top of page

Write an Effective Script to Maximize Your In-House Appointment Setting Efforts

Writer's picture: Brookelle HunterBrookelle Hunter

Why use a script for appointment setting calls?


Setting insurance review appointments sounds easy enough - especially with your existing customers, right?


Not exactly. Whether your customers are open to the idea of a customer insurance review or not, you’ll need a script for a few big reasons.


CYA

Using a script can help ensure you’re fulfilling all legal requirements of customer outreach.


Call recording permission and identifying yourself and your company are just a few things you should include in your script to protect your agency and staff members (depending on local laws/regulations).

It’s easy to forget some of these things when not following a script.


Clear Direction for the Call


supervisor showing appointment setter the script to use

A compelling script gives a clear purpose for the call.


Not only is the script helpful in respecting your customer’s time, but it also enables the caller to confidently direct the call with clarity.


It’s much easier to be confident in what you say if you already know the words you need to say.


It’ll also help you to omit filler words: “um,” “like,” “so,” etc.


Includes All Important Talking Points


A well-written script will also ensure thoroughness and clarity - the overall quality of the call.


Your script should cover a few essential points so that all relevant information is shared. This also helps to fend off any potential confusion your customer might have.


In the past, some of our callers assumed that skipping parts of the script work as a shortcut, but as it turns out, they ended up spending more time answering questions from confused customers - questions that would have been answered by not taking the “shortcut” in the first place.



Putting Your Script Together


As you build a script for appointment setting, make sure to:

  • Be concise

  • Avoid industry jargon that your customers might not understand

  • Say the words out loud

    • This will help you make revisions as needed

  • Don’t overthink it - It’s a simple, straightforward call


As we go through the different pieces of the script, we’ll share some examples as templates you can follow in creating your own.




Intro


Example:

Hi [CUSTOMER NAME]? This is ________ calling from [COMPANY/AGENCY]; how are you doing today?


Just to let you know, this call may be recorded for training purposes.


If you record your calls, ensure this is disclosed up front to comply with laws and regulations in your area.

Asking how they’re doing is almost always a good idea! It’s an effortless way to show them that you’re not there solely to give your spiel and get out, but that you care.

insurance appointment scheduler smiles while speaking on the phone

Purpose of the Call (AKA your “pitch”)


The main portion of your script should be friendly and direct while showcasing the benefits the client will get from agreeing to an appointment. Remember to avoid confusing industry jargon.


Example 1:

First, we wanted to thank you for your business and loyalty. We would also like to schedule an appointment with you [IN OUR OFFICE/VIRTUALLY/OVER THE PHONE] - we want to confirm that you’re getting all the discounts you’re eligible for and make sure your coverage selections reflect any recent changes or future plans. The conversation should only take 30-45 minutes.


Example 2:

The reason for my call today is to thank you for your business and loyalty. We wanted to invite you in for an appointment in the next few weeks. We just want to make sure your coverage selections are up to date with any recent changes or future plans you might have, and also ensure you’re getting all the discounts you’re eligible for. It should only take about 30-45 minutes.


The end of your pitch should then ask a direct question. At Engagex, here’s what we ask:

Would a morning or an afternoon appointment work best with your schedule?


This close-ended question is essential.

Avoid open-ended questions like, “Are you interested in coming in for that appointment?” or “Are you able to come in for an appointment?”.


Even customers who have a great relationship with you are busy.


We’re all human and tend to take the out when given a chance.

Don't worry, they’ll let you know if they really don’t want to come in for the appointment.

insurance customer receives a call from her agent

Their answer will lead you to setting the appointment (or not - more on that later).

Continue with the close-ended questions when scheduling:


Example 1:

We have [TIME] available on [DAY OF MONTH], or we have [TIME] on [DAY OF MONTH]. Which time works best for you?

Example 2:

The soonest we can get you in would be [TIME] on [DAY OF MONTH], or we could do [TIME] on [DAY OF MONTH] if that would be better - which works better for you?


If neither option you give works for the client, continue to offer additional appointment times in groups of 2.


After they choose a time, confirm and include important info (location, anything they should bring, who they’ll be meeting with, etc.)

Example:

Okay, great. I have you scheduled for [TIME] on [DAY OF MONTH], and you’ll be meeting with __________. You can go ahead and mark that on your calendar.


Are you familiar with where our office is located on/near [ROAD or LANDMARK]? (provide directions as needed)


Great. Your appointment is set for [TIME] on [DATE]. We’ll give you a reminder call the day before, is this the best number to reach you at?

We also encourage you to bring any non-[COMPANY] policies with you if you have any, just to help identify potential gaps or overlaps in coverage.


Thank you so much for your time today [CUSTOMER NAME]; we appreciate you and look forward to seeing you on [DATE]. Have a great day/evening!



Responding to Objections


Obviously, not every call will yield an appointment. So what do you do when someone says they’re not interested in meeting or has objections to it?


Since we’ve been doing this for over 15 years, we’ve identified the most common objections insurance clients usually have when it comes to review appointments.


We also have a free PDF download for you to use!





If you can't download it because of your network’s firewalls, send us an email requesting the common objections, and we’ll send it to you! carter@engagex.com

We train our callers to read the situation when responding to any objections to avoid being pushy but to be more inquisitive and informative to make sure the client understands what they’re saying no to.


A good rule of thumb to start with would be to use 2 responses to objections before giving up on the appointment.

As you’ll see in the blog mentioned above, “responses to objections” aren’t necessarily “rebuttals.” You can easily respond with a question.


call center agent speaks with insurance customer to set an appointment

For example, a client immediately tells you they’re not interested in an appointment.


You can respond with,


“Okay, no problem. Have you come in for a review appointment before?”


This response opens a dialogue so you can get a better gauge of where they’re at.


Maybe they recently did a review and ended up on your list by mistake.


Or perhaps they think this will be a sales meeting rather than a review.


By asking simple questions, you’ll be able to understand more about your clients, which will help you decide how to move forward with the interaction.


Voicemail Messages


For many of our appointment setting packages, we call each customer up to 3 times before leaving a message.


On the third attempt, if the client doesn’t answer, we leave a voicemail.

After making your script, don’t forget to write a short voicemail message. It can be pretty close to the same thing you say in the main portion of the script.


Be sure to include:

  • Who the message is for

  • Your name

  • Agency name

  • Thank for business/time (optional)

  • Invite for a review

  • Provide phone number to call back

  • Thank them for their time/well wishes


Example:

Hi, this message is for [CUSTOMER NAME]. This is ________ calling from [AGENCY NAME].


We wanted to thank you for your business and loyalty. We also want to schedule an appointment with you [IN OUR OFFICE/VIRTUALLY/OVER THE PHONE] to confirm you’re getting all the discounts you’re eligible for, and make sure your coverage selections are up to date with any recent changes or future plans. It should take about 30-45 minutes. If you’re interested, please call our office at [PHONE NUMBER] to schedule. Thanks for your time [CUSTOMER NAME], have a great day/evening!




If you’re interested in seeing the exact script our callers use, send us an email, and one of our reps can send it to you and answer any questions you might have! info@engagex.com


We hope our simple script breakdown helps you with your appointment setting efforts!


Did we miss anything that you’ve seen to be important?


Or do you have further questions? Shoot us an email.

445 views0 comments

Commentaires


bottom of page