sbmi practice development modules module.pdf · 2010. 7. 8. · zerona as early as possible into...

SBMI PRACTICE DEVELOPMENT MODULESEFFECTIVE PHONE COMMUNICATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Effective Phone Skills (pg. 1)

Phone Communications (pg. 2)

Creating the Roadmap for Success (pg. 3-6)

What you should know before answering a call (pg. 7-10)

Key Phone Skills (pg. 11)

Techniques for successfully managing a ZERONA® call (pg. 12-18)

ZERONA - Tips for success (pg. 19-20)

Lead Tracking (pg. 21-25)

Follow Up (pg. 26-28)

What have we learned? (pg. 28-31)

elcome to Santa Barbara Medical Innovations (SBMI) Practice Development

Modules for your ZERONA® non-invasive body slimming device.

This module on “Effective Phone Communications” is intended to supplement and

support the high level of service provided by the Santa Barbara Medical Innovations

(SBMI) and will instruct you in proven principles of effective phone skills and will offer

specific, actionable advice for building best practices at your first point of contact

with potential clients. The Effective Phone Communications Module is designed to

help you evaluate your progress and implement corrective action to keep you on

track toward your established goals.

Let’s get started.

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KEY CONCEPTS

•The goal of a phone interview is to arrange a consultation, not to hold a consultation at that time

•Every call should be opened with 3 key questions

-Have you looked into ZERONA or your body contouring/fat loss options before?

-What are your motivating goals to having a procedure?

-Why have you chosen to call us today?

EFFECTIVE PHONE PLANS INCLUDE:

•20 Second Commercial-Top Reasons to Choose ZERONA® in your practice

•Phone Skills Assessments on a regular basis

•Regular discussion on how to optimize your current call processes

•Call flow chart

•Phone call role play exercises

•Action plan

•Evaluating your success

•Frequently asked questions

EFFECTIVE PHONE SKILLS

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GETTING READY

The phone is your ongoing contact to the world

beyond your practice. Prospective ZERONA® patients

will contact you by phone, internet, social media and

these days, even by texting. You need to be ready to

adapt whenever the opportunity presents itself. That

first contact and its follow up communications are

your best opportunities to excite, reassure and motivate

prospective leads and current patients to take the

next step to coming in and deciding that ZERONA is

the treatment choice that will meet their goals. Each

call can be an opportunity to develop a relationship,

increase word of mouth referrals, present your 30

second commercial and most of all increase revenue.

Patients have choices. This is your opportunity to let

them know they made the right choice and they do

not need to look for options elsewhere.

PHONE COMMUNICATIONS (YOUR LIFELINE TO ZERONA SALES)

ARE YOU PREPARED FOR ZERONA CALLS?

Prepare for the call by creating the right infrastructure

in your practice, and giving your staff the background

they need • Staff training • Implement mystery shops with ongoing reporting • Scripting including the ZERONA QUICK GUIDE phone scripting • Manage the conversation by using key communications and sales techniques • Track your leads by capturing good information in the interview and keeping accurate, organized records

• Follow up with prospective patients

What is one mishandled ZERONA call worth?

$276,480As you can see, proper call preparation and plan execution is vital to maximizing your investment in adding ZERONA to your practice. A few adjustments with attention to the small details will go a long way to achieving your ZERONA practice goals.

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ROAD MAP FOR SUCCESS

This chapter is written primarily for physicians

practice managers and your ZERONA® Champion.

However every staff member will benefit from

reading this chapter. It explains the ideas behind

creating a phone communications process. Your

communications infrastructure encompasses more

than just how many phone lines the practice has.

It involves:

•Capturing leads

•Communicating a consistent ZERONA message

•Finding the right people for the phones

•Implementing systems to capture calls before

and after business hours

•Organizing and reviewing your process on going

Let’s begin with a brief discussion of the technical

elements, followed by a more detailed discussion

of phone and sales skills every call handler should

know. Then we’ll show you how to tie it all together

as you learn to manage your phone communications

as an integrated process focused on introducing

ZERONA as early as possible into your call.

CREATING THE ROADMAP FOR SUCCESS

ADEQUATE PHONE SYSTEM

It’s important to have a phone system that is

adequate for your practice’s needs. Remember,

each call is an opportunity and patients have

choices. If they have to struggle to get a live voice,

they will proceed to their next option.

To consider:

1. Do you have enough lines?

The best way to find out whether your phone system

is working for your sales process is to utilize our

mystery shop program and also for you is to ask

your phone company for an analysis showing:

•The number of calls you receive

•The dates and times they came in

•The number of dropped calls

•The number of busy signals

2. Call your practice at the busiest times of the day

and week.

•Do your calls get through?

•Do you get a busy signal?

•Does your voice messaging system work the

way it was intended?

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LET TECHNOLOGY SPREAD YOUR MESSAGEIn those rare instances when you must place a caller on hold, make use of message-on-hold technology. The caller is learning more about your exciting ZERONA® offer, practice in general and other services while they wait. Do not miss this easy opportunity to reinforce your practice’s brand and ZERONA’s distinct advantages. Some practice use a phone service company to handle calls that go unanswered, others use voice messaging to pick up the calls they can’t get to in time. Here are some tips to help ensure that a disappointed caller doesn’t lose interest in your practice:

“Thank you for calling Acme Med Spa home to ZERONA non-invasive body slimming. I am sorry we’ve missed your call. If you leave your name and e-mail address we will get back to you by the end of business today. Please feel free to visit our website at www.acmemedspa.com for exciting information on if ZERONA body slimming treatments might be right for you.”

