Those in their 30s should be prepared for a big shock. With all of the new technology out there, we’re forgetting the usefulness of some of the oldest, most tried-and-true solutions that were with us from the beginning!
If you need an example, we can look at your phones. I don’t mean the latest and greatest smartphone, but simply your standard, run-of-the-mill, business phone system. Phones have been around since you were a child, but they’re not the same.
Here are examples of technology which integrates with your phone lines, that can help you fill your appointment book!
Start Using A Virtual Phone Software
If someone tries to phone your practice when nobody is around, they’ll give up. Everything will change if you start using a virtual phone system like Grasshopper. You might not be around to answer the phone, but it will automatically transfer it to another phone designated for off-hours calls.
The cool thing about this service, is that someone can leave a voice message and it will be transcribed into an email, so someone can contact them in the morning.
AI Can Communicate By Phone Too
You’ve probably heard lots of tech nerds raving about chatbots over the last few years. I think the vast majority of people assume they can only communicate through messenger apps, which isn’t true. They can now speak with people on the phone too!
Lots of companies will tell you it’s a bad thing. They’ll say chatbots are emotionless, which is simply stating the obvious. But patients who simply want to make a quick appointment will find the AI method efficient and easy. And since this service would only be used during off-hours, it’s better than the alternative of a prospective patient calling, and hanging up on the voicemail.
Voice-enabled AI chatbots can integrate with your dental practice management software, to create appointments for those who call without taking time away from the early morning call-backs that your staff experiences, sometimes on a daily basis.
Online Appointment Software
In the past, people would phone to book an appointment at the dentist. They would know when they’d be called in, but they wouldn’t necessarily know how long the procedure will take. After all, it would depend on what you were having done to your teeth.
Online appointment software, such as praktika, makes it possible to fill in those gaps that would normally be sitting empty. This is good for your patients, as they can look online and see when they’ll be out of your practice and back into their daily routine. It also helps your practice, as automatically booking appointments from start to end keeps your schedule full, without much work performed by your receptionists!
Online appointment software such as Prtatika makes it possible to fill in those gaps that would normally be left sitting empty.
It’s Very Important To Be Proactive
To run your clinic effectively over the phone it means you’ll need staff members talking to patients. Let’s assume everyone who you’ve worked on before will come back because they love your work. There will still be people calling who don’t really know you.
Get someone to come twice as often and you’ll automatically double your profits. They will actually be glad they visited too, but they won’t come on their own. You’ll need to phone them up and sell them on the idea. Use software when figuring out who to call.
Set up your dental office scheduling coordinator for success
A Phone Doesn’t Need To Be Old School
It’s easy to think of a phone as outdated technology, but it’s not the case. Everything we’ve talked about today should prove you can use them to run a dental clinic. Follow these tips we’ve mentioned and your business will grow.
Unless you (train your staff) members properly you’re going to lose patients (and money) to the competition.
About the Author
Tanya is blogger from Brisbane, Australia. Tanya’s area of expertise is in new and upcoming technologies, and business management.