6 Steps to transitioning your clients over to a new therapist

We all have those loyal clients who will ‘only see us’ in the clinic.  I'm sure most of us have our favourite hairdresser or dentist that we like, and don’t want to see anyone else either! But what happens when we need to step off the floor and introduce new staff to those clients who only want to see us?

Do you have a few clients that spring to mind, that you consider ‘your clients’ loyal clients that have been with you from the beginning?

How do you go about the transition from you to the new staff members?

Always remember to include your client as part of the journey, don’t just book them in with someone new one day – imagine how you would feel if that happened at your dentist or hairdresser (Noooooo!).

1. Plant the seed

The first thing you need to do is mention that you're hiring new staff, or open the topic of other staff members and talk to the client about why you've hired this staff member, her qualifications, her experience, all the positive attributes and how excited you are to have them as part of your team.

2. Promote the alternative

Secondly, say to your client that you'd love for them to have a treatment with the other therapist at some time. This gently flags the possibility of them seeing someone new, and this is a time where the client may say she doesn’t want to see anyone else. Then it is your choice to decide if you will make the time to see that client for every appointment in the future or risk losing the client by not rebooking her with you anymore. There may be some clients who just refuse to budge.

3. Introduce new friends

Bring the new therapist into the room with you at a time when you're doing a treatment, for an introduction and a little chat. Once you have made the introductions and spoken about her being treated by that other staff member let the client know that next time you book them in it will be with the new therapist, reiterate that you know she's going to love her.

4. Maintain your old friends

On the day of that treatment, pop your head into the room to say "Hi", this is your opportunity to remind the client that she will love being treated by this therapist and that you're not far away.

5. Keep the love flowing

Follow up with your client post treatment, whether it's that afternoon or the next day, pick up the phone or send a text message /email whichever way you communicate and just check in to make sure the client was happy… The worst thing you can do is just assume she loved the treatment, you run the risk of that client feeling like you didn't care and you just palmed her off to someone else, a simple call just make sure she loved it also gives you the opportunity to get some really valuable feedback, this way you know moving forward that your clients are happy or if something needs to change.

6. Do other stuff

It's inevitable that you will be stepping off the floor and introducing new staff at some point, it's a great problem to have that you're that busy.