OPTIONS FOR CURRENT AND POTENTIAL CLIENTS Success initially will be in the hands of the team. A successful practice understands their front line and behind the scenes team is a representation of the physician, the practice and their outstanding ZERONA results.

Staff members should have comprehensive training directly related to how they interact with clients from first contact, through consultation, treatments and follow up.

Training might include:

•ZERONA procedures (process, technology,

marketing messaging, outcomes)

•Pricing and financing options

•Effective phone skills

•Phone sales techniques

•Tracking and follow-up

Continued training is important as staff members change roles or new ones are added to the mix. We have provided modules which you can use at your practice’s pace and is appropriate for all staff participation levels. Utilize the chapters in this module, and refer back monthly to see progress status and how it relates to your ZERONA sales goals.

• Use a brief, friendly standard practice greeting • Identify the name and position of the person responsible for returning the call • Provide an e-mail address and possibly your website for the caller to obtain additional information on the practice, procedures and financing options • Let the caller know the time frame in which to expect a response • Make sure your voice messages, including after-hours messages, are up-to-date

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WHAT’S THE PLAN?It seems whenever there is a new procedure or new technology being introduced to patients, the first thing a practice is encouraged to do is spend marketing dollars spreading the message. SBMI and

ZERONA® will provide you tools for branding and messaging that are absolutely critical to meeting your ZERONA targets, but we will also insist that you make the most of your dollars spent by insuring your phones are working for you to spread that message further. Any external marketing campaign needs to have its success measured. Tracking calls provides the results to ensure your practice is delivering world class service and proper ZERONA messaging over the phones to all patients.

Define processes, set expectations and measure success.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PHONE RINGS?Structure your phone process so that a ZERONA Champion or staff trained in the benefits of ZERONA answers incoming calls within three rings. That immediately demonstrates to the caller that you are ready to serve them, whatever their needs.

A CALLER ON HOLDResearch tells us less than 15% of callers who reach a voice message will actually leave a message. Ideally, a cheerful, well-informed staff member (not a voice message) should answer every call, and hold should be used rarely and briefly. Decide what an acceptable maximum hold time will be for your practice, and communicate that target to your staff.

Download and add the ZERONA ON-HOLD message to your phone system. You are less likely to make a caller feel that they are wasting their time, and you have an opportunity to reinforce your brand and introduce ZERONA.

How will you use voice messaging?When thinking about voice messaging, it’s helpful to ask yourself these questions: •How many calls will you permit to be

answered by a machine per day?

•How quickly should calls be returned?

•How often do you want messages updated?

Voice messaging can be a useful tool to collect and communicate information when a staff member is not available, but a heavy reliance on voice messaging might be viewed as a symptom of inadequate staffing.

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ESTABLISH GOALS AND MEASURE RESULTSBy establishing goals and measuring results, you create a structure in which you deliver to staff your expectations. Consequently the staff knows what it takes to attain success. Meeting and exceeding goals creates feelings of achievement. The absence of measurable goals creates anxiety, because staff never know whether or not they are doing well and fear that they may be judged on a whim.

WHAT’S YOUR PLAN?Planning is the best way to ensure that you are providing excellent service over the phone to prospective patients. By defining a phone communications process for your office, you can set expectations and standards for how calls should be answered in your practice. It’s important to develop a plan sooner rather than later, so that your standards will be met when things get busy. If you don’t have a plan, it will be hard to develop one when you suddenly become overwhelmed with calls.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE PHONE RINGS?Try to structure your phone process so that a knowledgeable staff person answers incoming calls within three rings. That immediately demonstrates to the caller that you are ready to serve them.

WHAT IF A CALLER NEEDS TO BE PUT ON HOLD?Ideally, a cheerful, well-informed staff member (not a voice message) should answer every call, and hold should be used rarely and briefly. Decide what an acceptable maximum hold time will be for your practice, and communicate that target to your staff.

UP TO DATE ON-HOLD ZERONA MESSAGINGAlways use a message-on-hold service with your key service featured. ZERONA has an on-hold message available to you. It is designed to introduce ZERONA’S benefits to your clients at the earliest point of contact. You are less likely to make a caller feel that they are wasting their time if they are provided information while waiting on hold.

HOW WILL YOU USE VOICE MESSAGING?When thinking about voice messaging, it’s helpful to ask yourself these questions:

How many calls will you permit to be answered by a machine per day? How quickly should calls be returned? How often do you want messages updated?

Voice messaging can be a useful tool to collect and communicate information when a staff member is not available, but heavy reliance on voice messaging might be viewed as a symptom of inadequate staffing.

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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE ANSWERING A CALL?

COMMUNICATE INFORMATIONBy establishing goals, you create a structure in which staff members understand what it takes to attain success. Communicating regularly and consistently about the results of those goals will keep staff interested, engaged and focused on task. Plan regular meetings to share the information and ask for input from YOUR team.

EVERYONE WHO ANSWERS THE PHONE IN YOUR PRACTICE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO HELP THE CALLERCallers can be immediately turned off if the person who answers the phone doesn’t seem confident in their information. If you’ve given your front desk staff the responsibility of answering then he or she should be able to answer ZERONA® inquiries, obtain a name, phone number/e-mail while staying focused on booking a ZERONA consult.

