name when
00:19:19 - 00:19:24you answer the phone and then use the
00:19:22 - 00:19:25potential patient name as well and
00:19:24 - 00:19:27you're going to have a lot more
00:19:25 - 00:19:30conversation come out of that. Just
00:19:27 - 00:19:31feels more honest. Next is make sure you
00:19:30 - 00:19:33do have scripts ready to go. So, if
00:19:31 - 00:19:34there's something they have very
00:19:33 - 00:19:36specific they're asking for, make sure
00:19:34 - 00:19:37they have the right information in front
00:19:36 - 00:19:39of them when they say it, they don't
00:19:37 - 00:19:42have to follow it verbatim, but when it
00:19:39 - 00:19:44comes to like certain pricing or how the
00:19:42 - 00:19:45process works when you do come in, make
00:19:44 - 00:19:48sure they know exactly what that looks
00:19:45 - 00:19:50like. We've had situations where they
00:19:48 - 00:19:52call in and they say, "Well, do you have
00:19:50 - 00:19:57a X-ray machine? Can you do X-rays on
00:19:52 - 00:20:00site?" I don't know. Let me go find out.
00:19:57 - 00:20:02Goes to a holding. Person hangs up. Why
00:20:00 - 00:20:04not? like
00:20:02 - 00:20:07it's real though. And then we've had
00:20:04 - 00:20:08that same clinic uh call they call and
00:20:07 - 00:20:10said do you have a doctor on staff? I'm
00:20:08 - 00:20:12not sure.
00:20:10 - 00:20:14Okay. Well, that's not going to work out
00:20:12 - 00:20:16for you. So, and it it it seems like
00:20:14 - 00:20:17common sense, right? But it's common
00:20:16 - 00:20:19sense because you know you're part of
00:20:17 - 00:20:20building that business. The front desk
00:20:19 - 00:20:22was not part of building that business.
00:20:20 - 00:20:24So, the common sense piece may not
00:20:22 - 00:20:26connect all the dots. And then also too,
00:20:24 - 00:20:28just having FAQs and cash pricing ready
00:20:26 - 00:20:30just so they can be very quick because
00:20:28 - 00:20:33the second that you sit there and pause
00:20:30 - 00:20:34and you don't have the answer, they
00:20:33 - 00:20:36start to lose a little bit of trust or
00:20:34 - 00:20:38doubt like does this person know what
00:20:36 - 00:20:40I'm asking for? And also too, it keeps
00:20:38 - 00:20:42the conversation moving because when you
00:20:40 - 00:20:44start pausing a conversation, it becomes
00:20:42 - 00:20:46harder to get them to do what you're
00:20:44 - 00:20:47hoping them to do. And so that's super
00:20:46 - 00:20:48important. And the same thing with
00:20:47 - 00:20:50insurance, make sure you have a nice
00:20:48 - 00:20:52insurance list ready to go. So when
00:20:50 - 00:20:53somebody asks, they're confident. And
00:20:52 - 00:20:55it's like yes, you take that insurance
00:20:53 - 00:20:56or no, we do not take that insurance. By
00:20:55 - 00:20:58the way, since we don't take it, here's
00:20:56 - 00:21:01our cash price for what you're asking
00:20:58 - 00:21:04for. So, it's just a very clean, but
00:21:01 - 00:21:06it's gives confidence.
