10 STEPS TO THE Ultimate LASIK Consultation€¦ · 10 STEPS TO THE Ultimate LASIK Consultation ......
Transcript of 10 STEPS TO THE Ultimate LASIK Consultation€¦ · 10 STEPS TO THE Ultimate LASIK Consultation ......
10 STEPS TO THE Ultimate LASIK Consultation
10 STEPS TO THE Ultimate LASIK ConsultationStreamline your LASIK consultation and fast track your practice to success – we’ll focus on 10 key steps every practice should incorporate into their LASIK consultation process that will lead to an exceptional patient experience and will help your conversions soar:
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What Happens on the Phones Matters!
Reminder Protocol – Could Yours Use an Overhaul?
Does Your Practice Live up to its Promises?
Consultation Flow – Streamline for Success
Effective, Meaningful Staff Interaction - It’s a Team Approach
Collateral & Patient Education Tools
Presentation of the Price – Make it a Science!
Interaction With the Surgeon – Minutes to Make an Impact
The Infamous Close
Follow Up – Add a Personal Touch
The average practice LOSES 40% of phone leads and only
CONVERTS 45% of calls to consults. Taking an interest in how your
phones are handled not only make a dramatic difference in a
patient’s perception of the practice, but also to your bottom line.
Don’t make the mistake of overlooking the basics and implement
simple strategies like standard greetings, and a no voicemail
policy to ensure instant availability and consistency. Also take into
consideration the staff and who is actually answering these calls.
Have they been trained? Are they educated about the procedure
and what your practice offers? Make no mistake – patients choose
your practice over the competitor largely based on their initial
experience on the phones. By mastering the conversation, and
gathering information about the patients needs, and concerns
can shape the outcomes of the LASIK consultation later on.
1. What Happens on the Phones Matters!
A successful LASIK call should be able to answer “YES” to these questions:
u Have you branded or differentiated your practice?u Have you shown there is more value in having LASIK with you vs. a competitor?u Have you discussed the patient’s motivations or alleviated their fears?u Did we bond with the patient?
The Average Practice
loses 40% of phone leads
converts only 45%
to consults
Assessing your current reminder system and identifying opportunities for improvement
can make a vast difference in a patient’s overall experience. Are you using text or email
reminders or are you still sending your reminders through snail mail? Do you have an
automated system that makes reminders, or a live person making reminder efforts? What
you send makes a strong statement about your practice, so make sure whatever reminder
system you are using, you take advantage of the opportunity to further differentiate your
practice from the competition. By incorporating powerful brand messages such as years of
experience, or your commitment to patient care and the most advanced technology, you can
influence patient decision and instill confidence, even before patients come into your office.
A streamlined system for follow up provides invaluable opportunity to brand your practice,
and solidify in the patients’ minds that they’re making the right choice. Go above and beyond
and utilize your staff to make a real and memorable impact.
You think you’re great. That’s why you want patients to experience your practice. But what
do they think? Ensure that the patient’s perception of your practice matches your branding
efforts perfectly to avoid any letdowns. Does your practice scream “We’re the premier
leading LASIK provider in the area”?, or “We do LASIK occasional.” Try and take a good look
at your practice with FRESH eyes to determine if you are delivering on all of your promises.
Even practice aesthetics from curb appeal, to the reception area, to exam lanes and
collateral should reflect cohesive brand messaging. Updating outdated brand posters, floor
mats, or even wall colors, can make a huge impact on your overall brand image.
Never lose sight on how small changes can impact conversions either. Going the extra
mile, with unexpected touches, such as reception perks and refreshments, or even a
personal patient concierge, can show patient’s how invested you really are.
Does Your Practice Live up to its Promises?
Reminder Protocol – Could Yours Use an Overhaul?2.
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Time is valuable – yours and the patient’s – so
manage it wisely. Avoid redundancy by assessing
current consultation flow and streamline where
available. Each interaction should pack a
punch, so focus on valuable engagement,
rather than lengthy conversations. A logical,
well planned sequence of events will save
time, eliminate redundancy, effectively
use surgeon’s time and keep the patient
moving in the right direction.
Effective, consistent communication and a collaborative team approach with every
consultation is instrumental in taking your conversions to the next level, while
utilizing your time and the patients’ time effectively.
The front desk should be warm and welcoming with direct eye contact and a friendly
smile. Technicians and/or O.D.’s should take the time and effort to make a personal
connection too by explaining every step of the process and sharing the results of each
test. Patients will open up and give you valuable information, so be prepared to take notes!
Counselor interaction should be tailored to suit each individual patient. Whether it’s about
discovering personal motivations or even personality type, capitalize on it. Is your patient going
on vacation? Make sure you note how enjoyable it will be without the frustration of glasses and
contacts. Does your patient have a Type A personality? Note the impressive results and advanced
technology that your surgeon offers. By communicating with each patient appropriately, you can
more narrowly target what he or she needs in order to convert.