GOAL OF A PHONE INTERVIEWPhone interviews have one key purpose: to encourage a caller to come in for a consultation. It is much easier to determine a prospective client’s true interest and close them on ZERONA, consult when their goals and concerns can be addressed in the face-to-face setting of your office. Use the phone interview to tap into the desires of a caller and motivate them to take the time and make the effort to come to your office. During a phone interview, you will also be able to capture important information about the caller for tracking and follow-up. At a minimum, you will want to learn their name, phone number, and how they heard about your practice.

KNOW YOUR SERVICEWhen patients call, they have questions about ZERONA, your practice, and the expected outcome of the treatment. Everyone handling incoming calls in your practice should be prepared to answer a wide range of questions about your practice, ZERONA and its benefits. Focus on the safety and results of the procedure rather than getting bogged down in technology and features. If a caller wants lots of specifics about the technology, let them know that their questions can be answered in detail when they come in for a consultation.

WHAT IS THE ZERONA PROCESS?Discuss your process in language that simplifies the process and reassures patients. The goal is to summarize what happens before, during, and after the treatment series so that you give a caller some idea of what to expect, without being as detailed as you will be during the consultation. “When you have your consultation with us, we will discuss all of your expectations and goals. You will have a full idea of how ZERONA can help you achieve your fat loss goals. It is a series of 6 short treatments over the course of 2 weeks. We will make those as convenient as possible for you. Unlike liposuction or other invasive treatments…there is no discomfort, no pain and best of all no down time from the treatments. You can expect to see results in just 2 weeks.”

TECHNOLOGYDescribe the technology using terms such as ‘tested’, ‘proven,’ or ‘reliable’ and focus on results and ease of treatment.

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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE ANSWERING A CALL?

TIP The reason you want to have wide knowledge of your service and of sales techniques is so that you have flexibility during the interview. Remember that your goal is to get the prospective patient to come in for a consultation, not to hold a consultation on the phone.

OUTCOMEKnow the national statistics for inches lost and overall results and those of your own practice. Answering one or two questions knowledgeably and confidently about

ZERONA® and its results will help to establish a trusting relationship with a caller. Beyond this, however, callers should be encouraged to come in for a consultation. In rare cases, a caller may ask a question that is outside your knowledge, despite all of your preparation. Don’t guess. Say,

“That’s a great question. I’m not certain, but I’ll find out and get back to you promptly with the answer.(Then make sure you do get back to them promptly.)”

RESOURCETop 5 Reasons to Choose ZERONA - Learn and understand how to relate these 5 key points quickly and effectively to potential clients. (This worksheet is available online at www.sbmi.com on our Physician Portal)

PRICE AND FINANCING OPTIONSCallers frequently ask about price, so it is important to thoroughly understand your practice’s pricing structure and financing options for ZERONA so that you answer questions on this topic with confidence and authority. If you have a special or are running a promotion, consider highlighting that with a range of fees. For instance, you might say:

“Right now our fee for a complete ZERONA package runs between $xxxx and $xxxx. When you see us in consultation we will be able to give you your exact fee.”

This allows a client to get a general sense of the fee but will still drive them to want to have an in office consult. If you offer a financing option, break down larger cost figures into bite size comparisons, and translate numbers into meaningful terms that make the investment easier to digest. For instance you might say:

“Your monthly financing cost would be less than dinner for two at [well known local restaurant].”

It’s also a good idea to know how your pricing compares to that of your competitors. Not so you can beat it — competing on price alone is usually not effective — but so you are prepared to highlight the benefits of your practice that support your fees for ZERONA. In addition, look out for hidden objections. Objections about price often mask other concerns. (We’ll cover this in detail in the Consultation module.)

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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE ANSWERING A CALL

BASIC SALES SKILLSSome practices resist the notion of selling to their patients, thinking that it implies an effort to convince someone to buy a service they don’t really want. In fact, selling describes the process of uncovering and satisfying customer needs - a process that benefits client and practice alike.

Everyone who calls your practice to inquire about fat loss, body sculpting or ZERONA specifically, has two important things in common - they are already considering some sort of solution process for fat removal and they called your practice.

Callers contact you specifically because they want you to give them more information about ZERONA and your practice. The basic sales skills we present here are intended to help you communicate more effectively about the benefits of ZERONA and about your practice. And in conjunction with the active listening and probing techniques that are covered, this information will help you to address the caller’s needs and concerns.

RECOGNIZE CUSTOMER NEEDSCallers will often use these key phrases when expressing their needs:• I need…• I want…• I’m interested in…• I like…• I wish…• I am looking for…

Note that a caller may state one need, leaving others to be uncovered by you. Stay alert for other potentially hidden goals or desires.

HIGHLIGHT FEATURES BUT FOCUS ON BENEFITSProfessional salespeople should know that all potential ZERONA clients have one fundamental question that needs to be addressed:

“How will your service (ZERONA) benefit me?”

You may not consider your practice a typical sales situation, of course, but the principle holds true. Callers need to know what benefits they will get from choosing ZERONA as well as what benefits choosing your practice will provide before they can make a decision.

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WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE ANSWERING A CALL

DESCRIBING YOUR SERVICE

Any product or service can be described in terms of

its features and benefits. Understanding the difference

between features and benefits allows you to focus on

the information that is most relevant to the caller.

