For many years, Dr. Smith, an ophthalmologist in Anytown, U.S.A., had no need for advertising. After all, he was a great surgeon with a charming bedside manner that kept patients coming. However, when he added laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) to his product line, no one seemed to notice.

To build his volume, Dr. Smith invested heavily in advertising and waited for the phone to ring. Soon enough, the phone started to ring, but the patients never came. Baffled by the mystery, he discontinued his advertising campaign.

Like Dr. Smith, many ophthalmologists rush into advertising without considering the telephone's critical role in the sales process. When surgical volumes don't increase, they blame it on poor advertising. But more often than not, the real reason behind poor LASIK sales is not making better use of that small, unassuming piece of office equipment we call the telephone.

Reeling in more LASIK patients requires an effective call intake system and mastering the art of telephone sales. Here's how to make the grade.

Assess your current system

The road to telephone excellence begins with a brutally honest assessment of your call intake system. Before giving yourself an A+, have a friend secret shop your practice. You may be surprised to learn that your perceptions don't match reality. Here are some of the comments I've heard well-intentioned employees make:

• "No, I haven't had LASIK. I'm waiting for the doctor to do a few more procedures before I have it done." (This coordinator prefers I let the doctor practice on my eyes first!)

• "Yes, $2,200 is high. I certainly couldn't afford it. But you need to understand that this is a new procedure and the price will come down. You may want to wait."

• "LASIK uses a laser to dissect your eye so you can see 20/20."

While this list is humorous, marginal returns from advertising are certainly no laughing matter. Identifying the reasons for poor call intake are critical for perfecting the process.

Develop a protocol

Establishing a well-structured call intake protocol can help you overcome some of the weaknesses in your system and increase conversion rates. Start the ball rolling by defining who, what, when, where and how. For example:

Where will calls be directed? If you don't have a direct marketing line that your LASIK coordinator is answering, consider adding one.

What will be the standard greeting? Keep it polite and professional. Try a variation of, "Thank you for calling ABC Eye Care, this is Mary, how may I help you?" Tell callers it will be your pleasure to transfer them to the appropriate party.

What hours will the coordinator be available to answer the phone? If you have advertisements running Monday through Wednesday, morning and daytime, you'll want to be staffed from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. or later. Have backup personnel available to cover phones during lunch and beyond traditional office hours.

How frequently will the coordinator check voice mail? Ideally, the coordinator should check voice mail every 30 minutes or at least hourly. And all calls should be returned as soon as possible.

Once you establish a protocol, present it to your staff for input. Make sure they understand the value of the phone to the practice. Establish monthly call volume and conversion goals, and reward the staff when you attain your goals.

Train your team

Over and over again, I see the wrong personality type in the receptionist position, which frustrates everyone. Before hiring telephone staff, conduct at least one phone interview. If you don't hear enthusiasm, sincerity and a positive attitude jumping out of the phone, move on to the next candidate.

Once you find the ideal candidate, don't throw her to the wolves. The new hire should spend a minimum of 2 weeks observing every area of your practice, including LASIK procedures. Without training, the new hire will lack the self-confidence she needs to create that all-important positive first impression.

Given the fact that you'll have prospects calling either your marketing line or your general phone number, it's crucial that each person answering calls receives ongoing training. Your telephone team should be role-playing common patient objections and critiquing recorded conversations at least monthly. Ask them to read books on telephone sales and telemarketing, and have them present what they've learned at quarterly group meetings. Discuss all ideas as a group and select 5 to 10 of them to implement. Offer feedback, praise and constructive criticism every day.

Convert calls into appointments

The next step in the process of mastering call intake is developing a sales process for converting calls into appointments. This process consists of the following stages:

Taking control of the conversation. This will help you establish a rapport with the caller and gather important information. What typically happens is the caller asks a question, the receiver answers it and the caller ends the conversation -- before you've had a chance to learn more about the caller or promote your practice. Here's an example of how to gain control of the conversation:

o       Practice: "Good morning, Eye Center, Mary speaking. How can I help you?"

o       Prospect: "Hi. How much does the laser procedure cost?"

o       Practice: "I'll be happy to answer your question about cost, but may I ask you a couple of questions first?"

In this illustration, the receiver has taken control of the conversation without being rude. She has acknowledged the caller's question and asked for permission to learn more about him. This may initially seem awkward. However, rehearsing the verbiage will make the concept easier.

Information gathering. Understanding the caller's needs right away will help you effectively position your practice's features and benefits later. Before you start firing questions, reintroduce yourself, ask for the caller's name again and then use it frequently throughout the conversation.
Asking the caller qualifying questions, such as whether he wears glasses or contact lenses, or if he can drive without wearing corrective lenses, will help you determine if indeed the caller is a candidate for surgery.
Your next couple of questions should focus on the caller's needs. Asking if he's having trouble wearing glasses or contact lenses will uncover key motivators. Once you ask a question, stop talking and listen. Active listening is a skill we rarely use, but it is crucial in the sales process. Practicing the golden rule of silence -- waiting approximately 4 to 5 seconds after the caller stops talking before you respond -- usually reveals a wealth of information you wouldn't have received otherwise. Try it and see what happens.

