Dental offices can benefit from an answering service in a variety of ways, from increased customer satisfaction, to better protection of patient information. The ability to accommodate more incoming calls (forcing fewer customers to leave a voicemail) is only the beginning when it comes to showing your patients that you value their business and privacy.
4 Ways Your Dental Office Can Benefit from a Medical Answering Service
A trip to the dentist is not something that many people look forward to. In fact, 61% of people report some amount of fear with regards to visiting a dentist, and this fear has kept 4% from ever visiting a dentist. That’s why as a dental professional, it is up to you to make your customer experience as seamless and comforting as possible.
The dental customer experience often begins with an initial phone call to ask questions and schedule an appointment. To keep up with their call volume and provide the highest level of customer service, many dental practices turn to a HIPAA-compliant medical answering service.
Here are some of the ways your dental practice can benefit from a medical answering service:
- Working with a HIPAA-compliant medical answering service ensures that all patient information remains confidential. By law, all third-party vendors that healthcare businesses work with must be HIPAA-compliant. When your dental office partners with a leading HIPAA-compliant medical answering service, you and your patients can rest assured that their confidential health information is being properly handled at all times. The live agents who serve your callers are proficient in all HIPAA requirements, and how to protect private patient data.
- Speaking to a calm, friendly person can make nervous patients feel better about visiting the dentist. For some, a trip to the dentist is a dreaded experience. Just picking up the phone to schedule an appointment is enough to trigger anxiety, and if these people are forced to leave a message, they might just hang up and never call back. Having their calls answered by a calm, supportive live agent can provide reassurance and understanding to your most apprehensive patients and help to improve their overall experience. After all, that initial phone call is their first impression, and first impressions are extremely important.
- Better communication results in fewer missed appointments. One of the top reasons that people call dental offices is to schedule, change or cancel appointments. When they leave a voicemail, this information can get lost in the shuffle, and more missed appointments can occur as a result.
- Bilingual virtual receptionists help you better serve more patients. A live agent’s inability to communicate with patients due to a language barrier can also lead to missed appointments, as well as customer frustration. If your dental practice serves Spanish-speaking patients, a bilingual virtual receptionist can be a vital addition. A bilingual virtual receptionist can find out a Spanish-speaking caller’s true intent and ensure that both parties are clear on appointment dates and times. Not only will this let your Spanish-speaking patients know that they matter, but there will be fewer scheduling mix-ups.
