Families researching senior living usually call more than one community. Whoever handles that first call best usually gets the tour. A good phone call is not luck. It comes down to who answers, how prepared they are and whether they ask for the visit.
Here are three ways to convert more phone leads into on-site tours, and the five mistakes that cost communities tours every day.
1. Choose the right person to answer your phones
The person who answers your phone is the first real conversation a family has with your community. Hire for this role on purpose. The ideal person is warm, knowledgeable, patient and comfortable steering a call towards the next step, which in senior living is almost always a tour.
Do not treat this as a junior role to save money. Tone matters on the phone as much as words do, and a rushed or flat voice tells a worried family more than anything you say.
2. Know the questions and objections ahead of time
Most callers ask about the same things: pricing, availability, levels of care, insurance and financing. Write down the questions your team hears most and the best answers to each, and keep that sheet beside the phone.
Remember that most callers have already looked at your website. When someone asks a good question that is not on your list, add it, and add the answer to your website too.
3. Ask for the tour, and make it easy to say yes
Too many calls end without anyone asking to schedule a visit. Once the caller’s questions are answered, assume they want to see the community and offer two or three specific times. Keep the tour calendar open during every call so you can book on the spot, then confirm by text or email.
Every call should have one goal. For most senior living calls, that goal is a booked tour.
5 mistakes to avoid when scheduling tours by phone
Keeping callers on hold, or not picking up
A missed or long-held call is often a lost family. They will simply call the next community on their list. Answer quickly, and if you miss a call, call back right away.
Not having a positive attitude
Callers can hear whether you are glad they called. Smile, slow down and sound like someone they would want to meet in person.
Talking more than you listen
Ask about the person who needs care, what is driving the move and what worries the family most. Listen to the answers. You will learn what to show them on the tour.
Seeming too eager to book the tour
Pushing for a visit before you have answered their questions feels like a sales pitch. Earn the tour first.
Not asking for the tour at all
The opposite mistake is just as costly. When the questions are answered and the family seems like a good fit, ask.
Be helpful first
Choosing senior living is a big emotional and financial decision. Be patient, be informative and be yourself. A caller who feels helped is far more likely to visit.
What is the one question your callers ask most often?