Radio Front Desk
Radio Front Desk is a podcast that talks to real people in real clinics about what it takes to build a health and wellness business.
Host Denzil Ford, Editor-in-Chief of Front Desk magazine, digs into the inspiring stories of folks building their practices from the ground up — including what works, what hasn’t, and everything in between.
Created by the team at Jane App, this podcast is your source for discovering fresh ideas and proven strategies for clinic life. Join us on this journey of building a practice you love.
Radio Front Desk
Do you freeze at the front desk? Strategies for front desk staff
What do you reach for when things get tense?
In this episode, Denzil opens up about what happens when pressure hits, like a tough phone call or a frustrated patient, and her brain suddenly goes blank. (Been there?)
She reflects on a conversation with her colleague Meghan Menzel, Jane App’s Training Lead and a longtime clinic front desk pro, about the high-stress moments that come with the job — and how to find your footing when your nervous system is spinning.
Denzil shares some thoughts on:
- Why pressure-cooker moments are just part of the front desk reality
- The L.E.A.P. model: a simple rhythm for responding to tough interactions
- Go-to phrases you can keep in your back pocket (no perfect script needed)
- How tone, pace, and presence can often say more than the actual words
It’s an honest, practical listen for anyone who’s ever felt frozen in a tricky moment and wants to feel a little steadier next time.
Have a favourite phrase or approach that helps when things get tense? We’d love to hear it. Drop us a line at frontdesk@jane.app.
And if you want more reflections like these from Denzil, subscribe to her bi-weekly newsletter.
Oh hey, it's Denzil here. When things get tense, I freeze. Some people get louder, some spring into action. I kind of shut down. It's like my body's in the room but my brain is still loading. This used to happen a lot when I worked at the front desk. Maybe it was ath phone call or a patient who was rightfully upset.
Speaker 1:That moment when somebody's energy comes in hot and even though I wanted to stay calm and helpful, I'd find myself totally blank. The words just wouldn't come. Or they did come out weird off and not at all what I meant. I wish I could say those moments are rare, but they're not. And if you've worked at the front desk you know those pressure cooker moments are the job they find you when you're behind on three things already and someone's asking for a fourth, and unless you've got some kind of anchor, some tiny thing to reach for, your nervous system just does what it does.
Speaker 1:That's part of what I talked about with my colleague, megan Menzel on the latest episode of Radio Front Desk. She's someone I always learn from. These days she's Jane's training lead, but for years she ran a clinic's front desk so she knows what it's like to be in it, like really in it. We covered a lot of ground, but one thing I keep turning over is this idea that sometimes it helps to have a rhythm not a script or a magic phrase, just a rhythm you can hold on to when your insides are flipping. Right now I'm loving the LEAP model. When things get tense and I know acronyms aren't for everyone the LEAP model when things get tense and I know acronyms aren't for everyone, I usually don't remember them either, but this one is actually stuck.
Speaker 1:It stands for listen, empathize, agree and partner. And here's how it plays out Listen, let them talk, don't interrupt or rush in to fix things. Even a few seconds of quiet can say I'm here, I'm listening. Empathize, name the feeling. You don't have to solve it, just show them that you see it. A simple that sounds frustrating actually can go a long way. Agree, find even one thing you both want, something like we both want this to go smoothly, and that can soften the whole tone. And finally, partner Bring them into what's next. For instance, what if we tried this together? That phrase opens a door that might have felt closed a second ago. It's not perfect and it won't work like a charm every time, but it gives me a path when I'm otherwise spiraling in place.
Speaker 1:Find your words and keep them at the tip of your tongue. Megan and I also talked about the importance of finding go-to phrases that feel authentic to you, so here's a few that have worked for me lately. When you say this, what I understand is this Is that right or yeah? I can see why that would feel frustrating. Let's take a sec and see what we can do together, and maybe even can I walk you through what usually happens next.
Speaker 1:I mean, sometimes I don't even say them exactly as planned, but having a few trusty words tucked in my back pocket makes me feel a little more grounded. And sometimes it's not even the words, it's just how you show up while saying them. It's the tone, the pace, even the way your face looks when you say it. People can feel it when you're with them, even if you're nervous. Anyway, that's what I've been thinking about lately. I'm still a work in progress, still freezing up, sometimes still coming back to these little tools that help me feel like I don't have to be perfect, just present. So I'm curious what's a freezer approach that helps you when things get tricky at the front desk? I'd love to learn what's worked for you. Chat soon.