Variations on the “how’s things” call – Part 2

Follow up (Medical practice)

The mistake many doctors make is to give patients a prescription and tell them to take it for, say, five days. The inference is that, if it hasn’t killed or cured them in five days, the patient should come back. But the patient has a different perception. If they don’t really feel much better after five days, they just decide they won’t worry the doctor. So, although they aren’t happy, they just do nothing.

A client caring medical practice would have a different approach. When the doctor gives a prescription and asks the patient to try it for a number of days they note the number of days on the patient’s card. The receptionist doesn’t file the card, but puts it in a tickler file to reappear automatically after the number of days prescribed by the doctor. On that day the receptionist rings about 80 per cent of the patients whose cards appear and simply says, “Doctor saw you x days ago and gave you a prescription which they suggested you take for x days. How are you?”

Most times patients have to pick themselves up from the floor. They’ve never ever heard from their doctor’s surgery before.

Of course, there’s only one of two answers that they can give. Either they say they’re fine, in which case the receptionist reminds them of their satisfaction, or they can admit they don’t feel much better, in which case the receptionist can make another appointment for the patient to see the doctor. Either way, a great outcome.

For the other 20 per cent of the patients, the receptionist makes the call but puts them through to the doctor who speaks directly with the patients. You can imagine what this does! After all, how long is it since your doctor rang you and enquired about your health?

This is just a variation of the “how’s things” call. In this case the patients the doctor talks to personally are the ‘A class’ patients… the ones the doctor wants to spread the word about what a great doctor they are.

The follow up call

When you’ve talked to a client and recommended a course of action or suggested something, make a diary note to phone that client about the time you anticipate they should be at the next stage of their thinking. You’ll be surprised at the response this elicits.

People like your follow-up, but they don’t like to ask for it. After all, most times they don’t think they’re important enough to get your time. Make them feel very special, give them some of your time and see them respond to that investment.

Whether its “how’s things”, follow up or after a sale: make a phone call regularly.