🎯 Purpose

This guide is designed to help you confidently handle incoming phone enquiries, build rapport, and guide new clients toward booking their first appointment. Every phone call is an opportunity to make a great first impression and help someone get the support they need.

✅ Step-by-Step Process

Step 1 – Answer the phone in a timely manner

Pick up after two rings.

• Less than two rings = rushed.

• More than two = unprofessional.
  
  

Step 2 – Smile before you answer

Your tone reflects your attitude. Smile—even if you're faking it. It will come through your voice.

Step 3 – Use the standard greeting

“Welcome to Effect, this is [Your Name]. How can I help you today?”

Write down their name if they give it.

Step 4 – Ask what they’re calling about

Before answering questions about times, prices or availability, ask:

“How can we help you today?”
or
“What are you hoping to see our practitioner for?”

This opens the door to a deeper conversation and gives you a chance to understand their needs.

Step 5 – Ask open-ended questions

Use these to build trust and show understanding:

• “How long has that been bothering you?”

• “Was it caused by a specific injury or has it come on gradually?”

• “Is it affecting your ability to move or get things done day to day?”

• “Have you seen anyone for this before?”
  
  

These aren’t for diagnosis—they show you care and help the client feel heard.

Step 6 – Offer a clear solution

“From what you’ve told me, it sounds like our practitioners will be able to help. We can create a personalised movement plan tailored to your needs.”
“Would you like me to check our next available appointment?”

Step 7 – Begin the booking process

“Let’s get you booked in for an initial consultation. Our next available appointment is [Date/Time], does that work for you?”

If they hesitate:

“What parts are you unsure about?”

Step 8 – Handle objections with empathy

Examples:

Cost objection:

“Totally understand—health expenses can add up. There is an option to get a Medicare rebate through your GP if you’re eligible for an EPC referral. You might also be able to use private health cover—would you like me to explain how that works?”

If they still decline, thank them and let it go. Focus on the people who are ready.

Step 9 – Collect details and confirm

Ask for:

• Full name

• Date of birth

• Phone number

• Email address (for confirmation email)

• Referral type (e.g. private, Medicare, NDIS, WorkCover, DVA)

• Area of concern (brief)
  
  

Step 10 – Offer to book a second appointment

“Your practitioner may want to follow up after the first session. While I’ve got you here, let’s book that in now—it can always be moved if needed.”

Step 11 – Share clinic location and arrival info

“Do you know where we’re located? We’re at 242 Argyle Street, Moss Vale, on the corner of Argyle and Valetta Street—across from the new KFC. Parking is available via Valetta Street.”

“You’ll receive a confirmation email with a form—if you don’t have time to fill it out online, just arrive a few minutes early.”

“We have a 24-hour cancellation policy and you’ll receive a reminder two days before your appointment.”

Step 12 – End with confidence and warmth

“Thanks so much for calling. We look forward to seeing you on [Date] at [Time].”

Example Phone Conversation for Incoming Calls

Greeting

Hi I was referred to you by my GP/Friend for an appointment.

I'd be happy to help you with that, may I ask what they referred you to see us for - This can go two ways 1. they tell you OR 2. they have no idea 

1. "I've been getting pain in my knee for a while now"

- How long has this pain been affecting you for?
- Did this pain happen suddenly after an accident or has it been a gradual increase of pain?
- Do you find this pain has an impact on your mobility?

You don't need to write everything down these are more just to build rapport and the questions make you sound like know what you're talking about

"Okay, from what you've told me it sounds like our practitioner will be able to help you through a movement plan tailed to your knee pain. I can have a look for our next available appointment?

Then continue on with the standard booking procedure. 

2. "I don't know they have just told me to see to you"

Okay, have you been experiencing any pain recently? Have you had any issues with falls? or are you looking for a general health and fitness program

Hopefully after this they will say something like "Oh yes I just had a hip replacement" or "yes I have falls regularly" and then you can continue on with the normal script above as if they had told you what the issue was to start.  

Then continue on with the standard booking procedure. 

How it works is I can book you in for an initial appointment, this is where your practitioner will go through what we spoke about in more details, talk about what you want to achieve by seeing us They will do this either through a movement, mobility, strength or stretching program 

Phone Enquiry Conversion Guide

This is a guide which will help you when you are on the phone with a new client. The aim is to enable you to sound natural and convert the call to an appointment more often. While not every conversation will be exactly the same, the stages of the phone call will be. Refer also to the “Easy Enquiry System” for simple instructions on dealing with client enquiries.

