When a patient enters your office, their first point of contact is with the folks at the front desk. How those employees welcome and respond to that individual’s needs says a lot about your practice. 

It’s such an important position that we have created a two-part series on the subject. Last month, EB addressed hiring. That is, what qualities and qualifications to look for in someone you’re bringing onboard for the front desk. This month, we address that person’s responsibilities as well as how to train, especially cross-train, that individual.

EB invited three eyecare professionals to continue to share their thoughts and experiences: Diana Canto-Sims, OD, co-founder of Chicago’s Buena Vista Optical; David Holler, OD, owner of Clarity Vision, with seven locations in North Carolina and Virginia; and Don Rooker, chief operating officer at InVision Optometry in San Diego.

Steppingstone

Many practices add additional responsibilities to the front-desk role’s job description, which makes training critical. That’s the case at Clarity Vision, which is why Dr. Holler views it as “the easiest position to fill but the hardest to master.”

While all three agree training is key, so is the person’s ability to handle difficult situations. As Dr. Canto-Sims says, “When there’s a problem, the front desk is where the situation is often addressed. If the front desk has assured them the practice will go above and beyond to help them, they are more at ease.”

Though it’s not unusual to consider this as a first step that leads to other positions in a practice, that can be a double-edged sword. “It’s a difficult call,” says Dr. Canto-Sims. As Dr. Holler explains, “In the past, we viewed this as a steppingstone. Once we find someone who excels at the front, however, we like it when patients see that familiar face when they walk in.”

Revolving Door?

All agree that cross-training is usually best for the practice. “We cross-train to help fill gaps,” explains Dr. Holler, “but also to see where the individual excels.”

One reason training is so important is that, without it, the front-desk position can become a revolving door. For InVision Optometry, however, it is just that…but for a reason. As Rooker explains, “In a sense, it is a revolving-door position, but by design. That’s because we mostly retain these employees as they move into other roles over time. We’ve decided we’re OK with that. It’s a model that’s worked for us and seems to be a way of keeping employees longer as we rotate them around the office.”

Additional Responsibilities

All agree that front-desk individuals need to be able to help in other areas. “They are often grabbing contact lens trials, dispensing glasses, and quoting contact lens fees,” explains Dr. Holler.

It’s a gradual process, says Rooker. After they’re comfortable with their primary front-desk responsibilities, “we start to introduce them to call center/administration duties.”

The bottom line? There’s much more to the front-desk function than meeting and greeting. Failing to cross-train or avoiding introducing new responsibilities are the real reasons it can be a revolving door. Simply put, the onus is on the practice to make the most of this all-important position.