RETAIL OPS

Talking Shop

Creating a welcoming environment starts and ends with friendly communications

are your greetings and goodbyes getting stale? We asked savvy ECPs how they start and end their most successful patient interactions.

HELLO

“Greetings should be upbeat, cheerful, and every customer should be greeted with a smile,” says Brandi Kay, director of stores for Harvey & Lewis Opticians, with nine locations around Hartford, CT. The practice utilizes several opening statements, including: Welcome in! What can we do for you today? and Welcome to Harvey & Lewis! How can we help you? “If it’s a returning customer, we use the customer’s name,” Kay says.

Whatever greeting you use, use it quickly when a new person enters. “No one should be in the store for more than a minute without being acknowledged, no matter how busy we are,” says Kevin Loughlin, RDO, of Visual Eyes in Boston.

Susan Smith, LDO, with Visual Specialists of Longwood, located in Winter Park, FL, has a policy: “Immediately upon their entering into the optical area, patients are acknowledged, especially if they have to wait.”

GOODBYE

Even if you don’t have an official script for ending an exchange with a patient, it’s important to have a consistent process and messaging that every staff member communicates. “We always go over the warranty,” says Smith. “I also remind patients that I’m always here for them, or they could have some robotic salesperson at a chain, and everyone laughs and agrees.”

While there are many variations to a close, the finale should be customized to the client and the reason they are there. “Thank you for coming in Mr. Jones! I look forward to seeing you when you come back to pick up your glasses (or contacts),” Kay says. For returning clients, she uses: “It was great to see you again; thank you for your business!”

Focusing on the person is a good endnote. “We guide them toward frames that look good, fit well, and are suitable for their Rx,” says Lori Epstein, owner of Visual Eyes in Boston. “If we do this well, there’s no need for a strong closing statement, because the patient has gained confidence in our knowledge and is assured that we’re interested in what’s best for them.”

Provide a note of positive reinforcement before patients depart. “We reassure them that they’ve made a good choice and will be happy with their new glasses,” adds Loughlin. “We repeat this reassurance on the day they pick up their new eyewear.”

— Karlen McLean

Phone Facts

Saying hello on the phone can be robotic, rushed, awkward, and even graceless. What’s the most effective and efficient way to sound welcoming?

“You need to sound like you’re smiling on the other end of the line, making the caller feel welcomed. It must be genuine; not forced or artificial.”

— BRANDI KAY,
director of stores for Harvey & Lewis Opticians in Hartford, CT

GIVE THESE A TRY…

TIME OF DAY: “Good morning, thank you for calling Harvey & Lewis, this is Sarah, how can I help you?”



APPOINTMENT CONFIRMATION: “Thank you for calling and we look forward to seeing you on (repeat appointment time).”



AVOID LULLS: “Keep the conversation going without long pauses,” Kay recommends. “For example, continue to ask questions when you’re looking for an appointment time. You may be busy working, but remember that the caller can’t see you, and all they hear is silence.”



MINDING YOUR MANNERS is key regardless of whether you’re opening or closing a conversation. “Good phone manners will grab the attention of the caller,” Kay concludes. “When places get into long greetings commenting on an upcoming sale or plugging their mantra, it gets too impersonal and the caller doesn’t register what’s being said.”



PREPARE TO CLOSE: “Did I answer all of your questions today?”



END POLITELY: “Thank you for calling.”