5 Ways Well Trained CSR’s (Veterinary Receptionists) Help Grow Your Business
CSR Contributions to good clinical outcomes
• CSRs are the first point of contact during the patient-client journey and therefore involved in triaging and assigning every single contact into non-urgent, urgent or emergency status.
• CSRs act as introducers to preventative healthcare plans – signing up to which, increases the average spend per client per year across all services.
• CSRs act as influencers with respect to client compliance with long term medications, and ongoing monitoring.
CSR Contributions to client recruitment and retention
• An effective CSR understands the value of promoting Vet-Client-Patient continuity since the single most common reason why clients ‘defect’ from practices is a lack of case-ownership and Vet-Client-Patient continuity.
• Losing clients loses patients! The average lifetime value of a patient [at the presenter’s practice] is $4,000. This is the financial impact of losing a client and their pets, our patients, through poor service.
• CSRs have to deal with a wide range of moods and manners the animal-owning public throw at them whilst discussing prices, ‘justifying’ value and asking for payment. It is essential they are able to so in an empathetic and professional manner
CSR Contribution to good team outcomes
• An effective CSR will minimize the 2 key components of operational-stress; a buildup of uncertainty and / or urgency (time pressure).
• CSRs minimize uncertainty via effective communication; booking appointments effectively; sharing important clinical and non-clinical information proactively with colleagues.
• CSRs minimize urgency (time pressure) via scheduling effectively; triage effectively; sufficient time allocation; anticipating, recognizing and relieving bottle-necks and work-flow congestion.
• Practices with chaotic, over-whelming work flows experience greater build ups of stress and tension, which in term diminishes morale. Consistently overwhelmed staff suffer from burnout, which impacts productivity, and leads to an increase in absenteeism and eventually resignations.
• Well run practices, which always involves well-trained teams, experience less turnover of valuable colleagues as well as a more enjoyable workplace.
