Often times when a reception (administration/intake) team (or person) is hired within a practice, their main goal is to ensure that all new enquires book an appointment.
However, what if the client isn't ready? We know part of the client journey is discovery. During this time, clients are going to be information gathering. They shouldn't feel coaxed into making an appointment.
At the same time, we should be able to help the client take the next step in their journey. Is your team asking to themselves, "Is this client really ready to commit to therapy?"
How do we ensure the client is in the right stage of change to start therapy? If the client is ready to commit to therapy, how do we ensure we're providing an easy pathway to engage in therapy?
Start: "Please provide me with your credit card details."
Some practices are hesitant to collect credit card details from their callers (remember: they aren't clients until they attend their first appointment). Are you worried about disadvantaging the caller?
Keep in mind that you are running a for profit business. As challenging as this feels, we have to do what is best for both the practice and the client. When engaging a new client they need to agree to the boundaries that have been set by the practice, i.e. gap payments and cancellation fees. (Running a bulk bill clinic? See this article as to why credit card details are still important.) You're in private practice. It's important to establish that line with the clients. Part of the therapeutic journey is talking about money. If the clinician has their own barriers about accepting money, this maybe something useful to explore.
It's also important to remember that if a client is ready to engage, they will be happy to provide credit card details (if they have one). When they provide these details, they are more likely to attend and pay for the service you are delivery. They have moved from preparation to action.
If the client is still in the preparation stage, they will be hesitant to provide their details as they won't be willing to pay for a service they know they may cancel. Once the credit card details are provided, they are one step closer to that committed stage.
Keep: "What time and day works best for you?"
Often times, the reception team will have the focus of how to work with the practitioner's needs first. This doesn't always fit with what the client needs.
For example, if the client can only come in on Tuesdays but the practitioner doesn't work on Tuesdays, it may be beneficial to the client (and to the practitioner) to be honest with the client: "This practitioner doesn't work on Tuesday's. Unless another day works for you, we may have to suggest another practitioner OR we may not be able to schedule you an appointment at this time."
"GASP! What? Tell the client we can't assist them? But we can change their mind, we can build rapport with them and once they like us they'll change their availability."
Whilst that may be true for a small fraction of clients, it's not for the majority of them. Reception should be placing the client's needs first. By asking what time and day works best you're setting the client up on their journey with the least amount of barriers possible. You're assisting the practice with a higher client attendance rate and you're actually working with clients who are ideal for your practice.
As the client moves through their journey and the stages of change, the practice should be prepared to assist with removing as many barriers as possible. When a practice tries to schedule within the limitations of the practitioner, it is putting the needs of the practitioners first and the clients second. It is an unintentional way that we put a barrier up for the client.
Stop: "Do you have a Mental Health Plan?"
By asking this question, we place an unintentional barrier between the client and their journey. Yes, the client should be informed that they have the benefit of 10 Medicare subsidised sessions.
However, this should be left for the clinician to discuss once the client is in session. If the client raises the issue around cost, then by all means ensure that your team has the ability to explain the process of the MHCP.
With that said, if we place such an importance on this then we inadvertently plant the seed that a) 10 sessions will be enough and b) I can't see someone without visiting my GP first.
Keep in mind that the MHCP is not something that every client wishes to use. While it has its benefits, it also has its drawbacks. Introduction of the MHCP may be better placed with the psychologist once the client has established their relationship and used to assist the client from the action stage to maintenance phase.
Let me leave you with this thought: How are your internal processes setting your clients up for premature discharge?
If you're interested in digging deeper in understanding the ways your reception team have an impact on new client attendance, click here.