Every industry a professional answering service serves has its own quirks. Take medical answering services. Helping anxious callers is a part of the job receptionists expect. When a person is sick or caring for someone else who is, anxiety can kick in. That anxiety is often expressed over the phone when speaking with a medical receptionist.
As a medical answering service, how do we help anxious callers? There isn’t a single script that does the trick every time. So while our receptionists still use scripts, they also need to be able to adapt to a variety of situations involving anxious callers.
The big thing with medical calls is to stay calm and composed at all times. Medical receptionists can deal with anxiety much better if they maintain a steady, even tone of voice and a positive attitude. The ability to reassure an anxious caller that their situation is manageable is another great skill for medical receptionists.
Callers Respond to Empathetic Language
An anxious caller needs help. In some situations, the appropriate help amounts to nothing more than answering questions that have the caller upset. But in other cases, anxious callers need help solving real problems that they perceive jeopardize health and wellbeing. The key in every situation is empathetic language.
Showing empathy starts with acknowledging the caller’s feelings and perceptions. Receptionists continue showing empathy by asking questions, acknowledging the realities of the caller’s situation, and thoroughly explaining proposed solutions to the problem at hand. An undertone of compassion and concern makes an anxious caller feel more validated and at ease.
Active Listening Promotes a Better Understanding
Using empathetic language goes a long way toward keeping things calm and under control. It also helps set an anxious caller’s mind at ease. But merely showing empathy is not enough. To truly help an anxious caller, the receptionist needs to understand the situation as thoroughly as possible. How do we do that at Apello? By practicing active listening.
Active listening is a strategy that allows a caller to express concerns and thoughts without interruption. Meanwhile, the receptionist pays close attention to what is being said. They may take notes just in case they forget or misunderstand something.
Active listening also involves asking questions when callers are not clear. The right questions can easily clear up misunderstandings. And when misunderstandings are mitigated, receptionists are better able to effectively address an anxious caller’s needs.
Positive Solutions Always Help
When dealing with anxious callers, there is always the temptation to either deflect or make excuses. Doing either one could ultimately increase the caller’s anxiety. So instead, it is better to offer positive solutions. As for what such solutions might look like, it depends on a number of factors, including what a receptionist is authorized to do.
If nothing else, a receptionist could acknowledge that her ability to help is limited but then forward the call to someone higher up the chain. Callers do not actually mind that if escalating the call leads to a solution. They would prefer that receptionists be open and transparent rather than responding to their concerns with anything other than a positive solution.
A Tricky Situation
Admittedly, responding appropriately to anxious callers puts receptionists in a tricky situation. Some of the most anxious callers need a delicate touch. Say just one thing wrong and the entire call could be lost.
Here at Apello, medical answering services are on our list of service options. We take medical calls very seriously. Our agents are thoroughly trained to handle calls from anxious callers in a professional and solution-driven way.