00:21:04 - 00:21:07Couple other things, too. So, here's
00:21:06 - 00:21:09some objectives that come through. I'll
00:21:07 - 00:21:11call back later. You know, how do you
00:21:09 - 00:21:13overcome that type of thing? Well, you
00:21:11 - 00:21:14know, you say call back later. Is there
00:21:13 - 00:21:16anything reason why you can't come in
00:21:14 - 00:21:18now? And then they'll may give they may
00:21:16 - 00:21:20have a legitimate reason or they're just
00:21:18 - 00:21:21not sure. And so that's where the
00:21:20 - 00:21:23pricing may become a thing. We're like,
00:21:21 - 00:21:25"Oh, I didn't realize it was $300 for an
00:21:23 - 00:21:26SDI test. I thought it would be cheaper
00:21:25 - 00:21:29than that." You know, that type of
00:21:26 - 00:21:30thing. And so you have to be ready for
00:21:29 - 00:21:31those questions because they also say if
00:21:30 - 00:21:33they're calling and you have their
00:21:31 - 00:21:36solution, you're halfway there. if
00:21:33 - 00:21:37they're needing a test. Yes, it's $300,
00:21:36 - 00:21:39but you also know like you're probably
00:21:37 - 00:21:40the best price or just within the best
00:21:39 - 00:21:42price of anybody else they call like,
00:21:40 - 00:21:44"Hey, I know like it sounds like $300
00:21:42 - 00:21:46sounds like a lot, but we can get it
00:21:44 - 00:21:48done for you in about 30 minutes from
00:21:46 - 00:21:50now and then you'll have your answer the
00:21:48 - 00:21:52same day and that's what you really want
00:21:50 - 00:21:54and they're willing to pay for that." A
00:21:52 - 00:21:56couple other things too, the long hold
00:21:54 - 00:21:57piece. So, like I said, cheat sheets,
00:21:56 - 00:21:59the script, the the scripts are
00:21:57 - 00:22:01important, but it ultimately when you
00:21:59 - 00:22:03put somebody on hold, you're running out
00:22:01 - 00:22:05of time. Um, and it's so easy to put
00:22:03 - 00:22:06somebody hold because there's somebody
00:22:05 - 00:22:08standing and looking at me right now.
00:22:06 - 00:22:10And so, but the thing is that they're
00:22:08 - 00:22:11standing here looking at you, you have
00:22:10 - 00:22:13them a little longer than the person you
00:22:11 - 00:22:15have on the phone. So, just making sure
00:22:13 - 00:22:16you take care of that. It just makes all
00:22:15 - 00:22:18the difference. These sound like little
00:22:16 - 00:22:21nuances, but they do make a difference
00:22:18 - 00:22:23and impact over time.
00:22:21 - 00:22:25Here's a neat little follow-up strategy.
00:22:23 - 00:22:27It does work, but you have to be super
00:22:25 - 00:22:28proactive about it. And I know there's
00:22:27 - 00:22:31some softwares that are working on this
00:22:28 - 00:22:33as well, but if you miss a call, if a
00:22:31 - 00:22:35front desk misses a call, they should
00:22:33 - 00:22:37call back. But they should only do if
00:22:35 - 00:22:39they can do it in the next 15, 30
00:22:37 - 00:22:40minutes. If it goes much beyond that,
00:22:39 - 00:22:42probably not worth the call. They've
00:22:40 - 00:22:44already moved on. But if they have like
00:22:42 - 00:22:46a missed call, why would you not call
00:22:44 - 00:22:47back? If you're in your own business and
00:22:46 - 00:22:48you weren't in an urgent care, just a
00:22:47 - 00:22:50normal business, you have a missed call,
00:22:48 - 00:22:51you're probably going to call them back
00:22:50 - 00:22:54and see if like, "Sorry, I missed your
00:22:51 - 00:22:55call. What can I do for you?" Um, but in
00:22:54 - 00:22:57your scenario, you have less than an
00:22:55 - 00:22:59hour to do that because they chances are
00:22:57 - 00:23:01they've moved on to the next one or
00:22:59 - 00:23:03they're about to get into the car. But
00:23:01 - 00:23:04if you can stop them and get them to
00:23:03 - 00:23:06talk to you for just a minute, like, we
00:23:04 - 00:23:09can take care of you now. Okay, cool.
00:23:06 - 00:23:11So, it sounds like a lot, but I I've had
00:23:09 - 00:23:14feedback and the ones that actually do
00:23:11 - 00:23:15this, it works, but they had to put
00:23:14 - 00:23:17something in place to make sure it's
00:23:15 - 00:23:19proactive and not reactive, if that
00:23:17 - 00:23:22makes sense. Charice, do y'all do that
00:23:19 - 00:23:23at all on the callbacks? Yeah, that's
00:23:22 - 00:23:23okay.
00:23:23 - 00:23:25>> Yep.
00:23:23 - 00:23:28>> Good point. For sure.
00:23:25 - 00:23:30>> Yeah. And Ava in Flip working on a
00:23:28 - 00:23:32system that calls it back.
00:23:30 - 00:23:33>> Yeah, it's already live.
00:23:32 - 00:23:35>> Yeah. So, like there software is out
00:23:33 - 00:23:36there to do some of this. Uh but it is
00:23:35 - 00:23:38something that does make a difference.