Recommended Consult Flow includes:
u Reception Greeting
u Testing process – technicians and O.D.’s
u Patient education and counselor interaction
u M.D. experience
u Closing
Effective, Meaningful Staff Interaction - Make it a Team Approach
Consultation Flow – Streamline for Success4.
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Heavily branded collateral and patient education tools are an important part of an
effective LASIK consultation. These materials directly impact the patients’ perception
of your practice, and can cement in their minds the fact that they’ve made the right
choice for LASIK. Assess your practice collateral and patient education materials to
make sure they cohesively tie together with your practice identity and message. A
polished, professional presentation will make a strong impact on your patients, all
while showcasing the unique details of your practice. Capitalize on these details and
your patient starts to equate the type of value they will receive when choosing you.
Patient education doesn’t stop at the consult! What you give to patients will directly
affect other decision makers. Arm them with materials that portray your practice in
the best possible light, and you will find yourself not only converting 1 person, but
their whole family!
Collateral Patient Education Tools
Are you supplying your patients with an expertly focused and branded professional brochure, or a generic brochure from one of the technology companies?
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Price is the one area, counselors report having the most difficult time. And honestly speaking
it can be tricky, if you haven’t done the appropriate groundwork to uncover motivations
and objections. Price presentation should be a formal, streamlined part of the consultation
process that is timed perfectly, and utilizes branded materials to reinforce perceived value and
branding points.
AffordabilityIf you aren’t a low cost provider, many counselors find it difficult to even quote patients nearly
$4,000 for a bilateral LASIK procedure. Keep in the mind the following to help break down costs
for even the most price conscious shoppers:
Presentation of the Price – Make it a Science!
Offer Promotions or Financing Options
Don’t expect your patients to
ask. If you offer a promotion or
financing plans be upfront about
the different ways you can make
the procedure fit their budget.
They will appreciate you going
out of your way to help.
Insurance
If your company matches or
participates with possible
insurance plans, contact their
insurance company and see if
the patient qualifies. Do some of
the leg work for them, and it just
may pay off.
FSA Plans
FSA plans are a great way to make LASIK
affordable. If your patient has a health
savings or FSA account, they can use all
or even a partial amount to put a dent
in the payment. By combining this, and
a financing plan, LASIK is that much
more achievable for patients that are
excited about moving forward.
Credit Cards and Cash
Nothing wrong with cold-hard cash.
Make it worthwhile for your patients
and offer a cash discount. Credit cards
are great too. Remind patients that
with the potential points they earn,
they could take their new vision on a
vacation?
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It goes without saying that our surgeon’s time is valuable. Use this time wisely and a
brief, meaningful interaction between the patient and your M.D. will help skyrocket
your conversion rates. A streamlined consultation process, combined with collaborative
communication, will allow these precious minutes to be used wisely for a real and
lasting impact.
• Minimize chair time, maximize impact
- Keep it brief and engaging.
• Instill confidence, reconfirm candidacy, provide psychological reassurance
- A firm handshake and a few sentences can make all the difference for a
patient, and remove any doubt or uneasiness about moving forward.
• Create lasting personal bond in seconds with the help of collaborative efforts and
communication with LASIK team
- Make sure to use a patient’s name, and highlight any of the discovered
motivations, fears to let the patient know your practice was listening.
Interaction With the Surgeon – Minutes to Make an Impact 8.
You’re almost there. Make sure you can check off
the following before moving forward:
u You’re 100% confident that a genuine bond has
been established with the patient
u You’ve uncovered key objections and are confident
that they’ve been effectively addressed
u You’ve discovered the patient’s motivations for
wanting LASIK and have used throughout the
conversation – circle back and utilize again
u You’ve differentiated your practice from the
competition effectively
u You’ve created value
Now get them scheduled, congratulate the patient and send
them off with unmistakable excitement!
A completed surgery isn’t the end. A personalized follow up can be
an unexpected touch that sends the message that your practice goes
above and beyond in terms of exceptional patient care and customer
service. Every patient should receive a personal patient follow-up from
counselor that includes a business card with direct dial, email address,
and even cell phone. Text messaging even makes it easier just to check
on the patient and their satisfaction. Go the extra mile and you can
make regular patients into brand ambassadors.
The Infamous Close
Follow Up – Make it Personal
Tip: Avoid open-ended
questions. Instead of saying,
“When would you like to
schedule?” Say, “I have a
surgery spot opened next
Thursday. Does 1pm or 2pm
work better?” This will help
curb future objections.
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Tip: Post-op gifts can be powerful and
thoughtful. T-shirts, sunglasses and water
bottles are popular amongst millennials.
THE PRACTICE GROWTH EXPERTS SINCE 1998.
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7400 E Orchard RoadSuite 4060NGreenwood Village, CO 80111
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