THH Playbook

Role Overview

What is an Opener?

As an Opener at Tulip Hill Healthcare, you are the first point of human contact for people in crisis or seeking help for addiction treatment. You are not a salesperson, and you are not a closer. You are a professional guide who qualifies callers and directs them to the right resources.

Your Goal (Qualify and Transfer, NOT Close)

Success Metrics

  • A successful open = qualifying the caller, creating a chart if qualified, then executing an internal transfer
  • Success is measured by quality transfers, not by closing admissions
  • You are the bridge between initial contact and the clinical/financial conversation

Your Role is NOT to:

  • Close the admission
  • Negotiate on program structure or pricing
  • Provide deep clinical assessments
  • Overcome objections like a salesperson
  • Make treatment guarantees

Your Role IS to:

  • Collect essential qualifying information
  • Determine if the caller is viable (commercial insurance, self-pay, or referral)
  • Build initial rapport and trust
  • Route the caller to the appropriate next step
  • Maintain call control without being pushy
  • Never tell the caller "NO" — always use boomerangs

How You Fit in the 7-Phase Call Flow

The complete call flow at Tulip Hill Healthcare consists of 7 phases:

  1. Open & Qualify (Your responsibility: 30 sec - 2 min)
  2. Rapport Building (Shared: You begin, Closer continues: 2-3 min)
  3. Discovery (Closer's responsibility: 1-2 min)
  4. Fact Finding (Closer's responsibility: 1-2 min)
  5. What They're Looking For (Closer's responsibility: 1-2 min)
  6. Tailored Presentation (Closer's responsibility: 2 min)
  7. Close (Closer's responsibility: 2 min)

Key Principles

1. You Own Qualification

You're not trying to close. You're trying to understand if someone is viable and if you're the right fit for them.

2. You're Genuinely Curious

Not curious-as-a-sales-tactic. Genuinely curious about their story. This shows up in your tone and they feel it.

3. You Hold Boundaries Kindly

You don't negotiate on clinical fundamentals. But you explain why with compassion.

4. You're Comfortable With Silence

You ask a question and wait. You don't fill silence with filler. This is your superpower.

5. You Use Your Recovery Story Strategically

Not in every call. Not as a substitute for listening. But when relevant, your story becomes proof that recovery is possible.

6. You Know Your Lane

You can qualify. You can answer basic questions. You can't diagnose, prescribe, or close. Knowing this makes you more confident, not less.

7. You Treat Every Call Like It Matters

Because it does. This person called out of desperation. Your calm professionalism in that moment might be the difference between them trying help or giving up.

Next: The Opener Phases →