A feature is a characteristic of your service, such

as using a ZERONA® laser, using CURVA™ products,

your location, or your business hours.

A function is related to a feature, in that it describes how

that feature works. It can be useful to briefly describe the

function of a mechanical or technological feature that may

be unknown to the customer. For instance, if you highlight

your practice’s use of CURVA as a feature of your service,

you might want to mention its function — to optimize a

clients results with the ZERONA laser — before you move

on to its benefits.

A benefit answers the question “What’s in it for me?”

It is an advantage for the caller that flows from the

feature. Benefits will engage the caller’s emotions.

They stir desire. For instance, painless, quick and

measurable fat loss are all features of ZERONA. The

benefit being that your client can fit into her

reunion/wedding dress for her big event in 2-3

weeks. Benefits, not features or functions, are what

make people want to buy!

OFFER PROOF

Proof is anything you offer that backs up the

claims you make for your service. Consumers are

savvy and skeptical. You need proof.

Proof should be factual statements. The idea of a

proof statement is to build trust and confidence in

the promised benefits of ZERONA and by extension,

in you and your practice. Using features, functions,

benefits and proofs in a ZERONA CALL

“Acme Med Spa is one of the first in the area to

embrace the ZERONA laser for its clients. We have

a total package including the CURVA supplement

and individualized recommendations. What this

means for you is that we will personalize your

ZERONA package to maximize your results to meet

your personal goals. Most of our ZERONA clients

have lost XXXX inches with some losing up to XXXX

inches with the protocol. Best of all you will have

no down time, no pain plus measurable results.”

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SEE IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY

Attitude is everything. Don’t view answering the phone as a distraction from what

you should be doing. It is one of the most important things you can do to make your

practice successful.

SET A POSITIVE TONE

Answer every call with a cheerful, positive professional greeting. Smile when you pick

up the phone; it will make you feel good and the friendly tone will carry over to the

caller.

USE A STANDARD GREETING

Everyone who answers the phone should use the same opening. For example,

“Acme Med Spa. This is Beth. How may I help you?”

Take your time. Always speak slowly and clearly. Never make the caller feel you are

rushed.

SPEAK WITH CONFIDENCE

When you answer the phone you want to sound confident and prepared. The best way

to sound confident is to BE confident. Know your information in advance.

•Know your “5 Top Reasons to Choose ZERONA”

•Have your own TOP 10 Reasons for choosing your practice

•Be ready to take control of the call from your initial greeting

KEY PHONE SKILLS

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PEOPLE RESPOND BEST WHEN TREATED AS THOUGH THEIR NEEDS AND

GOALS ARE UNIQUE

Many of your callers have the same basic questions and share similar concerns and

objections. That’s why it can be tempting to rely on a call script or road map. Another

thing your callers have in common is a belief that they are unique individuals with

personally unique goals and needs. The techniques presented in this chapter can

help you generate trust and interest, will help you take control of the call and achieve

your goal: scheduling the caller for a consultation.

These all work because they focus on the caller as an individual. Although they

are presented here in the order in which you might use them in a call, the

techniques are not necessarily sequential, nor are they entirely separate. Once

you have internalized them, you will find that active listening overlaps with

probing, and probing is a key element of objection handling, etc. Your ultimate

goal should be to become so familiar with these concepts that you are able to

choose among them fluidly when speaking with prospective patients.

SET THE TONE WITH THE THREE PART INTRODUCTION

The three-part introduction puts you in control of the conversation while

simultaneously relaxing the caller and beginning to build trust. In one short phrase,

you can establish credibility, acknowledge the caller’s needs, and focus on those

needs by inviting the caller to begin the dialogue. To illustrate this technique, we’ll

look at how your practice might begin a hypothetical call from a woman named Beth:

TECHNIQUES FOR SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING A ZERONA CALL

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CALL FROM BETH

“Beth, thanks for calling. I’m happy to tell you about our practice and services but your goals

and questions are what matter most. So if you could start with whatever’s most important

to you, we can cover that first.”

Here’s the same phrase broken into its component parts, so you can see how the introduction

communicates three important messages:

I’m happy to tell you about our services…..but…

Lets the caller know that you’re knowledgeable and prepared to talk.

…your goals and questions are what matter most…

Acknowledges the caller’s needs are most important

…so if you could start with whatever’s most important to you, we can cover that first.

Notice that by using this technique, you don’t put Beth on the spot — you’re ready to take

over the conversation if she’s unprepared or shy. You simply offer her the chance to talk

about herself and what’s important to her — an opportunity few callers will turn down.

Respond appropriately to the questions a caller brings up in response to the introduction,

and make notes. You will want to stay focused on the issues that concern them as you

continue the phone interview.


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FOCUS ON THREE KEY QUESTIONSOnce the caller has had the opportunity to share what is on their mind and have it addressed, begin to take gentle control of the conversation. The following key questions give you valuable information about the client, and where they stand in the decision making process.

1. Have you looked into ZERONA® or other body slimming/fat loss procedures before?

This question will give you some insight into the decision making style of the caller.

The longer the caller has been thinking about a solution, the longer the decision will

take. A person who has called on the spur of the moment, conversely, will be more

likely to make a quick decision to have the procedure.

2. What are your motivating goals to having the procedure now?

You may discover that their decision is time sensitive (wanting to be ready for summer

or an upcoming event such as wedding or reunion). Or there may be other reasons that

have to do with seeing your advertisement or a friend’s recommendation. All

information is good; take notes and refer to them during the conversation.

