Front Office Associate (FOA) Training

1
Front Office Associate (FOA) Training

• Natalie Daly
• Professional Development

2
Goals

• Describe the role of the FOA and its importance
• Describe the importance of customer service
• Convert calls to appointments
• Manage customer files

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Importance of the FOA
Converting Calls to Appointments
Activity Office 1 (Ineffective) Office 2 (Improved)
Calls per day 12 12
Appointments per day 1 6
Appointments per week 5 30
Patients purchasing hearing aids 2 12
Number of units sold 3 21
Revenue Generated 6,000 42,000
Known Close Rate 50 ASP 2000 Bilateral
Rate 80
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Importance of the FOA

• Companion Attendance

Office 1 (Ineffective) Office 2 (Improved)
5 test appointments per day 5 test appointments per day
20 CAR 70 CAR
1 sale / 2 units 3 sales / 5 units
4,000 10,000
Known Close Rate 50 ASP 2000 Bilateral
Rate 80
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Module 1 The Role of the FOA

• Objectives
• Describe the FOA roles and responsibilities
• Describe the importance of a FOA in a store and
  with the customer
• Describe the five interpersonal skills required
  for success
• Describe the four components of teamwork

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Front Office Associate Roles and Responsibilities

• Displaying excellent customer service to our
  customers
• Converting calls to appointments
• Meeting the customers needs and delivering
  solutions
• Ensuring a smooth office flow - teamwork
• Performing over-the-counter sales

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How the FOA Impacts the Success of the Store

• Communicate and represent the office
  professionally
• Generate revenue
• Organizational skills

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How the FOA Impacts the Success of the Customer

• Ability to communicate
• Communicate knowledge of hearing profession
• Book an appointment

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Five Interpersonal Skills Required For Your
Success

• Customer service-oriented
• Good listener
• Organized
• Professional
• Empathetic

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Activity

• What other skills/strengths do you have?
• Page 9

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The Four Components of Teamwork

• Having the same/shared mission
• Regular communication with consultant
• Respecting one anothers role within the store
• Regularly-scheduled team meetings

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Activity - Define Teamwork

• Your definition of teamwork
• FOA and Consultant work together to define
  teamwork.
• Page 11

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Checklists

• Physical environment of office
• Pre-appointment interaction
• Pre-testing communications
• Post-purchase/appointment experience

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Review of Module 1

• Describe the FOA roles and responsibilities
• Describe the importance of a FOA in a store and
  with the customer
• Describe the five interpersonal skills required
  for success
• Describe the four components of teamwork

15
Module 2 - Providing Outstanding Customer
Service

• Objectives
• Describe the top four behaviors in providing
  outstanding customer service
• List the top three customer expectations
• Describe the Net Promoter Score and its
  importance
• Utilize communication tips for talking to the
  hearing impaired
• Use an eight-step process to handle customer
  complaints and view them as a gift

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Providing Outstanding Customer Service

• Responsiveness
• Commitment
• Reliability
• Reassurance

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Customer Expectations

• Help in solving their problems
• Someone they can trust
• Quality products and services

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Measuring Customer Satisfaction and the Net
Promoter Score (NPS)

• Importance of measuring customer satisfaction
• Customer satisfaction survey cards
• The most important question
• Net promoter score
• Results from surveys
• What can I do to ensure customer satisfaction?

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Communication Tips for theHearing Impaired

• SOLERS
• Face-to-face communication
• Avoid background noise
• Speak clearly

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Handling Customer Complaints and The Gift
Approach

• Say thank you
• Explain why you appreciate the complaint
• Apologize for the mistake
• Promise to do something about the problem
• Ask for necessary information
• Correct the mistake promptly
• Check customer satisfaction
• Prevent future mistakes

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Activity The Gift Approach

• Write out the eight-step process and turn the
  situation into a gift
• Use page 29

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Review of Module 2

• Describe the top four behaviors in providing
  outstanding customer service
• List the top three customer expectations
• Describe the Net Promoter Score and its
  importance
• Utilize communication tips for talking to the
  hearing impaired
• Use an eight-step process to handle customer
  complaints and view them as a gift

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Module 3 - Converting Calls to Appointments

• Objectives
• Describe the five-step process of converting
  calls.
• Explain how to answer and respond to general
  telephone inquiries.
• Describe the eleven standard appointment types.

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The Five Steps in Converting Calls into
Appointments

• Step One The Greeting
• Step Two Assess Wants and Needs
• Step Three Advise the Customer
• Step Four Gain Agreement
• Step Five Thank the Customer and Confirm
  Decision
• Step One The Greeting

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Step One The Greeting

• Guidelines for a telephone greeting
• Voice quality
• Guidelines for face-to-face conversation
• Small talk is a big thing
• Professional responses for general telephone
  inquiries

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Step Two Assessing Wants Needs
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Step Three Advising the Customer

• The act of advising

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Step Four Gaining Agreement

• Methods used to gain agreement
• Handling objections

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Step Five Thanking Confirming the Decision

