Many new patients still phone before they book. They are in pain, a little anxious, and they are often calling two or three clinics in a row. The person who answers has about a minute to turn that call into an appointment.
This is a plain script, and the reasoning behind it, that your front desk can adapt.
The goal of the call
The goal is not to give information. It is to get a first visit into the diary, and to leave the caller feeling cared for. Everything else follows from that.
That means three jobs, in order:
- Make the person feel welcome.
- Understand what they need, briefly.
- Offer a specific time.
Answer the phone like a person
Say the clinic name, your own name, and an offer of help. Many people find that smiling before you pick up changes how your voice sounds.
“Good morning, [Clinic name], this is [Name]. How can I help you?”
Avoid reading the clinic’s full legal name, or a rushed greeting that sounds like a recording.
Listen first
Let the caller explain the problem in their own words. Don’t interrupt, and don’t go straight to prices or forms. Then repeat back one thing they said:
“I’m sorry to hear that, back pain that’s been going down your leg sounds really uncomfortable. Let’s get you in.”
This shows the patient they have been heard. It also helps you pick the right appointment type, which matters if your online booking has more than one.
Ask only what you need
For a first-time caller, you usually need:
- Their name and a number that works.
- What is wrong, in a sentence.
- Whether it is an injury covered by something specific, such as an accident claim or workplace injury, if that changes how you book.
- Whether they have been to the clinic before.
Leave the rest for the intake form, which they can fill out online afterwards.
Offer two specific times
Don’t say “when suits you?”. Offer a choice of two.
“I have Thursday at 5:30 or Friday at 9:15. Which works better?”
If neither works, ask what does, and offer a nearby alternative. A choice of two is easier to answer than an open question.
Answer the three questions everyone asks
Be ready, with short honest answers, for:
- “Do you treat [my problem]?” Know what each practitioner sees. If the answer is no, suggest what to do next. A referral you give today often becomes a patient later.
- “Will my insurance cover it?” Say whether you bill insurers directly, and for which plans. Say honestly that coverage depends on their own plan and that they can check with their insurer. Don’t guess. Our guide on explaining direct billing on your website can help you agree the wording.
- “How much is it?” Give the fee for a first visit if your clinic publishes one, and say what it includes. A vague answer sounds like a hidden cost.
Close with what happens next
Before the call ends, say:
- The date, time, and practitioner’s name.
- The address, parking or transit details.
- What to wear and bring, and how long the visit takes.
- That a confirmation message is coming, with a link to move the appointment if needed.
- Your cancellation policy, in one gentle sentence.
“You’re booked for Thursday at 5:30 with [practitioner]. It’s about an hour. You’ll get a text with the address and a link if you need to change anything. We just ask for 24 hours’ notice if you can’t make it. We’ll see you then.”
Clear reminders and a stated policy also reduce no-shows.
When nobody can answer
A call that goes to voicemail is often a lost patient, because the next clinic is a tap away. Make the fallback good:
- A clear voicemail message with your hours, a text number if you have one, and a link to book online.
- An automatic text back if your phone system supports it, with the booking link.
- A same-day call back for every message, ideally within the hour.
Online booking helps most here, because it works when the phone doesn’t. If you use Cliniko, this guide shows how to put the booking page on your site. Make sure the link is on your website and your Google profile, so someone who hits voicemail can finish the job themselves.
Train it, don’t just hand it over
A script on a laminated sheet isn’t training. Do this instead:
- Have two staff members role-play the call, one as an anxious patient.
- Listen to how it sounds, not only what is said.
- Agree on the exact wording for insurance, fees and cancellation, so every person gives the same answer.
- Keep the best phrases and drop the ones that sound stiff.
A check for this week
- Phone your own clinic as a new patient, once during the day and once after hours. What happens?
- Count how many seconds pass before a person speaks.
- Check you were offered a specific time, and told what to expect.
- Check the after-hours message includes a way to book.
- Open your homepage on a phone and compare it with what the phone answerer says. Our new patient checklist lists what should match: hours, address, first visit details.
If you would like us to look at the path a caller takes from Google to a booked appointment, including what happens after hours, we’ll do it at no cost and tell you what we see.