Telephone Etiquette and Why it’s Important?

We all know how important it is to have professional manners and etiquette within the workplace, but what about while speaking on the telephone? This is the first impression your customers will have before visiting your practice, so it’s extremely vital to get this part of the customer journey perfected in order to keep your retain loyal customers.

Imagine if you called a new business that opened close to your home or office and the individual who answered the phone cut you off and placed you on hold. Would you be happy about this interaction? What if they kept you on hold for more than 10 minutes? 20 minutes? 30 minutes? Would you consider visiting this business after an experience such as this? The same goes for your business and the individual you place in charge of answering the phones. You may think this position is easy and ‘how difficult can it be’ to hire an entry level employee who can speak on the phone? You might be surprised to find out that your receptionist or front desk employee should actually be one of the higher paid roles in your company. They handle all first and last interactions with your customers, they handle billing and checkout, offer retail suggestions and sales support, and all of the scheduling and appointments for your customers. So what is the necessary etiquette for speaking on the telephone?

1. Speak Clearly & Slowly – Make sure you speak in an even tone and don’t ever eat or drink while speaking on the telephone.
2. Identify Yourself – Be sure to state your name and address the caller by their name to show you are listening.
3. Never Interrupt – It’s never polite to interrupt someone while speaking, so don’t make it a habit simply because they are not in front of you.
4. Smile – Did you know that smiling affects your tone of voice?
5. Ask First – Always ask prior to placing someone on hold or before transferring them to another line.

With these 5 simple etiquette rules your customers will have a joyful experience throughout their entire patient journey. At The Medical Business Academy we strive for the best Customer Service for your practice. Through our extensive Mystery Shopping Audit Reports we focus on all the key points of Customer Service that will help in turning your customers into loyal customers.