Presenting features and benefits. If you believe the caller is a prospect, you can advance to this stage by saying "John, based on the information you've given me, you could be a candidate for refractive surgery. Let me tell you a little about the LASIK procedure."
Focus on what's in it for the caller, and your bells and whistles. Include patient testimonials. Always try to position features and benefits to match the prospect's needs.
Callers usually voice objections during this stage. The way to overcome objections is to respond immediately and then clarify that you've satisfied the objection. At no point do you want to debate the objection. Here's an example of how to handle an objection based on cost.

o       Prospect: "You're charging $2,200 per eye! I saw another ad for $995."

o       Practice: "Other practices may charge less. However, we feel that sight is your most precious sense, and we strongly encourage you not to make your decision based on price alone. When selecting a surgeon, it's important to consider all of the factors: the surgeon, the staff and the service. Many of our patients finance LASIK for as little as $88 per month. Before selecting your surgeon, I encourage you to stop by our practice for a complimentary evaluation, meet Dr. Smith and our staff, tour our facilities and talk to some of our patients. I'm confident that once you meet us, you'll choose our practice for your LASIK procedure. Are Tuesdays or Thursdays better for you?"

Closing. Tackle this stage with confidence and enthusiasm. Otherwise, the opportunity will be lost. To overcome the fear of rejection, remember that the caller phoned the practice and is asking for the next step. Ask for the business by using an assumptive close such as, "It sounds as if you could benefit from LASIK. Why don't I schedule you for a free consultation on Thursday morning at 9?"
If the prospect says Thursdays aren't convenient, come back with "I don't know what your schedule looks like, but I have another opening for a LASIK consultation on Friday." This response tends to separate the legitimately busy prospects from those just making an excuse not to schedule.
Once you extend the offer, stop talking and wait for a response. If the prospect gives you the green light, repeat the agreement and end the conversation.

Following up. After the initial conversation, continue the sales process with a follow-up call within 3 to 5 business days. The quality of follow-up ultimately determines whether the prospect becomes a patient. Before you pick up the phone, review your notes, identify any previous objections, and plan your agenda accordingly.
Once the prospect is on the phone, establish a rapport, explain that the purpose of your call is to confirm the consultation, move through your agenda, answer any questions and close.
You can continue to use follow-up as a tool for building patient referrals long after the prospect is converted into a patient. Calling LASIK patients after surgery or calling at various post-op intervals makes a lasting impression.

Let it ring

Don't make the mistake of thinking of the phone as an interruption to your day. For the LASIK practice, this traditional view of the phone can stifle surgical volumes, drive up costs per lead and increase the likelihood that you'll be crushed in the competitive stampede.

The next time your phone is ringing off the hook, make sure your staff members are taking a deep breath and answering with a smile. After all, it's your paycheck calling.       

Common Reasons for Bombing Out on the Telephone

• zero accountability (it's not my job)

• fear of rejection

• indifference

• lack of knowledge about the procedure

• failure to take control of the conversation

• avoiding objections

• not asking for the business

• no follow-up.

Adapting To The Personality On The Other End Of The Line

In theory, establishing protocol, hiring good people, developing a sales process and following-up should lead to more LASIK procedures. However, when you add the human component, the caller, into the picture, it's not that simple. To truly master call intake, you must learn how to adapt to individual callers. Here are some tips for dealing with different personality types.

The confident caller. This caller is already sold on the procedure. All you need to do is listen, agree with his rationale and give him the benefits of choosing your practice over the competition. The close can come early in the conversation.

The concerned caller. This caller is interested but nervous. He will have lots of questions and objections. Show him empathy and relate to his needs. Phrases like "many of our patients felt the same way," or "I understand your concern" will help you bond with the caller. Give him lots of hard facts and testimonials but go easy. Concerned callers scare off easily when the presentation sounds too much like a sales pitch.

The irate caller. Occasionally, you'll encounter an unhappy camper. He may be unhappy because of a personal crisis or embarrassed because he can't afford LASIK. Whatever the reason, you must handle the situation professionally and gracefully. In doing so, you may win a friend for life. Here are a few suggestions for defusing the irate caller:

o       resist getting angry

o       relate to the caller

o       apologize

o       propose action.

o       ask questions

o       give him your undivided attention

o       listen, don't interrupt

o       lower your tone of voice

The indifferent caller. This caller will ask numerous questions, request an arsenal of information and still not schedule. Identifying the real objection is difficult because he's reluctant to give information. You may be able to get him to reveal his true intentions by saying something like, "I'll be happy to review the information you requested during your free consultation. Why don't I schedule your appointment for Thursday at 3?" If he hems and haws, send general information but save the good stuff for the consultation.

Wellentina Greer has been in medical marketing for more than 12 years. She is director of sales and marketing at Network Affiliates, Inc., a leading LASIK marketing firm in Lakewood, Colo., serving a national clientele. She can be reached at (800) 525-3332 or wellentinag@netaff.com.