3. Why have you chosen to call us today?

This question acknowledges that callers have choices, and gives you insight into their

motivation for calling you – and what competition you may face. Are you the only

practice on their list? Is there something about your center that appeals to them? Do

you have the benefit of a friend’s personal recommendation?

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USE ACTIVE LISTENINGThis technique is called active listening because it requires you to:

• Ask for information• Listen to the answer• Acknowledge the caller’s feelings• Inform and educate the caller

When you actively listen, it makes the caller feel important. The caller knows that you understand what she has said, and she feels heard, not judged. Through active listening, you reduce the caller’s concerns and resistance – and at the same time, you obtain a great deal of important information about them. You will use active listening over and over while mastering call handling and in all areas of communication. With practice, you’ll develop an extra sense that lets you understand when prospects are hinting at worries, and learn to gently encourage them to express those unspoken questions.

Although active listening is a complex skill that you can continue to hone and improve for years, you can master the basics in a few weeks of practice. The following example demonstrates how active listening can work during a ZERONA® call.


ASK FOR INFORMATIONPractice: Beth, you mentioned you were worried about any possible downsides to a fat loss treatment. What would those be?

Caller: Well, I’m a little concerned about spending the money and then not seeing results?Listen to the answer, and clarify what you heard

Practice: So seeing results is one of your biggest concerns?

Caller: Yes, I worry that it won’t work?Acknowledge and respect the caller’s feelings

Practice: I completely understand your concern, Beth. Results are very important. Inform and educate with data and testimonials. Fortunately, ZERONA is not only an exceptionally safe procedure, it gets very good results. Most of clients see an average of XXXX inches in fat loss. Some have seen as much as XXXX inches in just two weeks.

Caller: Is there any discomfort?

Practice: It is a completely painless procedure. It also allows you to continue all of your normal activities throughout the treatment series. I actually had ZERONA last month and I am thrilled with the results.

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TECHNIQUES FOR SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING A ZERONA® CALL

PROBE FOR KEY MOTIVATORSWhat makes the prospective client excited about ZERONA? Do they want to fit into that favorite pair of ‘skinny jeans’ again? Are they wanting to jump start a life style change? Do they have a big event coming up that they want to look their best for?

By understanding the customer’s particular, unique motivators, you can match your benefits and proofs to their specific concerns. This will feel far more powerful and personal to them than a ‘canned’ presentation of ZERONA’s features and benefits.

Be careful that your probing doesn’t feel like probing. You don’t want your conversation to feel like an exam. Phrases like ‘Why is that?’ or ‘For example?’ are good ways to invite a caller to share more information with you.

Caller: I find all of the choices out there a bit confusing.

Practice: Tell me more…

Caller: Well, I’ve had a couple of different consultations and they both recommended different types of lipo and I’m just not sure what is right for me. There’s the down time and I’m just not sure.

LISTEN TO THE CALLERNote that probing involves a lot of listening — not a lot of talking. With your investment of just three words, you have learned a lot about this caller. She is motivated enough to keep looking for a solution and having downtime is a factor.

Your benefits and proofs will focus on these issues during the rest of the conversation. Probing is a critical skill, in part because it is essential to uncovering hidden objections.

TIPActive listening makes a powerful difference in any conversation. Use the technique in consultations, staff meetings, and everyday conversations.

The more you practice, the more natural it will feel, and you may even find that being an active listener simply becomes part of how you interact with others.

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OBJECTIONSObjections are the reasons that people hesitate to make a decision, or decide not to do something. Objections will derail decision-making unless they are addressed.

What objections should be handled in a phone interview?Objection handling is a critical component of both phone interviews and consultations, but it serves a different purpose in each. Your primary goal in a phone interview is to schedule a consultation. The primary purpose of the consultation is to move the patient to a decision about the treatments.

Objection handling on the phone is more limited, but is especially important: If you don’t help a caller overcome their objections, they won’t schedule a consultation.

Your role on the phone is to identify and acknowledge a caller’s objections, provide basic information to address their concerns, and let the caller know that all their questions and concerns will be fully addressed during a consultation.

As you practice the techniques in this module, you will become more skilled at the fine art of uncovering and addressing a caller’s objections without conducting a consultation on the phone.


HIDDEN OBJECTIONS

People may or may not tell you what their objections

are. If they are afraid of pain or are worried about

price, they may feel that you’ll judge them or think

they’re cheap. Often people will tell you one

objection but hide others behind it. Sometimes

they’ll use one objection — often price —that isn’t

truly an issue for them, to disguise the fact that

they’re not moving forward because of another

objection that they are embarrassed about, usually

fear or lack of confidence.

You’ll uncover these hidden objections by using

your skills in probing. The most common objection

to an aesthetic procedure is not price but value,

and confidence in achieving their desired result.

In the phone interview, you should briefly address

any stated concern with statistics and facts and

personal experience. Realize, however, that you’re

not going to completely erase these issues on the

phone. Use the opportunity to invite the caller to

see your facility, talk with the MD/staff, see before

and after images of actual ZERONA results in your

practice, and become fully educated.

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HANDLING AN OBJECTIONOnce you find an objection, you need to help the prospective client to clear it away. It’s important to remember that they called you because they want to achieve a personal goal. They want the objections to disappear so they can attain that image they have in their head. Here’s how you can help them:

First, let the caller know that you understand their perspective and are concerned about their best in-terest.

