Which is more important?

[MikeAurelius]

The person standing in front of you or the person on the phone?

Background: went in for my annual eye exam yesterday (all is well, no Rx change). Checked in at the desk, and as I was doing so, half way through the check-in, the phone rings. Gal holds up her hand to me, answers the phone, and proceeds to set up an appointment for the person.

What ever happened to the Hold Button? "Hi, thanks for calling Dr. XYZ, I'm currently helping someone else, can you hold for a moment?"

I asked the OD about this and he was a tad surprised by my question. He asked the Office Manager and reported back that "in our office, phone calls are given precedence over people in the office." No explanation, just a statement of fact.

It's not really a big deal to me, but I thought it a bit, I don't know, unprofessional? Is it because the person in the office is essentially trapped there and the person on the phone is more potential revenue? This seems to happen more often at medical offices than other professions I've had occasion to visit.

[mdeimler]

If you are standing here, we've already GOT you. If you call, we WANT you.

[FVCCHRIS]

The person standing in front of you or the person on the phone?

Background: went in for my annual eye exam yesterday (all is well, no Rx change). Checked in at the desk, and as I was doing so, half way through the check-in, the phone rings. Gal holds up her hand to me, answers the phone, and proceeds to set up an appointment for the person.

What ever happened to the Hold Button? "Hi, thanks for calling Dr. XYZ, I'm currently helping someone else, can you hold for a moment?"

I asked the OD about this and he was a tad surprised by my question. He asked the Office Manager and reported back that "in our office, phone calls are given precedence over people in the office." No explanation, just a statement of fact.

It's not really a big deal to me, but I thought it a bit, I don't know, unprofessional? Is it because the person in the office is essentially trapped there and the person on the phone is more potential revenue? This seems to happen more often at medical offices than other professions I've had occasion to visit.

I believe you have it correct Mike. You are "there" already. The potential patient on the phone must be "captured" at all costs- including at the expense of the "live" patient already in the net! Can you believe it?? You haven't made it past the front desk yet and you've already been marginalized. A crappy way to do business if you ask me. In our office we never take time away from a "live one" to assist a phone caller. Don't get me wrong- handling phone calls properly is always extremely important and they should never be left holding long or made to feel second rate. Wait till they interrupt your exam to ask the Doc to sign something or that "the wife" is on line #2.

[Judy Canty]

Barring a medical emergency, no one is more important than the live person in front of you. Period. If that's not the case, find another place to spend your money.

Case in point, some years ago when dealing with some difficult personal issues, I decided to seek professional therapy. When the aforementioned medical professional walked into my practice and proceeded to "blister" me for eyewear that was a day late, I found that I didn't need his services nearly as much as I thought I did.

[FVCCHRIS]

Barring a medical emergency, no one is more important than the live person in front of you. Period. If that's not the case, find another place to spend your money.

Case in point, some years ago when dealing with some difficult personal issues, I decided to seek professional therapy. When the aforementioned medical professional walked into my practice and proceeded to "blister" me for eyewear that was a day late, I found that I didn't need his services nearly as much as I thought I did.

Wow Judy, your final therapy was in your place not theirs! And was the best visit you had.

[CME4SPECS]

If someone is standing in front of you...they have taken their time to come in for your services and are due alot more respect than the person on the phone. There is nothing that ticks me off more than to be standing at the checkout counter at the store and the checker answers the phone and the line stops. Very disrespectful in my opinion.

What's that old saying? One in hand is better than 2 in the bush.

I will excuse myself from a customer on occasion to answer the phone, depending on the situation. I will tell the caller that I will return the call as soon as I'm available.

[kat]

The person in front of you is always the most important. I take numbers and return the calls in the time length that I said I would. Is this a Dr's office that you do business with? If so, they might have felt that it was "ok" to let you be, since you are in the biz.

[chip anderson]

Depends on whether the person on the phone is a customer or a friend/relative/lover. If the person is on the phone when the person in front of you arrives, they shoud at least be recognised and spoken to, then go back to the customer on the phone. If the person on the phone is not a customer tell them you have a customer and hang up even if the person on the phone is one of those that rattles on for five minites after you say goodbye, hang up now.

Chip

[tmorse]

When the aforementioned medical professional walked into my practice and proceeded to "blister" me for eyewear that was a day late, I found that I didn't need his services nearly as much as I thought I did.

I agree that 'blistering' anyone in these circumstances may not be appropriate.
But I have to ask... why wasn't this particular medical professional contacted (by phone, email, etc) that his glasses would not be available on the date specified?

[Johns]

No...w/out exception, we take care of the person that is there. We have a "hold" button, and am not afraid to use it, but we usually explain that we are helping someone else and we'll call them back. This is in offices where we sometimes only have one person working. Our main offices have 2 receptionists, so there is usually always someone to handle the calls.

[Judy Canty]

I agree that 'blistering' anyone in these circumstances may not be appropriate.
But I have to ask... why wasn't this particular medical professional contacted (by phone, email, etc) that his glasses would not be available on the date specified?

