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1. You Don’t Like Telephone Tag
If you’re like me, you hate telephone tag. A client calls, but I’m busy with someone else, so I can’t get to the phone. Worst case, they don’t leave a message and I miss out on booking that appointment. Best case, they leave a voicemail and we start the game. Now I have to call them back, hope they answer, but probably leave them a message … and then you know how it goes.
With clinic management software, clients can book online, even if you don’t have a website. So if they call and I can’t answer, my message tells them where they can go to book online.
I think everyone hates telephone tag, so most clients will now go directly online to book. They love it because they don’t have to worry about trying to get hold of me, and because they can easily see my availability without the “does this time work for you” run-around.
2. The Thought of 10+ Years of Paperwork Stresses You Out
They say there are only two guarantees in life, death and taxes, but for a massage therapist, I think we can add laundry and paperwork. For paperwork, there’s SOAP notes, intake forms, invoices, receipts, gift certificates and miscellaneous things like Post-It notes.
If you’re later on in your career, you know how much the paperwork piles up. I’ve even heard stories of storage units being rented. If you’re just getting started, save yourself! It can be a huge hassle not only to find the storage space for years of client files, but you have to keep it organized and secure.
If the thought of all the paperwork stresses you out, it’s time to try clinic management software. All your files are stored digitally, they are secure, and they are easy to find when you need them. (Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a real life search bar to find things?)
If you’re worried about your computer crashing, or getting stolen, have no fear, your files are safe in the cloud. (Which means on a server rather than your computer.) Clinic management software companies are required to comply with HIPAA, so you’re fulfilling your obligations to keep client files safe.
3. You Like Spending More Time Doing Things You Love.
All that paperwork takes a lot of time. Here are the items that generally take the most time, and how your life will improve once you’ve made the switch to using clinic management software.
Paper: Call or text the client to remind them of their appointment.
Software: An email or text is automatically sent to the client to remind them.
Paper: Write SOAP notes for every appointment.
Software: Easily copy past notes or write a new one with only a point and click.
Paper: Wait for the client to complete their intake form when they arrive.
Software: The intake form is automatically emailed ahead of time and the client completes it before arriving.
Paper: Write an invoice for the client.
Software: Invoice is automatically created based on the client and what service they booked.
Paper: Write a receipt for the client.
Software: A single click to print or email the receipt. (Most prefer email.)
Paper: Call the client to ask if they’d like to book again.
Software: An email is automatically sent to the client asking if they’d like to book again.
A study by Impact Assured found that massage therapists using clinic management software spend 72 percent less time managing their business. So if you prefer spending less time on paperwork and more time with clients, your friends and family, or taking time for self-care, you’re ready to get started with clinic management software.
4. You Want to Offer Your Clients Modern-Day Conveniences.
It’s 2019, and for a long time, people have expected modern-day conveniences—and they’ll continue to book appointments with you and recommend you to friends if you offer them. I already talked about online scheduling. Clients are used to booking restaurant reservations, flights and hotels online, and they’ve come to expect it for any appointment-based service.
When they book online, they are emailed their intake form and they complete it before coming in. This prevents you waiting for them to fill it out when they arrive, or the awkward scenario where they didn’t arrive early to fill it out and now you have to choose between cutting the appointment short or delaying the next client.
Finally, I’ve found people prefer email or text messages when it comes to reminders. A phone call placed at the wrong time can be unwelcome. A text or email is unobtrusive and is the communication channel most people ask for now.
5. You’d Prefer a Stress-Free Tax Season.
Finally, there is tax season. For some people, that means totalling up receipts with a calculator. For those using clinic management software, they not only get all of the above benefits, but they also can have a stress-free tax season as their program automatically calculates how much money they made in the last year, and if they collect sales tax, how much they have to remit.
Invest in Yourself
If you identify with any of the five ways to know if clinic management software is right for you, then it’s time to find a program that’s the right fit for your business. You’ll want to avoid programs that don’t offer a free trial; in my experience they are accompanied by high-pressure sales tactics and without a chance to try it first, it’ll be hard to know if it’s a good fit you.
The good news is that there are options out there that are fully transparent and you’ll get to try it out with no obligations before buying.
Once you’ve started the free trial, it’s time to start evaluating. Focus on what’s most important to you. The top item on your list should be if the program is easy to use. From there, you’ll want to consider if you like the style of the SOAP notes, if you can customize the intake form to meet the needs of your business, and if you’re given all the tools you’ll need to be successful.
You’ll also want to consider what kind of support the clinic management program offers. It’s nice to be able to chat with someone on the phone, especially if you have an urgent question. Try to reach out to the company during the trial period; it’s best to know they will be there for you before you decide to buy.
When it’s time to choose which clinic management program you’ll subscribe to, remember that it’s an investment in yourself, and in your business.
Surely your goal is to be successful in the long run, and selecting a program based on price may seem like a good idea today, but going with the highest quality option sets you up for the long-term without having to go through the pain of transferring files to a better program later.
A quality program will help you gain new clients with integrated marketing tools, help prevent lost revenue from no-shows, and remind clients to book with you often—paying for itself over and over.
If you’re looking to get started, ClinicSense is offering MASSAGE Magazine readers a free month! Click here to redeem and start your free trial.
Brad is a registered massage therapist whose business, SMART Healing Centre is located in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada. He specializes in therapeutic massage and Rapid Neurofascial Reset Therapeutic Massage.
About Clinic Sense
We help sole practitioners & small clinics reduce their administrative costs and workload with easy-to-use practice management software. Feature highlights include: online scheduling, SOAP notes, intake forms, reminders, invoicing & payments, gift certificate sales, and more!