Say something like I understand why you might feel like that or I’m so glad you asked that question.

Then address the caller’s concern, and wrap up your explanation by asking for feedback. A phrase like “Does that make sense?” or “Does that fully an-swer your question?” invites the caller to fill you in if you’ve missed the mark.

Example: Beth calls your practice to inquire about ZERONA and during the conversation she reveals that she has also looked into liposuction options as well but hasn’t decided to proceed. You understand this as an objection possibly based on fear of an invasive procedure and might handle the objection like this:

I’m so glad you brought that up, Beth. Actually, there is absolutely no pain associated with a ZERONA treatment. In fact, you won’t feel anything during the procedure. It is completely noninvasive. I hope that addresses your concern, but when you come in for your consult we will answer all of your questions about what you can expect from the procedure.

MAKE A PROPOSAL

Callers are more likely to come in for a consultation

when invited, so give the caller an actual invitation.

Once you’ve covered the basics, say something

like:

“Here’s what I recommend... Nothing will help you

understand all of your options and what ZERONA

can really do for you like meeting with our Dr/RN

for a full evaluation. Why don’t you come in for a

free, no-obligation personalized consultation? I’ll

show you around myself. How does that sound?”

It’s also a good idea help a client focus on the best

time slot for them: What does your schedule look

like next week? Are mornings or afternoons better

for you? Is there a day of the week that works bet-

ter for you than another?

Once the appointment is made, don’t forget to

follow up. Call the day before and leave a warm

message.

“We’re really looking forward to seeing you

tomorrow at 3PM.”

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BE PREPARED AND ORGANIZED

Keep materials well-organized and close at hand, es-

pecially your call sheet (or database form) for lead

tracking. Some practices find it helpful to prepare

telephone quick reference guides, lists of frequently

asked questions(faq), or telephone scripts for their

call handlers. In most cases, reference materials

work best when they are used for training ahead of

time. But if you need something to refer to during a

call, make sure that it is concise, very organized, and

easily readable.

Remember your goal.

You want to move the patient to a consultation – not

to hold a consultation on the phone.

Keep it short.

Phone interviews should last no more than five to

seven minutes. If your calls are taking longer, re-

hearse with someone in your practice until you feel

more comfortable taking charge of the conversation.

TIPS FOR SUCCESS

GET OFF TO A GOOD START

Use your three part introduction, ask the three key

questions, and cover key points early on.

Get in sync with your callers.

Follow the caller’s cues to help put them at ease.

If they speak quickly, speak more quickly. If they

speak slowly, relax your pace. A caller who is jovial

may respond well to humor. If they sound anxious,

reassure them with a steady and confident tone.

Callers on cell phones may want to move along

faster than others; take their cue.

Get the housekeeping out of the way.

Sometimes it works well to ask for the essential

information you need at the start of the

conversation. I can help you with whatever you

need to know. But first, I would like to get a little

bit of information for my records.

Focus on benefits, not features and functions.

Especially tune into the benefits that the caller

indicates or implies are important to them.

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TIPS FOR SUCCESS

SAFETY AND RESULTS

Safety and results are important to everyone; reassure the caller, even if they don’t specifically

express fear. Listen for cues.

If you don’t know the answer to a question, don’t make one up. Promise to get back to them

as quickly as possible with the correct answer.

TIP

What are other tools the phone handler could use to connect with callers?

•What about the phone handler’s personal experience with ZERONA®?

•Would this be a good time to suggest that the caller might be less concerned after

having a consultation?

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CLIENT PROSPECTIn sales lingo, a person who calls your practice to ask

about ZERONA® is a prospect, or lead. Lead tracking describes the process of gathering and managing key information about a prospect, where they are in their decision-making process, and why they are interested in your service.

There are several reasons that lead tracking is essential to your success. It is how you will:

• Know how and when to follow up with a prospective patient • Assess the success of your sales and marketing efforts and learn how to improve them • Remember a prospective patient and their issues so that you can be prepared every time you see them

Unfortunately, the term lead tracking mistakenly implies that once a prospect commits and becomes a patient, you no longer need to track them. In reality, it’s valuable to track an individual throughout their entire ‘life cycle’ with your practice — from the initial call and consultation to the procedure and follow-up. Ideally, you’ll record every contact with a prospective client in your lead-tracking system, but getting a good start on a prospect’s file during the initial call is especially important.

LEAD TRACKING

WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU NEED FROM

THE INITIAL CALL?

Some practices like to gather a great deal of

information in the initial call, while others decide

to focus only on critical information. The following

sections list essential information you’ll want from

every caller, plus some suggestions for other

information you may want to capture.

Contact Information - always try to get a caller’s:

• Name, address and phone number

• Best time to reach the caller

Additionally, this information can be useful in

helping you reach a caller later:

• E-mail address

• Secondary address/phone or fax

• Best method of contact (e.g., caller prefers e-mail

over phone calls, or prefers work phone number

but home address for correspondence).

TIP

Good call notes are important. When a prospective

patient comes in for a consultation, the team should

be able to read the file and know the patient’s

worries and expectations.

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LEAD TRACKING

LEVEL OF INTEREST

Caller interest can be gauged by recording the caller’s answers to these key questions

• Have you looked into ZERONA® or body slimming/fat loss options before?