00:23:36 - 00:23:39I'm sure you have cool stats related to
00:23:39 - 00:23:45>> but um anyway. All right. So, moving on.
00:23:43 - 00:23:47I know I'm moving a little quick on
00:23:45 - 00:23:49this, but it's all good. So, what is it
00:23:47 - 00:23:51like? So just talking about AI and so
00:23:49 - 00:23:53forth and little bring up for Ava there.
00:23:51 - 00:23:55So Flip's an example. There's lots of AI
00:23:53 - 00:23:56softwares out there, but they can handle
00:23:55 - 00:23:58things. They can handle calls. They can
00:23:56 - 00:24:00do scheduling FAQs. They've gotten a lot
00:23:58 - 00:24:01better in the past two or three years.
00:24:00 - 00:24:04They're not perfect. But here's the
00:24:01 - 00:24:06thing. If the AI can't do it, people are
00:24:04 - 00:24:09wanting to talk to someone. And you
00:24:06 - 00:24:10know, yes, the AI can take care of some
00:24:09 - 00:24:12of the riff raft or take care of the
00:24:10 - 00:24:14real simple calls, but the second it
00:24:12 - 00:24:15gets complicated and they're like, I
00:24:14 - 00:24:17this is not helping me, they're going to
00:24:15 - 00:24:18talk to somebody. So they have to take
00:24:17 - 00:24:20like that's where it becomes super
00:24:18 - 00:24:21important because if they made it
00:24:20 - 00:24:24through an AI and they ask I can't do
00:24:21 - 00:24:27this they're probably a little upset
00:24:24 - 00:24:29maybe and so when that person gets on
00:24:27 - 00:24:31live they have to be on their game and
00:24:29 - 00:24:33they can't be just as as annoying as
00:24:31 - 00:24:35what they just went through. So you have
00:24:33 - 00:24:37to think through that when you have
00:24:35 - 00:24:38situations where the AI is wonderful but
00:24:37 - 00:24:40then sometimes it's just not and you
00:24:38 - 00:24:43want to make sure your people are ready
00:24:40 - 00:24:46for that. Does that make sense? Yeah.
00:24:43 - 00:24:48Um, all right.
00:24:46 - 00:24:49Next thing you want to do on the side of
00:24:48 - 00:24:52things is how do you actually put this
00:24:49 - 00:24:54into play? So, who in here has ever done
00:24:52 - 00:24:56role playing? Got some role players in
00:24:54 - 00:24:58here. Who in here has actually done role
00:24:56 - 00:25:00playing for your people where you sat
00:24:58 - 00:25:05them down and went through it? Okay.
00:25:00 - 00:25:06Yeah. Cool. So, where's the hicc
00:25:05 - 00:25:09where where do you find the hiccup to
00:25:06 - 00:25:10be? when you become a very um
00:25:09 - 00:25:12questionable patient that's trying to
00:25:10 - 00:25:13push on them or are you always the nice
00:25:12 - 00:25:15patient that you're just trying to flow
00:25:13 - 00:25:16through the role? What's what's been
00:25:15 - 00:25:20your experience?
00:25:16 - 00:25:20>> Usually um we do role playing the ugly
00:25:20 - 00:25:21patient.
00:25:20 - 00:25:22>> The ugly patient.
00:25:21 - 00:25:22>> Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:22 - 00:25:24>> Yeah.
00:25:22 - 00:25:28>> It's usually the like patient with doing
00:25:24 - 00:25:29the scrubs um and the role playing. I
00:25:28 - 00:25:30try to tell the team all the time is
00:25:30 - 00:25:34>> sometimes it's just switching the person
00:25:32 - 00:25:36too. Yeah. Sometimes two people just
00:25:34 - 00:25:38don't and sometimes you get somebody
00:25:36 - 00:25:41else to come back come in and take over
00:25:38 - 00:25:43the conversation be totally different
00:25:41 - 00:25:44the patient will be totally different to
00:25:43 - 00:25:48that second person. Yeah. You still
00:25:44 - 00:25:48retain the person
00:25:48 - 00:25:52more ugliness.
