How to master the Initial Inquiry

1. How to master the Initial Inquiry

2. Objectives • Understanding our customers • Safe Solutions – our answer to 911 • The initial inquiry phase – what is our goal? • Understanding our customer’s needs and wants • The tools available to you to help with taking the initial inquiry call

3. Who is our Customer? What are their needs? Parent Spouse Future Resident

4. The Adult Child • 41% of baby boomers have a living parent and are providing care for them • 47 year old female daughter or daughter-in-law • Works full time • Has adult or “almost” adult children of her own – could be still paying for college

5. The Spouse • They are “surviving” not thriving • Benefit driven – not need to move-in • Support the caregiver’s vision for what each day could be – honoring their role and creating their space for continued involvement • We can help the spouse make the best days for their loved one

6. The Future Resident Our potential residents are in the toughest developmental stage of their lives. • Their struggle focuses on two things: • The need for control • The need to discover their legacy

7. Development Stages: TANTRUM! REBELLION! AMBIVALENCE. Teenager Control Independence Toddler: Control Want vs. Need Senior Control Legacy

8. Future Resident • They process information slower • Stories and metaphors work better initially than logic • Their need for urgency is very different from ours • Their communication style is non-linear • Their “repetition” is a valuable key to understanding what’s important to them • The obvious choice is not always right for them • Adapt your language to their needs“This is your decision. We will work with whatever you feel is the right choice.” From “The 7 Common Mistakes Professionals Make Communicating with Seniors” by David Solie, MS, PA

9. Adult Child vs. Senior Customer Your approach and communication style during the initial inquiry and follow up are going to be very different for the adult child than for the senior customer. Adult Child: • Strong sense of urgency • Time constraints • Want facts in logical format • Expect solutions Senior Customer • Process ideas & solutions slowly • Have ample free time • Engage in non-linear thinking and conversations • Stories/metaphors best approach to establish relationship

10. Spouse vs. Adult Child Your approach and communication style during the initial inquiry and follow up are going to be very different for the spouse of the future resident than the adult child or other family Spouse: • Needs to be with spouse – it’s an end-of-life situation • How can we enhance their current life? • Need to see the program working for their loved one – create an experience where the potential resident enjoys our program • They’ve got to want it – they deserve it, it’s got to be worth the money

11. Safe Solutions • Treat EVERY call or walk-in as a 911 call for help! • Find the right solution, even if it’s not with you • Educate your team • Sell solutions – not real estate

12. Goals for the Initial Inquiry • Gather the right information • Create a positive, personal and memorable experience for the customer • Schedule a next step

13. Phases of the call Discovery Ask Permission to Take Notes Questions Listening Matching Match their needs to your solutions Next Step This is your close – activities that are interactive, specific and require action on the part of the customer

14. Preparing yourself for the day • Environment • Turn away from your computer • Shut the door to your office • Yourself • Prepare yourself to Listen • Do NOT multi-task • SMILE before answering the phone • Posture

15. How NOT to Listen: “My brother is not really involved until it comes time to talk about money…” Oh I completely understand... I can tell her about this one time when we had a family that had some unusual dynamics and how it worked for them and… Waiting to speak, instead of listening

16. How NOT to Listen “My dad has a really tiny pressure sore, but it’s almost gone.” “Ok. Why don’t you tell me what his hobbies are?” Ignoring what you don’t understand or think is important

17. How NOT to Listen: My mom doesn’t know who I am anymore. She thinks I’m her mother.” “I know exactly how you must be feeling…” Assuming you understand the details or how they feel

18. How NOT to Listen “I guess my Dad really just needs help with cleaning and laundry.” “Well, you have come to the right place! We offer laundry and housekeeping services once a week, and…” Assuming you’ve heard “enough” to start solving

19. Active Listening: • General Lead • Restatement • Pause • Comfortable Probe • Impact Question “Tell me more?” “What else should I know?” “Anything else?” “And?” “What else?” Repeat back a key word or phrase with the sound of a question. Just like it sounds… PAUSE. Allow the customer to voice their thoughts. “For instance?” “Can you share an example?” “Tell me more about that?” “How has this affected you?” “Tell me about the impact this has had on you and others?” “How often does this cause…?” “What do you think might happen if you don’t find a solution quickly?”

20. Discovery Roots – Permission to ask questions Trunk – Core Questions from Inquiry Form Branches – Queries to learn more about core questions Leaves – Needs matching to service Fruit – Time Activated Next Step

21. Let’s take a look…… Inquiry Forms

22. Next Steps • Identify the decision maker • Match the most important needs/wants with your invitation to present and let them experience the solutions at your community • Determine the customer’s schedule • Give a choice of two days and times • Write it down and repeat to verify

23. What you have learned • Your customer is your future resident – meet them where they are and learn how to communicate with them • Goals during an initial call are to gather the right information, create an experience and schedule a time activated next step • Safe Solutions is your commitment to every person reaching out for help • The inquiry process is systematic and logical – follow the process and enjoy great success

24. Practice