{"id":75156,"date":"2023-10-01T21:45:40","date_gmt":"2023-10-01T21:45:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/?p=75156"},"modified":"2023-10-01T21:45:40","modified_gmt":"2023-10-01T21:45:40","slug":"call-training-talk-the-talk-1023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/navc.sitepreview.app\/todaysveterinarybusiness.com\/call-training-talk-the-talk-1023\/","title":{"rendered":"Get Back on Track, One Call at a Time"},"content":{"rendered":"

I noticed a shift in how veterinary practice leaders view telephone skills. For the first time in several years, I am getting more questions about training team members<\/a> to answer calls. During the pandemic, phones rang off the hook, so the goal was to limit the call volume and get off the line as fast as possible. Due to chaotic work schedules and heavy caseloads, many team members received minimal training in phone skills and client service. However, with the pandemic over and veterinary visits and new clients trending down, more practices recognize the need to refocus their efforts on client recruitment and loyalty.<\/p>\n

Phone calls create critical first impressions for clients. When existing clients call, do they feel your practice cares about them, or do they hear indifference? When potential clients call, do they think, \u201cThis hospital has a friendly team that wants to help me,\u201d or do they feel rushed and wonder whether that\u2019s how the team will treat them during a visit?<\/p>\n

Define the Goals<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before you initiate phone training, identify the goals and the desired level of expertise. Don\u2019t just tell team members to \u201cBe nicer on the phone\u201d or \u201cWe need to convert more calls into appointments.\u201d Those instructions are too vague. Instead, consider the following questions to determine your priorities and identify proficiency gaps:<\/p>\n