00:25:49 - 00:25:53>> Yeah. I mean, it's real. Um because, you
00:25:52 - 00:25:55know, if they're calling, a patient,
00:25:53 - 00:25:57potential patient's calling, they don't
00:25:55 - 00:25:59feel good most likely or they're upset
00:25:57 - 00:26:03about something. And so, there's a lot
00:25:59 - 00:26:05of overcoming usually. And but chances
00:26:03 - 00:26:07are the urgent care has a solution that
00:26:05 - 00:26:09they're seeking. You just got to make
00:26:07 - 00:26:11that transaction as smooth as possible.
00:26:09 - 00:26:13and making a and we know this just in
00:26:11 - 00:26:15normal sales, the fewer obstacles and
00:26:13 - 00:26:16bumps they have to get over, the more
00:26:15 - 00:26:17likely they're going to do what you're
00:26:16 - 00:26:19hoping they're going to do and just get
00:26:17 - 00:26:21them right to the end of the sales
00:26:19 - 00:26:24process, which is coming in and let us
00:26:21 - 00:26:25take care of you. Uh, but no, so that
00:26:24 - 00:26:27that's super important. I I think on
00:26:25 - 00:26:29role playing too, uh, one of the things
00:26:27 - 00:26:31that we sometimes miss out is that we
00:26:29 - 00:26:32don't do it often enough. I mean, we may
00:26:31 - 00:26:34have done it right at the beginning to
00:26:32 - 00:26:37make sure, oh, you understand it. Cool.
00:26:34 - 00:26:39But they may get into a comfort or a
00:26:37 - 00:26:41rhythm and then they forget the
00:26:39 - 00:26:43important pieces or they forget, you
00:26:41 - 00:26:45know, where the priorities sit and so
00:26:43 - 00:26:47you have to go come back to them and
00:26:45 - 00:26:48say, let's do some more roleplay. And
00:26:47 - 00:26:50this is not something to beat people up
00:26:48 - 00:26:51on. It's more like I just want to make
00:26:50 - 00:26:53it better for you because the more
00:26:51 - 00:26:55prepared you are, the better to probably
00:26:53 - 00:26:57enjoy your job and not just having a
00:26:55 - 00:26:59reactive job. Uh, call scripts and so
00:26:57 - 00:27:01forth. Anybody have call scripts for
00:26:59 - 00:27:06their business?
00:27:01 - 00:27:06No, no call scripting.
00:27:06 - 00:27:09>> Yeah,
00:27:09 - 00:27:15>> write it first. Um, we need probably a
00:27:12 - 00:27:17bit more in depth with those to say with
00:27:15 - 00:27:20some of the frequently asked questions
00:27:17 - 00:27:22of what the script to say, but
00:27:20 - 00:27:24especially with our STI. Yeah.
00:27:22 - 00:27:27>> Rapid cash price right now. There needs
00:27:24 - 00:27:30to be a more thin depth script there.
00:27:27 - 00:27:32We're learning to keep them to come in
00:27:30 - 00:27:33with not have to stick a shot of the
00:27:32 - 00:27:34price.
00:27:33 - 00:27:36>> Yeah. Because I think a lot of people
00:27:34 - 00:27:38don't realize that cash pricing for a
00:27:36 - 00:27:42certain test are just high and you know
00:27:38 - 00:27:44they're thinking it's probably $50. No,
00:27:42 - 00:27:45maybe $50 for us but not for the actual
00:27:44 - 00:27:47test.
00:27:45 - 00:27:50>> But yeah, that's real. And you on the
00:27:47 - 00:27:52call scripts too where you have to go in
00:27:50 - 00:27:54and listen to your calls to kind of find
00:27:52 - 00:27:56the nuances of what's being missed. Do
00:27:54 - 00:27:58you ever go listen to calls?
00:27:56 - 00:27:59>> I do as much as I would like.
00:27:58 - 00:28:01>> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly.
00:27:59 - 00:28:03>> I need to do more of it. For sure.
