Health Care

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HEALTH CARE – On Hold Messages

As a healthcare provider, you can put the power of On Hold Messages to use when you need to check a caller’s medical records, look for their test results, make appointment times, take deliveries from the courier at the counter or simply transfer callers to other lines that don’t pick up immediately.  All these very common daily activities often make you reach for your on hold button.

If you’re writing your own message, it’s worth keeping in mind how most on hold messages are normally structured.  They tend to be formatted with a paragraph of information followed by a short gap (Up to 10sec) and then another paragraph and so on.   It’ll probably run for somewhere near four minutes and then loop back to that start.  So that gives you about six 30second marketing opportunities.

You can cover a fair amount in that time, so what sort of things should you include?

With your On Hold Message:

1.  Don’t include all the obvious things that people already know.  You don’t want to state the obvious. We know a dentist does fillings and cleans teeth, so focusing extensively on these things would waste valuable time.

That doesn’t mean basic information isn’t valuable but it’s probably wiser to cover these sort of things – common treatments, your opening times, where to park, how you prefer your payments to be made, your referral process and the like in a single paragraph.  Not making it a shopping list may require you to put some thought into it.

2. Your on hold message is also an excellent way to educate your existing patients about any other services you offer and the things that set your surgery or clinic apart from the rest.  If you’re a chiropractor, do you offer any related massage services?  If you’re a GP, do you offer natural medicine alternatives?  An optometrist who performs laser surgery?  What do you do that others don’t?

3. Use your on hold to offer helpful tips and advice to your callers as this shows respect for your caller’s time.

What sort of tips?  Maybe remind callers of important issues that should be addressed but are often overlooked.  Is it flu shot time in winter?  What about sun protection in summer?  Tips on sitting properly at your desk for chiropractors?  Encourage patience to get their breast, prostate and melanoma examinations?   Of course, you’re the professional and you’d know best what things are worth mentioning.  This type of information is usually received well, and leave callers with a very positive impression of you and your business.

4.  Mention your extracurricular activities.  If you support any community events or local sporting teams, promote any community health programs or volunteer at any free educational classes feel free to mention them.

5.  Have you won any recent awards?   You don’t want to spend too much time blowing your own trumpet, but the occasional reference to yourself is totally acceptable.  Just ensure you do so in a non-abrasive humble manner is advised.

6.  Does your website provide value to your clients?  Do you have useful tools or products on your site that you can point to?

As a healthcare professional, your aim should be to build a trusting relationships with your patients or clients.  An on hold message can help do this when put together with some forethought and professionalism.

We hope this has got your creative juices flowing and you have some solid food for thought to help you write your own on hold message.  If you’d like any more information or have any questions, please contact us anytime via our website – www.onholdmessagesaustralia.com.au and we’d be happy to help out.