In the fast-paced world of plastic surgery, effective communication and patient engagement are crucial for success. While an in-office team plays a vital role in providing exceptional patient care, outsourcing calls is a strategic move that complements and enhances your practice’s operations and team’s performance.
In this blog, we’ll explore:
- How outsourcing calls can improve efficiency.
- Ways outsourcing lowers costs.
- Benefits for a plastic surgeon’s in-office team.
Enhancing Patient Engagement
Many offices make the mistake of delegating outbound calls and lead generation to medical practitioners, patient care coordinators, and the front desk – detracting from patients who are already in the practice.
Outsourcing calls significantly boost patient engagement, working hand-in-hand with your in-office team. These specialized call centers are equipped to handle patient inquiries promptly and professionally.
Whether booking consultations, addressing questions, or providing pre- and post-operative information, outsourcing services ensure that patients receive the attention and information they need without being bound by limited time. This level of responsiveness enhances patient satisfaction and fosters a positive relationship with your medical practice.
Expanding Availability
Your in-office staff has a limited amount of time to manage patient calls, and after-hours inquiries often go unanswered. This is where outsourcing calls can shine.
Prospective patients often find difficulty in scheduling cosmetic surgery, or a patient visit due to busy schedules, work hours, or limited time. These services allow your practice to expand its availability, allowing patients to reach your office even during evenings, weekends, or holidays – the moment they express interest in your services.
This extended accessibility of outsourcing calls not only enhances patient convenience but also captures potential appointments that might have been lost due to limited office hours. Imagine the delight of a patient who can easily book a consultation on a Saturday afternoon or get answers to pressing questions on a holiday. It’s a level of service that sets your practice apart.
Reducing Wait Times
Long hold times and busy signals can be a source of frustration for patients, potentially deterring them from seeking your services. This is where outsourcing calls excel yet again, reducing wait times by efficiently managing incoming calls and ensuring that patients are promptly connected to a live agent.
- On average, callers will only wait 90 seconds until they hang up (TalkDesk).
- 34% of callers who hang up won’t call back, ever (TalkDesk).
By maximizing your reach of prospects and creating a seamless patient journey, the worries of keeping a schedule booked of office procedures and surgeries transform from not having enough patients to not having enough time for the volume of patients.
This quick response demonstrates your commitment to patient care and minimizes the risk of patients abandoning their calls in frustration. When patients feel their time is respected, it significantly contributes to a positive patient experience.
Handling Overflow
There are times when call volumes surge unexpectedly, often when you launch a new marketing campaign or offer a limited-time promotion.
Handling this overflow of calls can be challenging for your in-office team, especially when they’re juggling various responsibilities. Outsourced call centers are prepared for these moments, ensuring that every call is answered promptly and professionally.
Surgeons who have a track record of excellent results and service often command a larger clientele but often won’t reach their full revenue potential simply due to missed calls and scheduling mishaps. Delegating your calls allows you to maintain the same quality of services to patients and focus on surgical procedures as your practice continues to grow.
This scalability of outsourcing calls allows your practice to capitalize on marketing opportunities without the risk of overwhelming your staff. Your in-office team can focus on delivering excellent patient care while the outsourced team manages the influx of inquiries and appointments.
Appointment Scheduling
Efficient appointment scheduling is a critical aspect of a plastic surgery practice. In-office staff, including medical providers, often wear multiple hats, and appointment scheduling can be time-consuming. Outsourcing calls bring in talent who specializes in appointment booking, guaranteeing time slots are efficiently filled.
They can coordinate with your in-office team to align schedules, making the process seamless for both patients and your plastic surgery center. No potential patient will slip through the cracks due to scheduling complexities, maximizing your appointment bookings and overall revenue.
Proactive Engagement
Outsourced call centers help your practice go beyond answering incoming calls and embrace a proactive approach to patient engagement. These services can provide valuable insights into key metrics such as the top reasons for missed calls, abandoned calls, customer service trends, and more, which can be used to optimize the entire process and ensure that your patients are receiving the best possible experience.
Additionally, they can also provide proactive follow-up calls to ensure that your patients have received the service they expected from your practice.
Managing Overhead Costs
Without the need to hire and extensively train a call center team, your allocation of revenue can be better directed to other resources. Moreover, hiring an outsourced call center eliminates the burden of excessive overhead costs due to the need to purchase and maintain call software and related equipment.
Looking to an agency allows your staff to focus on patients in-office while lowering administrative costs. With scalability and flexible pricing offered by third-party service providers, your practice can ensure financial health through a fluctuating volume of prospects.
How Do I Choose a Contact Center?
Making the decision to choose a contact center for your plastic surgery medical practice is a big one. Outsourcing calls with SalesMD offers extensive expertise with our US-based team specializing in plastic surgery businesses, solely focused on taking calls – and taking calls only.
Consider the following factors when making your decision:
- Location: A US-based team offers reliable agents with the proper language and communication skills necessary to best represent your practice.
- Cost: Pricing structures can vary – however, cost is not the only factor in competitive pricing, but the return you get on your investment with the right talent.
- Service & Specialty: Undergoing a cosmetic procedure is nerve-wracking. Hiring agents specialized in plastic surgery practices ensure that incoming calls are answered with knowledge and empathy.
- Reputation: Beyond online presence, selecting an agency with a record of working within the healthcare industry or being trusted by other plastic surgery businesses gives you peace of mind.
Streamline Your Practice by Outsourcing Calls!
Outsourcing calls can be an effective way to complement your in-office staff and provide a better patient experience. When done correctly, it will help maximize revenue potential, create efficient appointment scheduling, and provide valuable insights into customer service trends.
Commit to an excellent patient journey by contacting SalesMD today!
