Patients expect a certain level of service when they attend your practice. The actions you take to meet these expectations are considered the "basics". The basics might include having a clean practice, the phone being answered when they call, being served promptly, being called by the right name etc. These are the basics you must get right, and if you fail at them, patients may not return to your practice.
Beyond the basics are all the things that add to a patient's experience that they might not expect but appreciate when they experience them. They might include opening the door for them, offering to book 3rd party appointments, offering a wheelchair, giving someone a glass of water etc. These things play a major role in providing 5-Star Customer Service.
Getting the basics right for your patients and going beyond their expectations is what 5-Star Customer Service is all about. To be an exceptional medical receptionist, you must consistently give 5-Star Customer Service to all your patients.
Exceptional receptionists display a range of skills and qualities that make them unique. We have picked our top 7 skills that exceptional receptionists have and demonstrate most days in their practices. All these skills can be learned and mastered, and if you invest time in them, you too will be an exceptional receptionist who delivers 5-Star Customer Service to their patients.
So what are the top 7 skills that exceptional receptionists have?
They are proficient communicators. They know how to communicate with their patients effectively and actively listen in conversations to ensure they understand how they can be of assistance.
They are professional. They consistently give professional service to all the patients that come their way. They take pride in their appearance and focus their efforts on how they present themselves and their work area.
They use their initiative. They are able to complete tasks without being told to do so. They are able to solve patient issues independently and identify opportunities where they can assist patients.
They have confidence in their abilities. They demonstrate their knowledge and expertise to their patients, which in turn helps their patients trust them.
They manage their time effectively. They know that their time at work is limited each day, so they allocate it to their priorities and accomplish their tasks promptly.
They are problem-solvers. They don't shy away from problems that arise. Instead, they address issues directly and work through them logically to reach an acceptable resolution.
They are adaptable. With everything changing around them, they learn to manage and adjust to the changes that occur, and they don't get bothered by changes that are out of their control.
We will now take a deeper dive into each of the 7 skills of an exceptional receptionist. You will also discover how you can practice and master each of the 7 skills.