00:28:01 - 00:28:04>> Yeah. And thankfully there's there's
00:28:03 - 00:28:06more AI coming out where it can analyze
00:28:04 - 00:28:08calls for you and kind of give you
00:28:06 - 00:28:10better feedback which speeds up the
00:28:08 - 00:28:12process which is awesome. But no, that
00:28:10 - 00:28:13you know what matters though is that
00:28:12 - 00:28:15being proactive with the whole thing
00:28:13 - 00:28:16because if if you do it once when you
00:28:15 - 00:28:18first hire them that's good but then you
00:28:16 - 00:28:20have like an ongoing proactive approach
00:28:18 - 00:28:22to it and it's hard because we all get
00:28:20 - 00:28:24busy or you're you're thinking well they
00:28:22 - 00:28:25they've done well I've heard complaints
00:28:24 - 00:28:27and yet you don't go back and just kind
00:28:25 - 00:28:29of check for yourself because we all get
00:28:27 - 00:28:31complacent at certain parts of our lives
00:28:29 - 00:28:33and so we may be really good at the
00:28:31 - 00:28:35beginning and just kind of slow it down
00:28:33 - 00:28:37and not realize it. So it's just a real
00:28:35 - 00:28:38thing. Uh, other thing worth noting here
00:28:37 - 00:28:40too. So, secret shop your clinic.
00:28:38 - 00:28:43Anybody ever do that? Ever secret shop
00:28:40 - 00:28:46your clinic? Yeah, a couple. Is it good
00:28:43 - 00:28:49or bad experience?
00:28:46 - 00:28:52>> Probably both.
00:28:49 - 00:28:55>> Yeah, we we've had and we've had some
00:28:52 - 00:28:56where they said, "Yeah, one clinic kills
00:28:55 - 00:28:59it and then my other location's horrible
00:28:56 - 00:29:00at it." And then the question becomes,
00:28:59 - 00:29:03why? Is it the person or is it the
00:29:00 - 00:29:05training? Is it the culture in that
00:29:03 - 00:29:07clinic versus the other culture? Um, and
00:29:05 - 00:29:08it's something they don't really always
00:29:07 - 00:29:11have an answer for because they don't
00:29:08 - 00:29:14they never dug deep enough to find out.
00:29:11 - 00:29:16U, but we typically find that the ones
00:29:14 - 00:29:18that have secret shopped a bad clinic,
00:29:16 - 00:29:20their numbers are simply down. Like they
00:29:18 - 00:29:21could have better numbers, but they're
00:29:20 - 00:29:23just not there versus a clinic that's
00:29:21 - 00:29:25always on. Uh, so it's just something
00:29:23 - 00:29:26worth noting. But a side note, too, so
00:29:25 - 00:29:28we have a podcast called Walkkins
00:29:26 - 00:29:30Welcome on episode 148. There's an
00:29:28 - 00:29:32interview with Jessica Walker. She her
00:29:30 - 00:29:34entire business Care Sherpa is focused
00:29:32 - 00:29:37around secret shopping and doing the
00:29:34 - 00:29:39sales process for different types of
00:29:37 - 00:29:41clinics. Um but the insights that she
00:29:39 - 00:29:42gives in that episode's really good. So
00:29:41 - 00:29:45I do encourage you guys to go check that
00:29:42 - 00:29:47out. All righty.
00:29:45 - 00:29:48Very good. So just moving toward the end
00:29:47 - 00:29:50right here. So you can scan that get
00:29:48 - 00:29:51some more information which has the
00:29:50 - 00:29:53things that we've just talked about
00:29:51 - 00:29:56which is the slides, call scripts and so
00:29:53 - 00:29:57forth. Um and just take a scan there and
00:29:56 - 00:29:59take you there or just take a picture
00:29:57 - 00:30:03and you can grab the link later. So,
00:29:59 - 00:30:03I'll leave that out for just a second.
00:30:06 - 00:30:09Okay.
