Katrina Rees shares her advice on how to manage telephone enquiries and establish rapport from the get-go…
Rapport is probably the most often used word when it comes to discussing how best to communicate with patients.
Establishing rapport is central to building trust and creating strong bonds between you and your patients.
And that relationship starts from the first point of contact you have with them – whether that be face-to-face or over the phone.
But the majority of how we communicate is non-verbal and related to our physiology and body language. This means that it can be harder to begin building rapport with a potential new patient if they’re enquiring over the phone.
Below are some key points I learned after attending a course about neurolinguistic programming (NLP) with Barry Oulton.
Match their voice
Rapport is established through matching the behaviours of the other person, something that is often done sub-consciously.
In face-to-face situations this can be through matching the other person’s posture, their movements, etc. Although, if you’re going to consciously use this technique, make sure it’s subtle – otherwise it can come across as mimicking.
Over the phone, these visual cues aren’t there but you can try and match their tone of voice including volume, speed, pitch and rhythm of speech. You can also repeat certain words that they use.
Matching aspects of the other person’s communication gives them the sense that you are alike, and that is what begins creating those more personal connections.
Listen up
Active listening is also important when you are on the phone. This involves repeating key points back or recapping what they have said to ensure you have understood, e.g. you can say, ‘It sounds like you’re saying…’.
You can also use other verbal techniques to let them know you are listening and paying attention, such as saying ‘uh-huh’ and asking the occasional relevant question to clarify something.
Listening well and responding appropriately is a key part of communicating effectively, which is why it can be a good idea to have your telephone away from the front desk and any potential distractions.
A smile they can hear
Smiling is also important when you’re on the phone.
If a new patient arrived at your practice, you would usually greet them with a friendly smile – and the same should be done if you are greeting them over the phone.
A smile can change the tone of your voice, and make you sound more friendly and warm. Even though they can’t see it, they can hear it through your voice and will respond more favourably.
Even though being on the phone means you have lost the 55% of our communication that is made up of physiology, it is still possible to create the all-important rapport.
The key is answering the phone with a smile, subtly matching the caller’s speech, and listening and responding well.
