Comments on: Cheaper Than Therapy, Cheaper Than Burnout

By: 7 Strategies for Taking A REAL Vacation from Practice » AlternativeHealthPractice.com

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:10:29 +0000

[...] away doesn’t mean you need to shut down the lines of communication. Make sure you get that phone answered. At the bare minimum, have someone check your voice messages and email for you. It makes vacation [...]

By: » Refresh Daily: Keep marketing by keeping your massage clients in the loop Marketing Matters: Marketing Insights For Practitioners Of Massage, Bodywork, Reiki, Reflexology & All The Healing Arts

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:25:21 +0000

[...] If you haven’t looked into working with a virtual assistant or an off-site receptionist service, I recommend taking the time. Working with a business support company that is right for your practice will bring you more clients and the service will more than pay for itself. Don’t worry about committing. Ask for a trial rate for the first two weeks or month. See how it works for you. [...]

By: Eileen

Eileen — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 04:13:10 +0000

Hey Heather —

Thank you for taking the time to let us know about your virtual assistant experience.

Good point and good advice about making sure employee (virtual or not) understands your practice’s personality and also making sure your expectations are understood.

I’m very glad you found a good solution to a prevalent problem. (And ACTED on that good solution.) Are you finding that the VA is paying for him/herself?

Let us know how it works out when you get a chance.

All my best,
Eileen

By: BodyLogicHealth

BodyLogicHealth — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 01:23:02 +0000

Hello Eileen – Great site!

I just wanted to let you, and others, know I finally hired a Virtual Assistant to answer calls and book appointments. It is WONDERFUL! I was so tired of feeling bad that I forget to return calls. Also, I found I (and my business) was losing in the game of phone tag. Often, it would take me a day or two to return calls, only to get voicemail or a client saying they already booked with someone else.

I was losing new clients as well as returning clients. A call that “should” take 5 minutes, either took 20 minutes of voice mail back and forth, OR 20 minutes of hearing the client issues and helping them over the phone.

Finally, I hired a virtual assistant. Now, I simply receive an email when a client books. It has all the necessary information and an iCal link so it goes directly into my Outlook Calendar.

The only “heads-up” I have, is remember that a virtual assistant needs just as much training as an in-office assistant. She/he/they need to learn about your unique business, sales position and treatments. Also, be specific if you have certain starting times or hours. Once I ironed out the details, the system is WONDERFUL!

My clients actually ask me ‘where do the receptionists sit? it seems like such a small office to have full time people’. YAY!

Great article and I STRONGLY suggest looking into this option for every MT/Bodyworker/Therapist.

Cheers,
Heather Furby
BodyLogicHealth, Santa Rosa, CA

PS. I hired http://www.reliablereceptionist.com in Walnut Creek, CA.