00:30:08 - 00:30:12All right. And then so take home points
00:30:09 - 00:30:14for this today's talk is your front desk
00:30:12 - 00:30:16is more than just reception. It's a
00:30:14 - 00:30:18sales team. They're the first point of
00:30:16 - 00:30:20getting that conversion to start
00:30:18 - 00:30:21happening. Uh unless they just walk
00:30:20 - 00:30:23straight in, but even when they walk
00:30:21 - 00:30:25straight in, that that first interaction
00:30:23 - 00:30:28of how are you, how can I help you
00:30:25 - 00:30:31matters. uh when you miss calls, you're
00:30:28 - 00:30:33you're losing money. And I think the
00:30:31 - 00:30:36industry average is 30% missed calls,
00:30:33 - 00:30:37which is like the standard acceptable
00:30:36 - 00:30:39average, which I don't think it's
00:30:37 - 00:30:41acceptable in my mind, but it is. But
00:30:39 - 00:30:44don't become the guy in Florida that has
00:30:41 - 00:30:4570% missed calls because that's what's
00:30:44 - 00:30:46the point at, you know, if you're
00:30:45 - 00:30:48spending all that money, what's the
00:30:46 - 00:30:50point? So, just focus on that. I mean, I
00:30:48 - 00:30:52would encourage even go look at your
00:30:50 - 00:30:55call log in your phone system and pull
00:30:52 - 00:30:56up missed calls. how many went missed or
00:30:55 - 00:30:58how many went to a voicemail because in
00:30:56 - 00:31:01our eyes going the voicemail is a mis
00:30:58 - 00:31:03call as well because it kind of goes in
00:31:01 - 00:31:05nowhere land and they may not call them
00:31:03 - 00:31:08back which is just a mis call at that
00:31:05 - 00:31:09point. Uh next is just being proactive
00:31:08 - 00:31:11making sure you have them think about
00:31:09 - 00:31:14proactive conversation not reactive
00:31:11 - 00:31:15conversation makes a big difference and
00:31:14 - 00:31:17then build up your system for training
00:31:15 - 00:31:19where you want to make sure you're being
00:31:17 - 00:31:21you yourself being proactive in how you
00:31:19 - 00:31:23train or train the trainer. We have a
00:31:21 - 00:31:25client right now that has u eight
00:31:23 - 00:31:28locations. Went through this information
00:31:25 - 00:31:30with them and then they trained their
00:31:28 - 00:31:32front desk trainer and now they're on a
00:31:30 - 00:31:33weekly and monthly rotation to make sure
00:31:32 - 00:31:35all their people are being active on
00:31:33 - 00:31:37their training and they're going in and
00:31:35 - 00:31:39listening to calls and making
00:31:37 - 00:31:40adjustments. It's all positive
00:31:39 - 00:31:42information though, right? You don't
00:31:40 - 00:31:44want to come at somebody saying you were
00:31:42 - 00:31:45terrible at your job. No, you weren't
00:31:44 - 00:31:46trained the way we wanted you to be
00:31:45 - 00:31:48trained or you've forgotten your
00:31:46 - 00:31:50training. Let's fix that for you. And
00:31:48 - 00:31:52then of course when it's when it seems
00:31:50 - 00:31:54appropriate use AI to look at capturing
00:31:52 - 00:31:55additional calls when it makes sense to
00:31:54 - 00:31:58because they can help flip things as
00:31:55 - 00:32:01well and take care of that. So but there
00:31:58 - 00:32:03you go guys that's my talk for today. Um
00:32:01 - 00:32:05I hope it was good information for you
00:32:03 - 00:32:08guys u had a chance to record it. Any
00:32:05 - 00:32:11questions?
00:32:08 - 00:32:13>> Of course Nick. Yeah.
00:32:11 - 00:32:16uh the AI the last thing that you
00:32:13 - 00:32:17mentioned can you throw call recordings
00:32:16 - 00:32:19in like chat GPT or is that going to be
00:32:17 - 00:32:21a issue
00:32:19 - 00:32:24>> probably technically a HIPPA issue
00:32:21 - 00:32:27because shad GPT can't control that data
00:32:24 - 00:32:29right um now you can get a redacted call
00:32:27 - 00:32:32recording that sucks out all the PHI
00:32:29 - 00:32:36information but the reality of it is
00:32:32 - 00:32:39your software that is HIPPA compliant
00:32:36 - 00:32:41that can do call analysis can work but
00:32:39 - 00:32:42taking a recording of a patient that
00:32:41 - 00:32:45called in and just throwing it straight
00:32:42 - 00:32:48in the chat GPT that's dangerous
00:32:45 - 00:32:50ultimately. So yeah,
00:32:48 - 00:32:52>> um you know I came in late so I don't
00:32:50 - 00:32:55think we talked about this but one of
00:32:52 - 00:32:57the things I do with role playing that I
00:32:55 - 00:33:00think that um you know Flip does really
00:32:57 - 00:33:02well and and we do well is making sure
00:33:00 - 00:33:03that there is no medical advice.
00:33:02 - 00:33:04>> Yes.
00:33:03 - 00:33:08over the phone and that you create
00:33:04 - 00:33:10clarity of what is guidance on when to
00:33:08 - 00:33:12come into the clinic and where the line
00:33:10 - 00:33:13is on the receptionist giving medical
00:33:12 - 00:33:13advice.
