Practice Forward: Front Office Training

There is transformative power in Front Office Training to enrich patient experiences and elevate the success of your practices. Phonak reveals how a skillfully trained front office team can not only engage patients with genuine care but also significantly enhance satisfaction and drive impressive returns on marketing investments.

Would you like every patient who walks through your door to feel welcomed, valued, and eager to recommend your practice to others? To see your front office team confidently turn more inquiries into scheduled appointments? And what about seeing a higher return on your marketing investment by ensuring your front office team convert more leads into loyal patients?

A well-trained front office staff creates exactly the kind of experience that keeps patients coming back and referring friends and family. And by making every interaction count, your front office staff can ensure few missed opportunities and turn potential patients into loyal patients.

AudiologyOnline: What is Front Office Training and what’s included?

Laurie A. Daley: Front Office Training is an interactive, self-guided course designed to help your front office staff improve their skills to Engage, Discover, Guide and Empower (E.D.G.E.) patients on their journey to better hearing.

Your staff will have 90-day access to the four E.D.G.E. e-learning modules, which can be completed in under 2 hours. Upon completion, they will receive the E.D.G.E. Guide which includes pro tips, scripting, and tools for success.

AudiologyOnline: What impact can Front Office Training have on patient satisfaction?

Laurie A. Daley: Creating an exceptional experience for your patients begins with their first impression of the practice and when it comes to first impressions, your front office staff is front and center. 

As a matter of fact, 89% of patients decide whether they want to book an appointment with a practice based on their initial phone interaction.¹ Today, patients expect to feel heard and understood, and to develop strong relationships with their providers. Properly trained front-office staff can meet these expectations, creating trust and credibility by providing consistent and knowledgeable answers to the toughest questions patients ask.

AudiologyOnline: How can Front Office Training result in a higher return on (marketing) investment?

Laurie A. Daley: Not only can Front Office Training enhance your patients' experience but properly trained front office staff impact the bottom-line and support lead generation via marketing efforts. In today’s market where every dollar counts and patients are looking for convenience and customization, your front-office staff is key. 

Improving call conversion by even one appointment results in a greater return on investment (ROI) on your marketing. Using an average selling price per unit of $2,408 (the average reported on Phonak’s 2024 Benchmark Survey) that could be an additional $4,816 in revenue per marketing campaign. If you conduct six marketing campaigns per year, that’s an additional $28,896 in annual (gross) revenue.

For more information on the Benchmark Study, or to enroll in Front Office Training, contact your Phonak representative or register here: phonak.com/practiceforward.

^{1 Yuchao Shao. (2017). The Effect of Front Desk Employees' Characteristics on the First Impression of Customers and Customers' Satisfaction. University of Missouri, 2017}