YAKETY-YAK… don`t Talk Back!

Powerful & Effective
Communication Skills
“Lighting vs. A Lighting Bug”
Chad Schwarz
President, Integrated MedReps, LLC
Practice Administrator, Affiliated Foot & Ankle Center, LLP
chads@integratedmedreps.com
S
Speech is Power!
Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert,
to compel. It is to bring another out of his bad sense
into your good sense.
S
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Proper Telephone
Techniques
S
8 Initial Steps
1.
Know your
equipment
4.
Never eat or drink
while talking
2.
Turn away from
distractions
5.
Remember the “3ring” policy
3.
Have necessary
resources handy
6.
Identify yourself and
your practice
4.
Put a smile in your
voice!
7.
Ask how you may
help
Voice Inflection
Factors which
make up your
“best” voice are:
Energy
Rate of
Speech
Pitch
The Ideal Phone Personality
Friendly
Positive
Uses good grammar
Speaks at normal rate
Uses voice inflection
Manages stress well
Good listening skills
Empathetic
What to Say & How to Say It
In the course of the conversation
Greet Politely
Enunciate clearly
Use caller’s name
Be empathetic
Choose words carefully
Avoid the 5 Forbidden
Phrases
S “I don’t know”
S “I/we can’t do that”
S “You’ll have to”…
S “Just a second”
S “NO”
For the “Angry”
Patient…
Use the L.E.A.P.S
Method
S Listen
S Empathize
S Apologize
S Positive
S Solve
S
Transferring Calls
S Transfer only when necessary
S DO NOT use the word “transfer”
S Explain rationale
Concluding a Phone
Call
S Agree on next step
S Thank the caller
S Leave with a positive message
Interpersonal Communication
Skills
Verbal Communication
S Listen intently to what the patient is
saying
S Do not interrupt
S Pause briefly before responding to a
patient’s statement
S Use the patient’s name while speaking to
them
Non-Verbal
Communication
Communication Effectiveness consists of:
7% verbal
38% tone of voice
55% non-verbal
Dr. Albert Mahrabian, UCLA
Non-Verbal
Communication Skills
S Maintain eye contact
S Do NOT seem rushed; Each patient is the most
important in their mind
S Put a system in place where you are not
interrupted while speaking to a patient unless
absolutely necessary
S Maintain a good, and positive posture
S Concentrate on your tone of voice
Patient Personalities
Communicating via Phone or Interpersonally
S
Assertive
Don’t jump to conclusions - find out
the facts
Don’t become defensive
Assess for credibility
CONTROL the conversation by
relying on your policies
Be friendly… but be specific
Passive
Don’t take them for
granted
Approach them…. and
question them (they
probably won’t freely
offer any information)
Make suggestions
Angry or Irate
Don’t fight back
Don’t take things personally
PAY ATTENTION: Listen BEYOND what
they say
Apologize if wrong
Recommend solving the problem
Stay calm, cool and focused
Use the L.E.A.P.S Method
Talkative
Don’t give them any
prompts that they can run
with
MANAGE and CONTROL
the conversation with
prefaces
Detour them back to the
reason they are speaking
to you (with closed
Inquisitive
S Ignore negative statements
S Don’t be afraid to disclose your
adherence to HIPPA compliance
Every single person you meet has a sign
around his or her neck that says, “Make me
feel important.” If you can do that, you’ll be a
success, not only in business, but in life as
well.”
- Mary Kay Ash
Founder, Mary Kay Cosmetics
Thank You!!!
Chad Schwarz
chads@integratedmedreps.co
m
"Success comes before work
only in the dictionary."
- Anonymous