• What are your motivating goals for having a ZERONA or fat loss treatment?

Even prospects who are not good candidates for ZERONA or who never commit, will still

call you, and in order to assess and improve your marketing efforts, you want to know why.

This is important information to gather from each call:

• Why did the prospect call your practice today?

• How did the caller hear about your practice? (word-of-mouth, radio ad, event

sponsorship, etc.)

• Was the caller referred? If so:

– By whom? A previous ZERONA client? (A critical follow-up question if you reward existing

patients for referrals, or if you want to identify which area partners/providers are

referring to you)

– When? (How long it takes a prospective patient to act on the referral can give you insight

into their level of interest)

• Has the caller seen or heard your advertising? Are they responding to a specific

marketing message?

The key to success is to always balance your needs against those of the prospective patient.

Remember, they called to ask you questions — callers will be put off if they feel like they

are being interrogated.

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LEAD-TRACKING SYSTEMS

The effort of gathering information is worthwhile only if you put the information to good use. That’s

why it’s important to have a lead-tracking system in place for storing and managing the information

you collect. Note that system doesn’t necessarily mean computer-based. Computer software makes

information management much easier, but lead tracking can also be accomplished with a system of

paper records.

TRACKING PROSPECTIVE PATIENTS

One function of a lead-tracking system is to help you keep track of a prospect’s status in the process

of committing to you and ZERONA. Another function is to allow you to pull statistics about your

practice and marketing programs. In a comprehensive system, lead tracking overlaps with patient

tracking — that is, the information gathered from a prospect is seamlessly carried over once he or

she becomes a patient. In this way, your system can tell you:

• Where your calls come from

• How many of your calls convert

• Your best referral sources

• Who needs a follow-up call and when

• Prospect/Client demographics

• Marketing effectiveness

TIP: If you want to get immediate feedback about a promotion or ad you are running, you can

add a temporary question to your lead tracking form: ‘Did you see our ad in the…?’

LEAD TRACKING

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PAPER SYSTEM

The simplicity of collecting information on a paper form (like a call sheet) works well for many

practices. It is easy to write down information during the call, and a well-designed form can even

serve as a prompt for the call handler, insuring that you don’t miss key information. Some choose

to begin an official patient record during the call, so rather than having a separate call sheet and

client intake form, they end up with a single master sheet in the patient’s file.

A paper system while initially easy to implement, falls short in the longer term project of management

of information.

•How does the marketing information get tallied? How does it get separated for analysis?

•Can you quickly see an overview of your ZERONA® clients vs other services you offer?

•How easily do you predict trends per patient? Per procedure?

•How do you deal with cumbersome stacks of forms?

LEAD TRACKING

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PAPER PLUS DATABASE

Many practices choose to use a standardized call sheet to document information gathered during

the call. They then enter that information into a lead-tracking database.

Several lead/patient-tracking software packages are available (e.g., ACT!®), but you can also use

database software such as Microsoft® Access, or track your information in an Excel spreadsheet.

Statistics from your lead-tracking database will be used to help determine which marketing efforts

are working well, so no matter which software you choose, it is important to set it up to get the

answers you want and need to grow your business.

One potential downside to this hybrid method is that the caller’s information is recorded twice: once

on paper and once in the database. Although redundant, some people find that entering their notes

into the computer helps reinforce what they learned about the caller, making it easier to remember

details about the caller during future encounters with the client.

THE ELECTRONIC OFFICE

A software-only system allows a call handler to enter a call’s information directly in the database at

the time it is collected. This method certainly can save time later. One risk is that it is easy for the call

handler to become focused on filling in the prompts of the software rather than concentrating on

listening and interacting with the potential client. Pure database tracking offers more extensive

options, standardization and long term data analysis but less flexibility than pen and paper at the

time of the call.

LEAD TRACKING

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FOLLOW-UP

Follow-up is perhaps the most important step in your sales process. It’s when you initiate contact with

prospective patients, instead of waiting for them to take the next step.

There are several reasons to make follow up an important, well-developed part of your sales process.

One is that you have too much invested to leave the relationship solely in the prospect’s hands. Your

practice has spent a considerable sum to prompt that first ZERONA® call, and invested your valuable

time on the phone.

To reap that investment, you need to stay in touch. In addition, people feel safe with what is

familiar. Deciding to have a fat loss procedure is a big step and some may not be comfortable

deciding to proceed based on just one call or visit. They may need repeated exposure to the

idea and to you before they are comfortable enough to have the procedure.

Lastly, it’s just good customer service to follow up. It shows that you really do care about prospective

clients and demonstrates that you’re willing to go the extra mile for them. Most organizations don’t follow

up and according to one study, only 1 of 16 practices actually followed up on initial calls so follow-up can

also be a big competitive advantage.

FOLLOW UP

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Who needs follow-up today?

A well-organized, effective lead-tracking system is the best tool you can use to manage your follow-up

efforts. If possible, structure your lead-tracking system so that you can run a report that identifies who

needs follow-up on any given day, and what the action should be.

Suppose you want to send a Client Information Packet to prospective patients the day after they call. Each

day, you could review a report that lists all of the prospective patients who called the previous day.

•You might have your database print mailing labels for each of them.

•You may want to send a postcard with your ZERONA® package features to people who called

one month ago but have not scheduled a consultation.

•You could create a report that would give you a list of those people’s names and addresses

and emails.

