Top five personal attributes

http://crstoday.com/2015/08/building-the-perfect-team/
TOP FIVE PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES BY ANGEL SEYMOUR
I work in a very fast-paced ophthalmic practice, so our team has made it the responsibility of all our 13 employees to intercept incoming calls and assist our patients. Here are five traits we look for in individuals interested in joining our team.
No. 1. Compassion. We can teach anyone about the eye, how to triage incoming calls, and which time slot to use in our patient management system. We cannot train kindness and empathy: either you have it, or you do not.
No. 2. An understanding of our philosophy, “excellence in eye care.” This mentality does not happen overnight. We do not have a treat-and-release attitude; we aim for excellence for every patient, every visit, and every time.
No. 3. A winning smile. I am a firm believer that you can hear a smile through the phone. By placing mirrors at workstations our staff can see themselves smiling when answering the phone and while conversing with patients.
No. 4. A sense of priority. The ability to multitask in our environment is extremely important. When patients call in, however, they are our top priority, and everything else can wait. No. 5. The ability to articulate and enunciate. Scripts, rehearsing, and coaching have enabled our staff members to clearly and sensitively deliver our message. Our staff is instrumental in the expansion of our phone protocol from assisting us in developing scripts, maximum number of rings before answering, patient on-hold times, and warm transfers. We are able to create this awareness within by reminding our staff that each patient could be their mother, father, child, and/or relative. We ask, “How would you want your family treated?”

Angel Seymour an ophthalmic administrator with more than 25 years’ customer service experience at Brian M. Brown, MD, in Downey, California. n (310) 433-5389; angel@brianbrownmd.com