In this age of cut-throat competition, every business must upgrade itself to meet the ever-changing needs of its client base. That includes dental practices. Your patients are busy people, and most of them do not have time to call your office during work hours to schedule appointments.
And even when they find a few minutes to jump on a quick call, they are often placed on hold or told to call back since the staff is out to lunch. This could lead to frustration that could result in calling another dental office. This effect can mainly hurt your patient retention and cost you money, but you can change all that. Scheduling an appointment should be as convenient and stress-free as possible for your patients.
This is where online booking gets in the picture, as with it, patients can make an appointment that best suits them, regardless of where they are or the time of day. Are you not convinced whether or not online booking is suitable for your dental practice? Read on to discover the benefits it offers for you and your patients!
The age of self-scheduling
Nowadays, consumers are accustomed to making quick online decisions to save time while meeting their needs perfectly. For your dental practice, you need to be responsive to the constant shift in consumer behavior. Suppose your practice doesn’t offer new and existing patients an option to book an online appointment with you anytime, anywhere. In that case, you are missing many opportunities to win new patients.
Your dental practice needs to be more visible and easily accessible to your clients through a robust system with 24/7 online booking capabilities. Lengthy contact forms and talking to staff members over the phone for appointments can be time-consuming and restrict your practice to specific hours. One survey revealed that 42% of patients prefer to schedule an appointment online than on the phone. However, only 17% of practices offer online bookings.
As consumers access online booking, about 26% choose same-day or next-day appointments, filling up empty slots on your schedule more efficiently. So, for your dental practice to be easily accessible to new customers, rise above the competition, and expand your practice, implementing an online booking system in your marketing strategy surely won’t hurt.
Reduce no-shows and cancellations
Real-time online booking reduces no-shows and cancellations by allowing patients to suit themselves in selecting timeslots that they know work for them instead of pushing them to modify their schedule depending on available appointments. Customers are more likely to keep the appointment they chose rather than adjust to an arrangement that doesn’t work for them.
Automating appointment scheduling can also help fill up the calendar gaps and boost your practice’s efficiency in case any of your patients end up canceling their appointments. This software can help prioritize filling up the most recent appointments so your dental practice doesn’t suffer from patient no-shows.
Increases level of patient satisfaction
Innovating and finding ways to impress your patients are crucial for the modern dental practice because they allow you to increase your referrals, fill your appointment book, and establish a stellar reputation in your field. Although above and beyond customer service is still the primary foundation of any business, technology allows you to go the extra mile for your patients. And one of the most valuable services you can give your patients is the opportunity to self-book their appointments directly from your website or app.
Furthermore, online booking helps patients stay current on their dental work despite their hectic schedules, and they will appreciate access to your schedule and book their appointments right from their gadgets. Your team will also be grateful for the break from making appointment reminder calls, allowing them to manage their time better in running your office.
Streamlines your workflows
Your patients don’t have to struggle to book an appointment. Online booking allows patients to choose and make their schedules while also giving you more space to contact patients who don’t have the time to call during the day. In the end, you are sure to witness an increase in productivity and revenue as a result.
Additionally, merging the appointment scheduling software with the EHR software will give dentists easier access to their patient’s history and make the necessary preparations before the patient arrives.
Choosing the right solution
By now, you might be interested in setting up an online booking for your practice. But you’re probably wondering what’s available and what kind of system you should use. There are many systems available; you only need to determine which one will work best for your practice. The whole point is to offer your patients an option to schedule their simple and hassle-free appointments.
In turn, your patients can see which appointment times are available and voluntarily choose the ones they prefer. It still needs some work on your end afterward, but it eliminates the need for phone calls.
Do you need help to ensure you maximize your dental practice’s bookings through a robust online booking system? Growth99 is here to impart its years of knowledge to you! Aiding hundreds of medical spas and clinics all over the United States, you can never go wrong with putting your trust in the hands of the experts! Book a free consultation today to learn more!