No opportunity. His office was closed. Don't start second-guessing me, please. I was there.

[chip anderson]

Speaking of calling in advance. One of the things I detest in "modern medicine" is doctor's offices (no matter what they specialize in) that answer "Drs. M & F could you hold the line please." Then they put the patient on hold before finding out what the problem is. The patient might have a problem that needs to be seen as quick as he can get in the door (I have lost vision completely in one eye, I just got poked in the eye with a steel pipe, The clorox or lie splashed in my eyes.) or whatever. The receptionist is busy BS'ing with co-workers or scheduling routine refraction appointment.
If they call themselves "Doctor's Offices" they should learn the problem and find out if someone need immediate medical treatment.
And no BS about they should go to the emergency room first as they could be there for hours before a doctor in the specialty required (especially if it's and eye emergency) gets there to actually do something.

[mdeimler]

Very good point, chip +1

[tmorse]

No opportunity. His office was closed. Don't start second-guessing me, please. I was there.

Easy now...sorry if I offended.
I simply made the assumption that every medical professional owns a personal cellular phone where a message can be left, and that you would have had this personal cell phone information recorded in his patient file. A cell message that his 'eyeglasses will not be available on the date indicated' would probably have prevented this 'blistering'.

[shannon]

If you are standing here, we've already GOT you. If you call, we WANT you.

LOL, but thankfully, If I am standing, then I have legs and can walk out the door if service is less than awesome, then you may not have anyone. I vote for person in the office, retention is key and half the phone calls we seem to get are automated sales calls....

[Judy Canty]

Easy now...sorry if I offended.
I simply made the assumption that every medical professional owns a personal cellular phone where a message can be left, and that you would have had this personal cell phone information recorded in his patient file. A cell message that his 'eyeglasses will not be available on the date indicated' would probably have prevented this 'blistering'.

Pre-cell phone era, pre-pager era, pre-fax era. Remember, I've been doing this for a very long time!

[spectaclegal]

omg you hit the nail on the head. you were a done deal, to them. The call was only potential. Poop that! Real customers on the phone can keep sitting on the john ( no offense johns) or they can look at tv, not generally any real sense of urgency. That Doc I suppose has his bottom line right, or maybe not. You were in the net, the other was just a bite. In the end, You Mike could have been offended depending on how long you were made to stand there & said good bye.

great question. If the person on the phone is willing to give up there digits, then the one who has gone out of there way to be there will absolutely get all of my attention!

[eyeGJ]

Add another vote for the person in front of you. We ask the caller to please hold and someone will be with you shortly. This week we set up our answering machine to pick up any calls after the 3rd ring due to being understaffed at the front desk.

[uncut]

A general rule of unwritten uncut optical office etiquette:

If I can't see you, you ain't next.

[spectaclegal]

A general rule of unwritten uncut optical office etiquette:

If I can't see you, you ain't next.

awesome!

[Chris Ryser]

I have left suppliers that use the voice mail system on their telephones. You call them and can not talk to anybody while they might sit next to the phone. They might call you back a few hours later whenever they can or want to. Tou might not even be there no more.

We do answer the phone on the first or second ring, if it rings a third time anybody in the office will answer and then pass the call on to whover is to answer it by putting the call on hold and watching if it has been picked up. If not, the person is advised that there will be a little wait every 60 seconds or we will call them back.

First come first served, telephone or in person and all second come are politely reminded that we will take of them next. We all live from our customers who will go elsewhere when they feel unwanted.

[MikeAurelius]

I think what really p'd me off was the 'talk to the hand' gesture.

[EyeManFla]

And the worse possible thing that can happen is they get your home phone number. Anyone who has owned their own business know just how much fun that SUNDAY afternoon call is for a customer that just broke their glasses......
BTW: at our office, customers ask for OUR cell numbers all the time. It is the official policy that we NEVER call patients on our cells or give out our cell numbers.[
QUOTE=Judy Canty;429568]Pre-cell phone era, pre-pager era, pre-fax era. Remember, I've been doing this for a very long time![/QUOTE]

[nicksims]

Person in front of us has highest priority. Nearly always (many of our patients know they take a while and we work in the phone calls if urgent). Often I am sitting with a patient, they hear the phone ring, and we don't answer it. Some patients get a little antsy and ask why I don't answer it. I tell them that they are who I am helping now, phone calls are secondary (better wording in conversation of course), and we really do answer messages and call back quickly. The patient likes this and they know what to expect if they ever call and must use voicemail. Our patients are "trained" for this, are used to it, and appreciate that when we call, we handle that conversation as carefully as if they were in front of us. So far so good...

Now if I can only stop the calls from the Merchant Service Providers wanting our credit card business. They are the new low member of the food chain.

[nicksims]

"Gal holds up her hand to me, answers the phone,"

Mike,
Putting up the hand? Yep- irritating. Hmmm, perhaps a good time for a high five? Shake her hand? Perhaps grab a sharpie quickly and offer your autograph? I doubt I would have done any of these things, but tempting.