Step 1

Wait for the phone to ring twice; then answer it. Sooner than two rings makes the callers feel uncomfortable. More than two rings sounds unfriendly.

Step 2

Ensure that you are smiling before you answer the phone. A good technique is to imagine you have just heard a funny story when the phone rang, or picture the caller sitting on the other end of the line with a big smile.

Step 3

Your first line should be,

"Welcome to Effect, my name is ___________. How can I help you?"

If they give you their name immediately, write it down in front of you.

Slow down with this part - if you seem to be rushing through, it’ll set the tone for the entire experience.

Step 4

They will ask their first question at this point. Some common questions are as follows:

‘Do you have any appointments available today?’

‘’How much is an appointment?"

"How long are you appointments" 

After they have asked their question, DO NOT try to answer it immediately. You MUST say the following:

“What are you coming to see our practitioner for?”

or “How can we help?”

The reason we do not answer the question straight away is this can lead to the call ending before we are able to explain how we can help.

By asking the above question in bold, this will give you more information to ask questions e.g. how long has this been effecting you etc,
which will help build rapport. 

Step 5

Begin asking open-ended questions. These are questions that start with what, how, when etc.

Without doubt, this is the most important thing. You must ask questions that can’t be answered with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ - questions the prospect has to think about and get involved in.

Questions that lead into a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response will stop the flow of conversation.

It’s a good idea to ask questions that encourage them to decide they need to book an appointment.

Ask them specifically what they need, who else they’ve seen, etc

Then tell them about how good you are, then ask ‘And what benefits can you see in having a Podiatrist that will do all that for you?’.

Goal: Get them to say ‘yes, it would be a good idea to deal with you’.

Here are some ideas on questions you could ask:

• • Do you find [problem] affects you with X?

  • Do you experience any pain or mobility issues?

  • "How long has your X been affecting you?"

  • ‘What is it about the advertisement that made you want to phone?’

  • ‘Where did you hear about us?’

  • “What have been your past experiences with ...?”

  • “What is the most important thing you’re looking for, with regards to…”

Each question builds a relationship with the prospect, and leads to the ultimate outcome - a clear picture of their problem, their wants, concerns and attitudes.

Step 6

After finding out more on how their issue is affecting them, offer a solution. Say ‘From what you’ve told me, it sounds like our practitioner's will be able to help with your [back pain, knee pain, rehabilitation post cancer treatment] through a movement plan.

Step 7

Then following on say "I can book you in for that initial appointment now. Our next available appointment is X, does this work for you"

If they say no, say ‘ok, which parts are you unsure about?’ .

Deal With Objections: At some point, the prospect will probably raise an objection. That’s fine - as long as you know how to deal with them.
The first thing you say is

‘Can you elaborate on that for me?’. 

Get them talking a bit more.

Then, it’s really up to you - you need to determine the major objections and a way to acknowledge them then turn them around.

If someone says ‘I haven’t got the money’, you could say ‘I understand that - it’s can be short this time of year. And try off a solution

"There is the option of going to your GP to receive an EPC, if you are eligible, you will be able to receive a $58.30 rebate (FEB 2024) back from your appointment or if you have private health, you can recieve and amount from that"

If you offer your best and they still can’t afford it, then forget it. These people are not in our target market. Remember, we want to attract people we like seeing, and who want to deal with us.

Step 8

Book an appointment.

The person is interested in booking. If you have agreement and you’ve dealt with their objections, it’s time to nail it down.

The first thing to do is trial an assumptive close. That is, ‘we’ll make an appointment now - our next available appointment is’

Get client details, book the appointment and Confirm.

Details required:

• • Referrer

  • Name, Phone Number

  • Email address

Step 10

Book a second appointment.

“While I’ve got you on the phone, the podiatrist may also want to see you for a follow up a week later. If I can book something for you now it will save time, and we can change it if not needed.”

Step 11

Offer clinic information, and directions to find us.

Do you know where we are?

• • We are on the part of North Terrace that heads out of the city before it becomes Magill Road.

  • You will see an Orange sign out the front opposite Bus Stop 3

  • There is parking out the front. (or look for the side street College Rd. and park there)

“Please come 15 mins earlier to allow us to serve you with a nice herbal tea and mineral salt footbath”

“I will send you an email now to give you some more information about the appointment, and an SMS to remind you of your appointment the day before.”

Step 12

End on a high note

Say ‘Excellent, we’re looking forward to seeing you. Thanks, will anyone else be coming with you?

“Thanks so much for your call, and I look forward to seeing you at [appointment time].”