Automated Phone Dialer

[crystalpm]

I am pleased to announce that Crystal Practice Management now has an integrated Automated Phone Dialer into our program.

An automated phone dialer is a way of contacting your patients with your computer. Using a voice modem, a phone dialer can call patients and confirm appointments, send appointment reminders, and even notify a patient of a frame/contact order.

[chip anderson]

Nothing, absolutely nothing pisses off customers more than an uninvited telephone solicitation, unless it's being put on hold and listening to commericials for the company you are waiting on.


Chip

[crystalpm]

For an unsolicited phone call that may be true. Most offices that use this feature use it to notify patients of an upcoming appointment (appointment reminder call) or to notify them of a frame or contact lens order for pickup. The call can also be configured to use an employees/doctor's voice in the call to make it more personable. The call can also be scheduled to call after hours. Improving the chance of getting a patient and not just the answering machine message.

[jherman]

I don't tolerate cold calls, however if you do the math. A busy practice spends a ton of money for people to cover the incoming and outgoing calls.

I feel DIY computerized scheduling and recorded messages are appropriate in certain practices.

James

[crystalpm]

I was just emailed and asked why you would want to schedule the automated phone call if you just play a message. I figured I would post an answer in case anyone else has that question.

The automated phone call can be interactive with the patient. When a live person answers their telephone, they will be able to listen to the message and also interact with the call by pressing keys, or leave a voice message.

If it is an appointment confirmation phone call the patient can press a button to confirm thier appointment. When they confirm the appointment the patient's appointment status is instantly changed in the schedule. Also patients have the option to leave a message to the office which will be saved in the patient's file.

[Chris Ryser]

An automated phone dialer is a way of contacting your patients with your computer. Using a voice modem, a phone dialer can call patients and confirm appointments, send appointment reminders, and even notify a patient of a frame/contact order.

You are taking the personalized contact to your patients out of service and replace it with a machine.

How do you like to be called by a machine??

I hate it, I even hate the automatised responders............if you talk english press one....if you talk spanish press two.............if you know the code for the person you want to talk to dial it now.......................and then comes the voice mail.

If I am the buyer I refuse to deal with companies that are use this system whenever I can.

[chm2023]

It's like anything else, pluses and minuses. I think to remind of appts or pick ups it's fine, actually more than fine, a great idea. Lots of people, especially older folks, don't like the menu option, ideally the message should end with, "if you need to talk with us, please press one and someone will get back to you".


I get these calls from the blood bank, the dealership where I service my car and my landscape/lawn folks--great way to remind me of stuff so I really think it's excellent. The trick is to communicate with people the way they want to be communicated with--ask them!

[crystalpm]

The leaving the voice mail feature is just like that. A typical patient confirmation message is:

"This is Crystal Practice Management calling to confirm that (Patient Name) has an appointment at (day, date, time) at Vision Center. To confirm this appointment Press 1 to cancel this appointment press 2 and to record a message press 3."

If the patient presses 3 they can leave a message for the office.

You also can have the call configured to only allow confirming the appointment and leaving a message (without the option of being able to cancel).