• Thank the customer
• Confirm the customers decision

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Setting Appointments

• 11 appointment types
• Customer service self-evaluation report

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Front Office Job Aids

• Front Office Telephone Script
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Successful Appointment Setting Start to Finish
• The Five Phone Guidelines
• SOLERS
• Empathy Formula
• Manager Tips

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Front Office Telephone Script
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Successful Appointment Setting Start to Finish
Guideline
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The 5 Phone Best Practices
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Basic Communication Skills
S Squarely Face the Customer O Open Posture
(dont cross arms or legs) L Lean Forward
Slightly E Eye Contact R
Relax S Smile
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Empathy Formula

• Step 1 You seem.
• Step 2 Name the emotion
• Step 3 About ________ (describe the problem
  or issue causing the emotion)
• Step 4 Is this correct? (ask for
  clarification)
• Reference Legacy Frontiers, Birmingham UK, 2008

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Manager Tips

• Here are some tips for Managers and Owners

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Customer Interaction Check List for Managers
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Activity-Role Play
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Review of Module 3

• Describe the five-step process of converting
  calls
• Explain how to answer and respond to general
  telephone inquiries
• Describe the eleven standard appointment types

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Module 4 Driving Sales from the Front Desk

• Objectives
• Describe the FOAs role in driving sales
• Describe the four customer types that you will
  encounter on a daily basis
• Relate the five-step process covered in Module 3
  Converting Calls into Appointments to Driving
  Sales from the Front Desk
• Describe over the counter products and services

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Driving Sales from the Front Desk

• The FOAs Role in Driving Sales
• The Four Customer Types
• Initial phone call or walk-in
• Deep dive
• Second round
• Quick trip

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Review of the Five Steps

• Step One The Greeting
• Step Two Assess Wants and Needs
• Step Three Advise the Customer
• Step Four Gain Agreement
• Step Five Thank the Customer and Confirm
  Decision

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Over the Counter Sales

• Hearing aid batteries
• Common assistive listening devices (ALDs)
• Common products that maintain the life of hearing
  aids/products for the ears
• Know your services

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Review of Module 4

• Describe the FOAs role in driving sales
• Describe the four customer types that you will
  encounter on a daily basis
• Relate the five-step process covered in Module 3
  Converting Calls into Appointments to Driving
  Sales from the Front Desk
• Describe over the counter products and services

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Module 5 Managing Files

• Objectives
• Define what working the files mean
• Describe the value of customer loyalty
• Describe various customer statuses and actions to
  take with those customers when working your files
• List the two resources that are available for
  following up with customers

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Working the Files

• Working the files customer retention loyalty
• The value of customer loyalty

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Working the Files

• What is the customers status?
• What is the goal?
• Resources available

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Review of Module 5

• Define what working the files mean
• Describe the value of customer loyalty
• Describe various customer statuses and actions to
  take with those customers when working your files
• List the two resources that are available for
  following up with customers

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Module 6 Hearing Loss and Hearing Aids

• Objectives
• Describe the three types of hearing loss
• Describe some causes of hearing loss
• Describe social effects of untreated hearing loss
• Describe the four styles of hearing aids

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Understanding Who Your Customer Is

• Types of hearing loss your customers may have
• Hearing loss and its affect on the customers
  lifestyle
• Causes of hearing loss
• Signs of hearing loss that your customer may
  encounter
• General hearing aid information styles and types
  of hearing aids

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Types of Hearing Loss

• Sensorineural
• Conductive
• Mixed

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Hearing Loss and Its Affect on Lifestyle

• 31.5 million Americans suffer hearing loss
• Most people are unaware their understanding is
  diminishing
• Can develop over several years
• Left untreated, can lead to social isolation,
  anxiety and depression

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What Causes Hearing Loss?

• Aging process (heredity loss in families)
• Excessive or repetitive noise (i.e. construction,
  loud music, etc.)
• Infections and illness
• Injury to ear or head
• Birth defects or genetics
• Reaction to drugs prescribed by a doctor

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Signs of Hearing Loss

• Often missing certain words
• Frequently asking the speaker to repeat what was
  said
• Not taking part in social gatherings
  (embarrassment)
• Having family members or friends express concern
  about the persons hearing
• Not hearing the telephone or door bell ringing

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Signs of Hearing Loss

• Avoiding certain social situations (the theater,
  restaurants) because it is difficult to hear
• Not taking part in conversations at the dinner
  table
• Not answering when someone is speaking to them
• Having a history of work-related noise exposure

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Signs of Hearing Loss

• Understanding telephone conversations is
  difficult
• Turning the volume up on the radio or television
  to levels that are too loud for others
• Following conversations in groups or in the
  presence of background noise is difficult

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Hearing Aids

• Behind-the-ear (BTE)
• In-the-ear (ITE)
• In-the-canal (ITC)
• Completely-in-the-canal (CIC)

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Review of Module 6

• Describe the three types of hearing loss
• Describe some causes of hearing loss
• Describe social effects of untreated hearing loss
• Describe the four styles of hearing aids

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What questions do you have?
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Wrap Up

• Describe the role of the FOA and its importance
• Describe the importance of customer service
• Convert calls to appointments
• Manage customer files

63
Thank You

• Natalie Daly
• Natalie.daly_at_amplifon.com