REMEMBER: Have options for delivery of this information. Do you have an electronic version of your

ZERONA brochure to supply via email? Did you collect emails on each phone call?

Dedicate appropriate resources

Recognize that follow-up takes time. It’s a good idea to identify a staff person who’ll be responsible for

follow-up, and work to see that they have adequate time to complete the task each day.

DEFINE YOUR FOLLOW-UP PROCESS

The key to good follow-up is having a good process. Define your follow-up process in these terms:

1. Who needs follow-up?

2. When follow-up action should occur?

3. What action should be taken?

Consider making a schedule that outlines when follow-up is needed, and what type of follow-up action will

be taken. Your plan might look something like this:

FOLLOW UP

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FOLLOW UP

FOLLOW UP IDEAS• Don’t just remember to call, set a plan to call.• Call prospective patients the day before a consultation to remind them of the appointment. Tell them that you look forward to meeting them and ask if they know how to find your practice• Call prospective patients who did not schedule a consultation so that you can follow up on issues they raised in your phone interview and answer any additional questions. It’s good customer service. Such a call may open the door for you to contact prospective patients again, e.g., to mail a specific brochure or e-mail them additional information

RESPOND QUICKLY TO PATIENT REQUESTSWhen prospective patients request information, act quickly. Here are some great ways you can respond right away:

• Prepare a ‘ZERONA® Fast Facts’ overview sheet with the most common questions to be emailed within minutes of a call• Prepare a standard e-mail brochure that you can quickly attach to a personal note and send when patients request information• Return calls at the earliest possible moment — and never more than 24 hours later• Compose a letter that addresses the patient’s specific concerns and mail it within a day or less; you’ll impress the prospective patient with your personalized response• When patients ask for information, send an invitation to an upcoming ZERONA seminar or open house; hand-write a few words on it to make it personal

EXTENDED FOLLOW-UPYou may want to consider a strategy for keeping in touch with prospective patients for up to six months with perhaps with newsletters, e-mail, and regular postcards. These could feature ZERONA client testimonials or a ZERONA “SKINNY JEANS” challenge as two examples.

TIPYour ZERONA Client Information Packet can include:

•A brief information piece or brochure about your practice and ZERONA, which focuses on it benefits to the client•ZERONA client testimonials•A map to your office, showing where to park for free or where to pull up for valet service•A short letter of introduction.

If a consultation has been scheduled, the letter should confirm the time and date, and outline what to expect (think ‘ZERONA benefits’). If you are just keeping in touch with prospects who have not made an appointment, your letter should gently encourage them to consider a consultation in order to become fully informed.

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THE GOALS ARE SET

The goal of this module is to give you actionable information that your practice can use to improve your

phone communications process — and, thereby, to help you generate growth through your commitment

to ZERONA® as your preferred fat loss option for your client base. We have covered a lot of information,

both for practice managers and for the staff answering calls.

PRACTICE MANAGERS

At the practice level, the most important step you can take toward improving your phone communications

is to set goals and standards, plan your communications process, and work to implement policies

and procedures that will help you achieve your ZERONA goals. Let your staff know what you expect

of them. Stay in touch with them on a regular basis to see how they feel about the policies and

whether they have any ideas for improvement.

To recap:

• Prepare for the call by creating the right infrastructure for your practice, and giving your staff the

education and resources they need

• Establish a robust lead-tracking system to manage the information gathered in the interview

• Make follow-up a priority in your practice; leverage your lead-tracking database to ensure that no

one ‘falls through the cracks’

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

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YOUR STAFF

For call handlers and ZERONA Champions, the secret to successfully managing phone interviews and

increasing your call-to-consultation rate for ZERONA® procedures is to be prepared, work to internalize

the call management techniques, and practice, practice, practice. The following road map of a phone

interview contains elements from the various chapters and summarizes how a typical call should flow.

• Greeting — give the name of your center, your name, and ask, ‘How may I help you?’

• Use your three-part introduction to start the conversation

• Address the caller’s primary concern(s)

• Gently, but confidently, ask for the caller’s name, number, email address, source of referral, and reason for

considering ZERONA and your practice

• Share selected features and benefits of ZERONA and your practice, tailored to the caller’s concerns and

motivations; probe for underlying motivations if necessary

• Share fee and payment options if asked

• Make a proposal for a consultation, schedule the consultation, and note when you should call for follow-up

• When you hang up, sort your notes and put them in the database. Keep a list for writing down any

additional action items — such as sending out a letter — that should be done within the day

• Complete any quick-response follow-up actions that are standard in your practice; plus, be sure to take any

special action requested by the caller (like sending a brochure)

• Continue to track the prospect in your lead-tracking system, and complete follow-up actions according to

the timetable established in your practice’s follow-up process


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YOUR STAFF

Prepare yourself and your materials, and rehearse so that you’re ready to manage the interview no

matter what a prospective client brings up.

Keep in mind that you’ll never use all you know in any single interview. Use just enough to make the

appointment for a consultation, not to do a de facto consultation on the phone.

ACTION PLAN

Work with your team to develop an Action Plan for:

• Establishing your phone infrastructure

• Incorporating ZERONA® talking points, ZERONA reference materials, and mailing packets

• Installing your lead-tracking database

• Training and rehearsing sales staff – Know the TOP 5 REASONS to CHOOSE ZERONA

• Setting up standards and planning for evaluating your progress


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