Sales Professionals and Doctors Both Should Position for the Sale

So as a red head, in my mid life it is time to have the moles checked.

One came back abnormal, so it had to be cut out. A few weeks ago I
showed up for my appointment only to be told the DR. was over booked,
and I would have to wait 45 minutes to an hour just to get me in. Of course I just rescheduled for the first morning appointment which happened to be this morning.

I wanted to share something I noticed that the doctor does naturally, and we in sales should do with purpose.

I sat in a waiting room and then was brought into a room by a medical assistant. In insurance I would call the person a CSR = Customer Service Representative.

The medical assistant explained what was going to go on, (it was written down and she read from the paper) in sales this would be called sales scripting. The assistant checked my vital signs and prepared the room for the Dr's arrival. The final step before the medical assistant was done was completing a check list to make sure she hadn't missed anything. It was 8:15 when she was done getting everything in order. 

She told me it would be about 15-20 minutes before the Dr arrived as the
Dr doesn't come in until 8:30 for the first appointment. 

When the Dr finally came in to do the procedure, I was ready, and waiting for the Dr’s arrival. Even anticipating it a bit, after all shortly I would be meeting the person that could help me, and clearly that person was very busy and needed lots of assistants to get things ready for the Dr’s arrival.

When the Dr had finished, the medical assistant was left to to finish bandaging me up, and give me all the info I needed, as well as set the next appointment to have the stitches taken out. I noticed I didn't take any cell phone calls while I was with the DR, or check my email, or excuse myself to do a more important task etc. No instead because of positioning, when the Dr got there the Dr had my full attention. Why? Because the Dr was positioned as important, busy, an expert in the field. (Hummm? Salesmanship positioning?)

I thought about my office and how things are running here. I thought
about how my staff helps my clients and gets them ready, or prepared to
meet with me. They collect policy information, create the summaries,
and gather loss runs, and summaries them for me as well. My staff uses
check lists as well. Typically I am handed a file, with all the info I
need to do my part, and when I am done I had the file back to my staff,
and move onto the next appointment.

It is an interesting similarity as I don't do the prep work, and I don't do the work after the procedure either.

It was just a great lesson in working at our highest capacity, and
leveraging the time we spend working. Of course the key is great staff
that understand what you will be doing and why, and love helping our
clients. Interesting.... 

Before I left the office the medical assistant read to me a script about
what I am suppose to do, and not do for the next few days. (Interesting
we have everything in our office sales scripted as well)

PS. The Dr did make small talk while cutting me up..... And hopefully
will soon be another one of my clients! What is interesting about this is that I am also able to have easy conversations with my clients as well, as my staff has done all the misc stuff so my mind if free to concentrative on my clients needs, rather than the misc stuff that has to be done to allow me to service my clients. How about you? Are you making the coffee? Filling the copier with paper, and typing your own file jackets?