Will Automation Replace Medical Answering Services?
When you own or run a medical office, you may automate some of your functions to save time and money. Advances in technology certainly make this possible, but you need to be selective when trusting automated systems.
Nowadays, most people recoil from automated services, particularly on the phone. According to an American Express Global Customer Service Survey, 67% of customers will hang up in frustration if they can’t speak to a real person. But there is a middle ground between automation and having a staff member answer the phone. A professional medical answering service can provide this middle ground. Here are several reasons why using a quality 24-hour medical answering service is still the best choice for your practice and its patients.
Handling Specific Requests
Even if you have the most sophisticated automated system, it’s unlikely it will have a solution for every possible call. So there will always be people who will find it confusing and frustrating.
When a live call operator answers the phone for your business, they can address any reason for the call quickly and professionally. For example, they can schedule appointments, give out your business hours or location, or troubleshoot an urgent situation.
Better Customer Service
For a patient, the time spent pushing buttons and backtracking through missteps is aggravating at best. In addition, many of your callers either don’t feel well or are calling about an unpleasant matter. By providing fast and easy solutions to caller issues, you are already delivering a higher level of patient care before the office visit takes place.
Enhanced Customer Retention
One of your goals as a medical practice is likely to grow your business. You can achieve this objective by retaining your current patients and attracting new ones. As your patient satisfaction improves by using a professional answering service, you will keep your existing patients. Those patients will also spread the word about your caring and accessible service, which will bring in new clients.
Provide a Personal Touch
Automating your phone system is the most impersonal way of communicating with your patients. Not only do customers hang up on automated systems, but they may also switch medical providers. Medical answering services employ highly-trained call operators who answer your calls around the clock with compassion and empathy.
Partnering with a quality medical answering service is one of the best ways to provide the highest level of customer care to both current and prospective patients. You will have the benefits of courteous and caring call operators representing the best interests of your practice. In addition, you will be able to customize both your greeting and your services. Contact Answering365 now to learn more about how our medical answering services can benefit your business. You can call us 24/7 at 888-588-9800 for a free consultation.
