What to change
Explain what the team needs to progress the specific enquiry and how to supply it through the approved route. Keep the request proportionate to the decision about the booking.
A worked example
Illustrative example
A team asks which branch a visitor means because the original service is offered at several sites. The message explains that this helps it discuss suitable appointment options, not that an appointment has already been reserved.
Put it into practice
Avoid making them repeat their entire enquiry. Ask reception which small missing details most often hold things up, then improve those particular questions before adding more fields to the form.
Where a reply is required, say which message or route to use. A clear question is still difficult to answer if the sender has used an address that cannot receive replies.
What to agree before publishing
Write the follow-up request around the smallest clarification that will move the enquiry forward. If the missing detail is a branch preference, list the relevant branch names rather than asking the visitor to resend the whole form. Explain how they should reply and whether any appointment has been reserved. Reception should be able to connect the answer to the original enquiry. Otherwise, a helpful-looking question can start a separate conversation that loses the context the team already had.
How to check the result
The visitor understands the missing information and the stage their enquiry has reached.
A mistake to avoid
Do not ask for a full set of personal or clinical details when one practical clarification would answer the immediate question.
Turn reading into a next step
Your action checklist
Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
Further reading
These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.
Related guides
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