How often do client service representatives interrupt you because they don’t know the answer to a pet owner’s question? For many practice leaders, it happens multiple times a day. Now, consider how productivity would improve and how much happier your clients would be if the front office team knew the answers. In my previous article, I looked at why properly training CSRs can build meaningful relationships with pet owners and support client loyalty. This time, I’ll explore how to increase team members’ knowledge base so they efficiently answer more questions.
The Status Quo Isn’t Working
CSRs who can’t answer a question during a phone call can say they don’t know, give information they hope is accurate, put the caller on hold and find the answer, or request a callback from a veterinarian or technician. All those options reduce operational efficiency, and client service suffers.
Some veterinary practices provide checklists and training manuals so CSRs can look up information. Unfortunately, I often discover ineffective training tools when I ask practice managers to send me those documents.
Too many training systems are ineffective because:
- Onboarding for CSRs frequently doesn’t teach them to answer common client questions.
- The tools aren’t easily accessible. I see documents with too much content spread across multiple pages, formatting that is difficult to navigate and no index. Expecting someone to comb through a lengthy document as a pet owner waits isn’t practical.
Better Solutions
If you want to increase efficiency and leverage your front office talent, now is the time to modify your training program. The following five steps will help you create an expert team ready to serve pet owners better.
1. Organize the Guides
Make sure the materials exclude information that belongs in a job description or employee handbook. Next, organize all the content into separate categories in a notebook. Be sure to insert an index at the front and use dividers for each topic so team members can easily find what they need.
For each topic below, include basic information, followed by a frequently asked questions section.
- Preventive care guidelines: Vaccine protocols and the features of the flea, tick and heartworm preventives you stock.
- Scheduling protocols: Which services a veterinary technician handles, and how many surgeries and procedures to schedule each day.
- Clinical signs: What constitutes an emergency, and which questions to ask pet owners.
- Hospital policies: Payment options, prescription refill protocols and how to handle medical record requests.
- Nutrition recommendations: Guidelines for healthy diets.
- Surgery protocols: Pre-anesthesia instructions, admission requirements and postoperative patient care.
2. Create a FAQ Log
The front desk team should track client questions they were unable to answer. Each month, transfer the list and the appropriate answers to the training guides.
3. Assign Client Care Liaisons
Each day, designate one or two technical team members to answer questions if a CSR needs help. Ideally, this is a rotating, shared responsibility.
4. Utilize Standing Meetings
Schedule 15-minute training sessions every week or two to discuss common client questions. If you have a large workforce, you might meet with half of the CSR team one week and the other half the following week. A knowledgeable team member should lead an interactive meeting where everyone practices responses. For example, you might pose lab work questions such as:
- “What is this charge on my invoice for a cystocentesis?”
- “Which tests are included in a senior profile?
- “Why does Jake need to have a pre-anesthesia profile?”
Advise less-experienced team members and new hires about the discussion topic beforehand so they can prepare by reading their training guides.
5. Hold Coaching Conversations
Start by telling a front desk team member, “I want to help you learn to respond to client questions.” Then, address a topic by asking an open-ended question such as “What have you done so far to find the information?” or “How could you get the answer you need?”
Additionally, review the barriers that hinder learning. You might ask a CSR, “What do you need to know more about to help our clients better?” or “What challenges do you experience in your training and when seeking someone else’s assistance?”
When your CSRs confidently answer a pet owner’s question, your practice runs smoother and team members experience less stress. Moreover, a knowledgeable front office team leads to greater compliance, helping more pets get the care they deserve.
TEST YOURSELF
Merck Veterinary Manual offers free quizzes on dozens of medical topics at go.navc.com/4e7VyJH.