Critical Importance: If staff isn’t comfortable with the tools or discussing payments with patients, financing won’t be utilized. This is the #1 implementation roadblock.

Training Objectives

By the end of training, every staff member should be able to:

• Explain all three financing tiers to a patient
• Use PatientFi calculator in real-time
• Use Cherry calculator in real-time
• Present financing naturally during consultations
• Handle common patient objections about financing
• Process financing applications start to finish

Training Approach: The Checklist Method

Rather than a rigid agenda, use a checklist approach to ensure every team member reaches competency.

For each staff member, verify:

• Understands WHY financing matters (not just HOW)
• Feels comfortable discussing money with patients
• Can access all three financing platforms independently
• Has practiced the “and/or” script out loud
• Can use calculators without assistance

The 4-Part Training Session

Part 1: The “Why” (15 minutes)

Help staff understand the value financing brings to patients, not just the clinic.

Discussion prompts:

• “Have you ever wanted something but couldn’t afford it all at once?”
• “How would financing have helped you in that situation?”
• “Our patients face this every day with aesthetic treatments.”

Reframe financing as:

• A SERVICE to patients (helps them access care)
• Not a sales tactic (removes barrier to treatment they already want)
• Empowering for patients (gives them control and options)

Part 2: Platform Walkthrough (20 minutes)

Hands-on practice with each platform:

1. Stripe BNPL (5 min)
   • Access your customized checkout menu
   • Process a test transaction
   • Explain when to recommend it
2. Cherry Calculator (7 min)
   • Login to platform
   • Navigate to calculator
   • Input sample treatment costs
   • Show different term options
   • Practice explaining results to “patient”
3. PatientFi Calculator (7 min)
   • Login to platform
   • Navigate to calculator
   • Input sample treatment costs
   • Show different term options
   • Practice explaining results to “patient”

Part 3: Script Practice (20 minutes)

Role-play scenarios: (everyone hates this one, but it’s IMPORTANT!)

Scenario 1: Small Purchase ($500)

• Staff member: Provider
• Manager: Patient
• Practice: “And/or” pricing + BNPL option

Scenario 2: Medium Purchase ($2,000)

• Staff member: Provider
• Manager: Patient
• Practice: Using Cherry calculator in real-time

Scenario 3: Large Package ($5,000)

• Staff member: Provider
• Manager: Patient
• Practice: Presenting both Cherry and PatientFi options

After each scenario:

• What felt natural?
• What felt awkward?
• How can we improve the language?

Part 4: Objection Handling (15 minutes)

Common patient objections and responses:

Objection 1: “I don’t want to go into debt.”
Response: “I completely understand. This isn’t debt in the traditional sense, it’s just spreading your payment out. You’re still paying the same total amount, just over time instead of all at once. Think of it like a payment plan.”

Objection 2: “Will this hurt my credit score?”
Response: “Great question! Cherry and PatientFi both use soft credit checks, which won’t impact your credit score at all. And with our Stripe options, there’s no credit check required for the 4-payment plan.”

Objection 3: “I need to think about it.”
Response: “Of course! While you’re thinking, would it help to see what the monthly payment would look like? That way you have all the information you need. It only takes 30 seconds to check.”

Objection 4: “I’ll just put it on my credit card.”
Response: “Absolutely, that’s an option! Just so you know, our financing often has lower interest rates than credit cards, and it keeps your credit card available for other things. But either way works!”

Objection 5: “What if I don’t get approved?”
Response: “We work with three different financing partners specifically so we can find an option that works for almost everyone. And the application is quick, there’s no commitment to apply.”

Ongoing Training & Reinforcement

Weekly Check-Ins (First Month):

• How many financing presentations this week?
• Any patient objections you didn’t know how to handle?
• What feels easier now vs. week 1?
• Any tools/resources needed?

Monthly Audits (Ongoing):

• Mystery shop consultations (observe financing presentation)
• Review financing utilization rate (% of patients offered financing)
• Celebrate wins (share success stories)
• Refresh training for any staff struggling

Quarterly Workshops:

• Advanced objection handling
• New financing features or platforms
• Share best practices from top performers
• Team competition (best financing story wins prize)

Addressing Staff Resistance

Signs of resistance:

• Staff “forgets” to mention financing
• Rushes through financing mention
• Only brings it up after patient objects to price
• Shows discomfort or apologizes when discussing money

How to address:

1. Private conversation: “I’ve noticed you seem uncomfortable mentioning financing to patients. Can you help me understand what feels difficult about it?”
2. Reframe perspective: “When we offer financing, we’re not pushing them to buy something they don’t want. We’re removing a barrier to something they’ve already told us they want. We’re actually helping them.”
3. Skill-building: “Let’s practice the script together a few times until it feels more natural. I’ll be the patient, you be the provider.”