Mastering Inbound Phone Calls: How to Convert More Online Leads to Paying Clients
Scripts and tips to increase your home care sales
Inbound leads are exactly what home care agencies hope for—clients coming directly to you, showing up interested in your services. But more than half the calls businesses receive go unanswered. Are you taking advantage of every opportunity?
Responding quickly increases your chances of landing the sale, and so does an impeccable phone manner. It helps to go in prepared, so we’ve prepared these scripts and tips to help you convert online leads to happy, paying clients.
4 scripts for answering inbound phone calls
Converting inbound phone leads begins with excellent communication skills. Here’s how to handle the most common scenarios you’ll encounter on the phone.
Scenario 1: Greetings
Greet the caller brightly and cheerfully. Tell them who you are and ask how you can help.
Hello! Thank you for calling Green Valley Home Care. My name is Brianna and I’m a client care specialist. How can I help you?
Scenario 2: Getting a question you don’t know how to answer
If you don’t know the answer to one of their questions, politely say so, then offer a solution:
Hmmm. That’s a good question, but I don’t know the answer. Our team leader Keith will know, though. Can I put you on a brief hold while I go grab him?
Or
Our clinical care nurse will know more about that than I do. I can have her call you when she gets back from lunch. What’s the best number to reach you?
Scenario 3: Dealing with a rude client lead
It’s inevitable. At some point, you’ll encounter a caller who’s impatient, curt, or just plain rude. It’s your job to stay calm and respectful, and if you can, calm them too.
I understand that you’re in a hurry. We’ll do our very best to help you in whatever way we can.
If the situation escalates, you may need to pull in a supervisor.
That’s beyond what I can help you with. I can go find our client services lead for you. She should be able to answer those questions.
Scenario 4: Putting a caller on hold
When putting a caller on hold, tell them what you’re about to do and why—otherwise, it sounds like the call has ended.
I’ll need to put you on a brief hold so that I can find that information for you. Thank you for your patience!
5 scripts for responding to client leads
Scenario 1: You know what services they’re interested in
You might know what services they’re interested in because the home care lead has filled out an online form or left a detailed voicemail. Show them that you’re paying attention by mentioning their request.
Ask if they’re available to talk. Otherwise, schedule a specific time to follow up later.
Hi! My name is Brianna, and I’m a client services specialist at Green Valley Home Care. I’m calling for Sherry Dempsey. We received your inquiry about our in-home clinical nursing care for seniors, and I’m calling to tell you more about what we offer. Is now a good time to talk?
Scenario 2: Scheduling a call for later
If the caller is busy, ask to set up a call later in the day.
That’s no problem. I can call back later today. Is four o’clock alright? I can work around your schedule. What’s the best number to reach you?
Scenario 3: You don’t know what services they need, all you have is a name and a phone number
Other times, all you have is a name and contact information. When you respond to the lead, ask to speak to the person by name, then ask to learn more about why they inquired with your home care agency.
Hi! My name is Brianna, and I’m a client services specialist at Green Valley Home Care. I’m calling for Lisa Wood. I see that you filled out a contact form on our website. Can you tell me more about the kind of care you’re interested in?
Scenario 4: Responding to a missed call
If you miss the client’s phone call, reply promptly and apologize for the missed connection, then inquire about what they need.
Hi! My name is Brianna, and I’m a client services specialist at Green Valley Home Care. I see that you called our client services number over the weekend. I’m sorry we weren’t able to answer you right away, but I can certainly help you today. Tell me more about the services you’re interested in.
The danger in missing a phone call is that the lead can just hang up and call one of your competitors. To keep from losing that sale, try missed-call text-back.
Scenario 5: You don’t offer the services they need
Sometimes, a lead may be looking for services your agency doesn’t offer. This is when it helps to have friendly relationships with other agencies who can fill in those gaps so you can refer that client out (and so they can do the same for you).
Oh, I’m sorry to say that we don’t offer in-home care for adolescents on the autism spectrum. I can, however, give you the name and contact information for Thrive Home Services, which offers very good care. Do you have a pen to write this down?
9 tips for capturing inbound leads on the phone
- Tell them your name and who you are. It sounds so obvious, but when we’re working quickly, it’s easy to forget the basics. Start the call by telling the lead who you are and where you’re calling from.
- Make sure you have the right person on the phone. Before you move into talking about your senior care agency’s services, make sure you have the decision-maker on the phone. That’s usually the person who initiated the contact.
- Make sure you know their name and can say it correctly. As a sign of respect, and for accurately recording their information, ask how to pronounce their name if you’re unsure.
I’m calling for a Mr. — I want to make sure I’m pronouncing your name correctly — Mr. MacIverson?
I’m calling for a Mr. MacIverson. Did I say that correctly? Oh, good! Could you spell that for me? I want to make sure we get your name right.
- Listen. Inbound leads for home care agencies may be stressed, tired, or in a hurry. They may also be worried about their loved one. Listen to their needs and how they tell you. You may be able to help assuage their worries and therefore win their trust.
To ensure that you understand exactly what the lead is asking for, practice “looping”: listen to what the person is saying to you, repeat it back to them in your own words. Repeat until they say you’ve gotten it right.
So, your father is being discharged from the hospital, but you’re not sure when, so in the meantime, you’re looking to arrange some in-home post-operative care. Is that right?
You might even be able to identify other services you can provide, increasing the size of the sale.
- Get their contact information. If you don’t have it already, make sure to get the lead’s name and phone number so you can follow up with them later (and add them to your marketing automation platform).
- Take notes! As the potential client tells you who they are and what they need, take notes. Capture as much detail as you can while still actively listening to them. If you need them to slow down, you can say something like, I want to make sure I’m writing down exactly what you need. Can you repeat that again? Sounds like you need in-home occupational therapy?
Be sure to put those notes directly into your marketing automation engine when the call is over.
Take Away Tips
- If you need to place the caller on hold or transfer the call, tell them. Don’t leave them hanging. If you need to put the caller on hold, offer a gentle, I’ll need to put you on a short hold while I find that for you. Sit tight!
- Don’t let a rude caller get the best of you. At some point, you’ll find yourself on the phone with a rude caller. It’s frustrating, hurtful even, but your job is to remain professional. Consider that they may be in a stressful or desperate situation, and you can be the one to help.
- Be friendly and be yourself. These scripts are a starting point—if it’s more natural for you to vary it a little, then do so. You can be approachable and professional at the same time.
Home Care Marketing Pros' marketing automation is here to bring your lead response to the next level!
While our automation is not a replacement for your agency's personal touch, it can help you respond to clients quickly and promptly by messaging them directly, reminding you to, or even leaving voicemails to let clients know they're being taken care of! To find out more, watch our demo here!
