One Mistake That Keeps Patients From Booking

In this episode of Coach’s Corner, Tracey Sundkvist and Jennifer Gligoric tackle one of the most overlooked sources of revenue (or loss!) in your clinic: the front desk. If you want to add $10,000 to your clinic’s bottom line in just 10 minutes, this is your playbook.

Tracey opens up about her personal experience as a patient—how a single phone call can make or break a sale, and why the front desk must speak the same language as your best ads. Jennifer jumps in with her hot-button take: the biggest mistake clinics make is hiring front desk staff for customer service, not for professional scheduling. The real job? Get butts in seats—period.

The hosts break down:

• Why “customer service” isn’t enough for your front desk


• The must-have mindset for professional schedulers


• Exact phone scripts that put you in control and boost conversions


• Why call control trumps “friendly hello” every time


• The critical role of follow-ups (and why most clinics are dropping the ball)


• How to handle chaos when phones ring and patients walk in at the same time


• The data-driven way to audit your front desk’s performance (and fix leaks fast)


• Why incentives work—and how to use them to energize your team

Tracey and Jennifer share actionable scripts, real-world examples, and their proven process for tracking, following up, and turning every call into an opportunity. If you’re running ads and not seeing results, your front desk might be the missing link.

• Front desk = professional scheduler: Their #1 job is to fill your calendar, not just answer calls.


• Use call control scripts: Always ask, “Who am I speaking with?” and guide the conversation.


• Measure what matters: Track how many first-time callers actually book and show up.


• Follow up relentlessly: Don’t lose leads by calling once and forgetting—automate and repeat.


• Incentivize performance: Set clear targets and reward your team for hitting them.

• Audit your incoming calls and booking rates—objectively.


• Implement the call control script shared in this episode.


• Set up a simple follow-up system for leads who don’t book right away.


• Consider incentive programs to keep your front desk motivated and accountable.

Feeling stuck? Need ideas to energize your front desk or brainstorm incentive plans? Book a free 15-minute session with Tracey or Jennifer at superclinicproject.com—just click on their pictures to schedule!

If this episode gave you $10,000 of value in 10 minutes, please like, follow, share, and leave a 5-star review. That’s how you help us—and other clinic owners—keep growing, serving, and living our best lives.