The front desk of most dental practices is a busy place. Phones ring off the hook with incoming calls from existing patients, new inquiries, and all other types of questions. Ignoring these calls isn’t an option – fail to pick up and you could miss out on valuable new business or the opportunity to provide stellar customer service that earns you valuable glowing online review. Busy dental practices may find their administrative team overworked and struggling to answer every time the phone rings. And don’t forget about all those calls that you might be missing after hours!
Whether your dental practice is new and bustling or established and thriving, you likely could benefit from some extra administrative support either during busy times throughout the day or after your office is closed. Maybe even both. A dental practice answering service is the affordable, convenient solution for many of the most common administrative growing pains. Here are just a few ways your office could benefit from a partnership with an answering service for dentist offices:
Shift Focus Back to the Patients in Office
Should you serve the person patiently waiting for help at the front desk, or should you answer the phone? Dental practice administrative employees are too often faced with this dilemma. In a perfect world, patients would never wait for service on the phone or in person. During busy periods, though, this can feel impossible. The good news? With the help of a dental practice answering service, you can completely shift your attention to the patients you’re serving in office. By catering to these patients, you’ll ensure the best possible customer experience and satisfaction.
Deliver Stellar Service Via Phone
Callers hate being put on hold. Too often, they’re left feeling like their question or concern is not as important as whatever is happening in the office. Overwhelmed office managers may feel flustered when they’re balancing patient questions both over the phone and in person. By calling in a dental practice answering service for support, you’ll ensure a stress-free experience for your patients and your administrative team alike. Carefully trained virtual receptionists deliver polite, professional service every time your phone rings. By upping your already high standards for customer service, backup receptionists provide a standardized, customized phone experience independent of how busy your office might be!
Schedule More Appointments, Grow Your Practice
A busy signal or voicemail message can cause new patients to dial up your competitor instead of waiting for a call back. When a single missed call means the potential loss of a patient, dental practices can’t afford to let the machine get the phone. With a dental practice answering service at the ready, your callers will be treated to prompt, professional appointment scheduling. Eliminate the games of phone tag and give your patients the kind of customer experience you’d always hoped to provide. In turn, you are likely to see an uptick in the number of appointments scheduled and ultimately, a steady rate of business growth.
24/7 Support for Patient Concerns
Many dentists find themselves awakened by middle of the night phone calls from patients with oral health emergencies. Too often, those emergencies aren’t really all that pressing – knowing the difference, however, can be tricky. Busy dentists eager to regain a healthy work/life balance can benefit from a dental practice answering service to combat such calls. Highly-trained virtual receptionists exercise scrutiny when covering the phone lines after hours, forwarding only the most important calls to dental experts. This service helps separates the paranoid patient who has spent too much time Googling their symptoms from the patients who truly require emergency assistance.
Save Staffing Dollars Without Sacrificing Quality Customer Service
A good receptionist is hard to find. The very best professionals often expect high salaries and comprehensive benefits. While adding a new member to your administrative team might sound like the most logical strategy to combat busy signals and long wait times, it’s rarely as simple as it sounds. The hiring process can take time, and outfitting a new employee with a desk, computer, supplies, and benefits is expensive. Partnering with a dental practice answering service is faster and far more affordable – you can have a virtual receptionist answering your phones by the end of the next business day!
Since call center employees work from a customized call script, you never have to worry about sacrificing quality customer service for affordability. Trained to follow your practice’s precise policies and procedures, virtual receptionists provide a seamless experience for callers. In fact, most patients won’t realize they’re speaking to a third-party employee instead of your office staff!
Try Our Dental Practice Answering Service Now
MAP Communications is offering a free week-long trial of our live answering service for busy dental practices. If you’ve ever been curious about how to leverage call center technology and staffing for your office, now is the time to try our services. With no commitment required, it’s never been easier to see how MAP can bolster your customer service offerings and provide relief for your front office staff. Begin your trial period now – click here to get started.
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