In this episode of Practice Talk, Lacie Ellis welcomes Cathy, a Lead Treatment Coordinator. Cathy will share her experiences guiding patients from consultation to commitment, advocating for the practice and her patients. Lacie and Cathy discuss strategies for winning over patients without pressure, making treatments more affordable through lower down payments or flexible payment schedules, and starting treatment plans on the initial contact to save patients an extra trip. Cathy offers valuable insights throughout the conversation. Customer service is vital in making your practice a success. 

IN THIS EPISODE: 

• [01:45] Cathy outlines her proctice’s strategies in place, beginning with the introductory phone call
• [3:56] Cathy gives an example of a conversation with a patient and how to build relationships
• [6:01] A listener has a question about lowering the minimum down payment and a discussion about monthly payments
• [9:27] A listener has a question about offering same-day starts during the exam. She doesn’t want to appear to be pushy
• [13:06] Discussion involving a child in making a decision of what orthodontic office to choose and the benefits of showing a patient that you are available that day to begin their treatment
• [18:40] Discussion of finances and making a family decision
• [20:54] Listeners are encouraged to send in their questions to be featured on a future episode

KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

• Taking your time with patients and listening to their concerns is paramount to making them feel comfortable proceeding with treatment and the financial arrangements
• Making down payments affordable and flexible is key to encouraging patients to begin treatment
• The way collecting a first payment is framed is essential to allowing a patient to feel they are in control of their finances and are not being pushed

RESOURCE LINKS

People + Practice  - Website

Practice Talk Podcast - Free Downloads

QUOTES: 

“Great customer service is tough to come across now. So we ensure we allow plenty of time for that new patient call. Granted, some people are in a hurry, and we have to adapt to that, but for the most part, it's all about taking your time and listening.” Cathy

“A while back, we went to $500 down as the minimum payment. That has seemed to be the sweet spot. It's affordable for them and we can actually extend the payments out 6 months. We do a soft credit check. We look at their employment and if they had other children treated, and how the payments were at that point in time. If there are multiple kids, sometimes we'll even go lower than $500 because putting two kids through braces is a lot, and we don’t want them to have to choose which one gets them first. It has not really caused any issues.” Cathy