Creating a Customer Service Telephone Script That Will Leave Your Patients and Customers Feeling Like People, Not Numbers

Have you ever noticed that when you call a medical facility to make an appointment, request medical records, or seek clarification on a billing statement that you always seem to feel like "just another number" in the organization's data entry system? I know I do.

Consider this… What is the first thing you are asked when you call a hospital or medical facility? That's right, "What is your date of birth?" For me it feels much more like a demand as the request is often a cold and blunt, "Date of birth?" with the faintest hint of voice inflection at the end to let me know it was a question.

From this point forward my "emotional shutters" go up and all I want to do is take care of my business and get off of the phone as quickly as possible. Simply put, I'm not very excited about interacting with this organization or the possibility of having to visit this place in person to receive medical care as my Customer Experience has already started off on the wrong foot.

When you meet someone new it is natural that you need a way to identify this person and to remember who they are, but you would never ask someone what their date of birth or social security number is as a means of starting the conversation… that would be downright impersonal and just a little bit creepy.

However, isn't this exactly what most medical facilities do when their phone operators or receptionists "meet" you? Kind of cold and impersonal don't you think?

Now I understand that hospitals and medical facilities are complex organizations that see thousands of Patients every year and that accurate record keeping is incredibly important and can be very challenging. However, a few small changes in the initial telephone conversation could make a big difference in the way a Customer or Patient feels about their experience with the organization.

After all, a telephone call is often a Patient or Customer's first interaction with an organization. The first call offers an excellent opportunity to establish rapport with a Customer and can set a positive tone for the rest of their Customer Experience with your organization. For this to happen you need to make your Patients and Customers feel like they are real people with real emotions and not just another entry into your data processing system.

I strongly recommend that all organizations who identify Customers or Patients numerically implement a call script that "softens the edges" of their data entry system and assures callers that they will be treated as a person and not just another number. Consider the following example and note how much more personalized it is:

"Thank you for calling XYZ Clinic, my name is John, how can I help you today?"

"Hi, I'd like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Smith"

"Absolutely, can I start by asking your name please?"

"Sue Johnson"

"Thank you Sue, it is a pleasure to meet you. Could I get your date of birth please?"

Isn't this approach much better than immediately beginning the conversation by asking such an impersonal question as when one was born? The best part is that it requires no changes to your organization's computer systems to implement. Even if the very first item entered into the system is a Patient's date of birth, there is no reason that the conversation cannot start by introducing oneself, asking for the other person's name, and writing it down for future entry.

I have worked with a large number of organizations to help improve their Customer Experience and this is always one of the first places I start - the initial phone call. If the Customer has diminished expectations of how they will be served before they ever step foot in your building, all the customer service training in the world will not be able to reverse the effects of this first interaction.

I encourage you to take a good look at your organization's telephone Customer Service Experience. Does it leave your Customers and Patients feeling like another entry in your computer system or like the unique and meaningful human being that they truly are?

If your organization is truly interested in differentiating your Customer Service Experience, begin the relationship with the Patient or Customer's first name. Your "stock" will rise as a result and Customer Satisfaction will increase.
Need a hand maximizing your Customer's Experience? Give us a call, we can help.