00:33:13 - 00:33:15>> Yes.
00:33:13 - 00:33:17>> Um and so for instance the the
00:33:15 - 00:33:18receptionist who said I don't think we
00:33:17 - 00:33:20treat that
00:33:18 - 00:33:20>> that's not actually her call.
00:33:20 - 00:33:23>> Exactly.
00:33:20 - 00:33:25>> Um and so being really firm on hey
00:33:23 - 00:33:26you're giving medical advice and that's
00:33:25 - 00:33:28not your authority.
00:33:26 - 00:33:30>> Well and it's an instant throwaway
00:33:28 - 00:33:31because if they're sitting there saying
00:33:30 - 00:33:34I don't think we treat that. No, I think
00:33:31 - 00:33:37you're fine. Just give it a day.
00:33:34 - 00:33:40That's a lost patient. And you're also
00:33:37 - 00:33:42mistreating that patient because they
00:33:40 - 00:33:44could have something far worse and you
00:33:42 - 00:33:46just ignored it and they've they may
00:33:44 - 00:33:49have accepted that, you know, ignoring
00:33:46 - 00:33:50and then they get in worse shape.
00:33:49 - 00:33:53>> So yeah, I agree. I think you had
00:33:50 - 00:33:54mentioned that in dinner where they'll
00:33:53 - 00:33:56sit there and just talk about their
00:33:54 - 00:33:58problems say, "Yeah, I guess I don't
00:33:56 - 00:34:00have to come in." No, no, that's not the
00:33:58 - 00:34:01point. So, but I get it though because
00:34:00 - 00:34:04we've seen calls we're like, why did
00:34:01 - 00:34:05this call go on for eight minutes and
00:34:04 - 00:34:06they're just having a full conversation?
00:34:05 - 00:34:09What's going on? It's like this is
00:34:06 - 00:34:11breaking some type of law of some sort.
00:34:09 - 00:34:12So, but no, but then you just lose that
00:34:11 - 00:34:14patient because either they they felt
00:34:12 - 00:34:16like they got the service they needed
00:34:14 - 00:34:19out of a call which was not by a doctor
00:34:16 - 00:34:21of any stretch um or they just felt like
00:34:19 - 00:34:23they were being misled. So, it's just
00:34:21 - 00:34:25you making sure that it's going for the
00:34:23 - 00:34:26sale, right? going for that conversion,
00:34:25 - 00:34:28not so much let me just be the doctor
00:34:26 - 00:34:30for 5 minutes and that's not good. We
00:34:28 - 00:34:32see even with we've had an attorney as a
00:34:30 - 00:34:35client in the past and the call center
00:34:32 - 00:34:36was giving legal advice, not the
00:34:35 - 00:34:38attorney. It's the same and that's a big
00:34:36 - 00:34:40no no, right? Well, it's the same same
00:34:38 - 00:34:43thing for urgent care and front desk
00:34:40 - 00:34:46every single time. Good. Thank you.
00:34:43 - 00:34:47Anybody else?
00:34:46 - 00:34:50Awesome. Well, thank you guys so much
00:34:47 - 00:34:52for your time on this. Just taking time,
00:34:50 - 00:34:54especially toward the end of this Seruka
00:34:52 - 00:34:55when everybody's trying to head out. But
00:34:54 - 00:34:57I thank you for all that.
00:34:55 - 00:34:59>> All righty. I hope you guys enjoyed that
00:34:57 - 00:35:01episode. Is your front desk doing what
00:34:59 - 00:35:02it's supposed to? Is it selling? Getting
00:35:01 - 00:35:04those appointments to actually come in
00:35:02 - 00:35:05and not just say, "Come on in. We're
00:35:04 - 00:35:07just a walk-in." But you actually do
00:35:05 - 00:35:09take appointments. How does your front
00:35:07 - 00:35:11desk do? And if you're not entirely
00:35:09 - 00:35:13sure, just give them a quick cold call
00:35:11 - 00:35:15into your clinic and just secret shop
00:35:13 - 00:35:16them and see what happens. I hope this
00:35:15 - 00:35:21was a helpful episode. Can't wait to
00:35:16 - 00:35:21catch you on the next one. See you.