The basic principles of effective telephone communication are the same as those in face-to-face conversation. You might notice that some of the things we cite as important for telephone (and for that matter, text) communication are also mentioned in our lessons for in-person conversations.
Three qualities of effective communication are technical, functional, and emotional. But what exactly do those three qualities mean? And what communication techniques will be key to your success? Let’s take a look at these three qualities in more detail.
Technical quality: Technical quality is your ability to demonstrate the skills needed to represent the clinic well and answer the client’s enquiry. Are you able to ask the right questions to gain insight into the situation? And do you feel confident to decide whether, and in what timeframe, an animal needs to be seen.
Functional quality: This is about being able to give the client the right answers and make suggestions; for this you need to know some things. Do you have the information readily at your disposal about the practice, services, and prices? Do you do a good job assessing the needs and/or questions a client has? And do you ask if you can help the client with anything else? All these things help ensure the conversation has a good outcome.
Emotional quality: Emotional quality is about supporting the client relationship. For example, did you ask the name of the animal? Are you friendly, but also clear? Do you respond empathetically and show understanding? And do you end the conversation warmly?
Exercise:
- What do you say when you pick up the phone? Discuss as a practice what the greeting should be and try to stick to it. Clearly stating the name of your clinic and giving your own name is a great way to start the conversation.
- What are the most common simple enquiries from clients at your clinic? It might be the cost for neutering their large breed dog. What is included in the cost of a wellness appointment? Or perhaps you get lots of calls enquiring about the price of a visit with the veterinarian? Make a list of these common questions and come up with a cheat sheet to make answering these enquires a breeze! Just make sure you keep it up to date.
