I use an online booking service as well. It had made a difference! Many clients find us through a website search. Having the option for them to book their own appointment right away has gotten us good feedback. My repeat clients also love the ability to book at home with their work/personal calendar in front of them. I use timedriver. It was fairly easy to set up and easy for the client to use. When i get a booking from a new client I send an extra email (the booking system sends a confirmation and a reminder) giving directions to the clinic, where to park etc and my phone number in case they have extra questions.

I wrote the entry because I was appalled (APPALLED, I tell you) that several of our customers still have their Valentine’s/Mothers’ Day messages on their answering machines.

Then I started thinking about how to maximize basic office tools — or office-y stuff — so you can do some simple marketing while also communicating with your clients more fully.

Then it got out of control and turned into a rather convoluted blog entry.

*Sigh*

So my parting words are, “Make sure your voice message isn’t six months old, for goodness sake.”

There. I feel better now.

Eileen

Just adding my balance of keeping clients up to date AND having my life resemble that which I teach clients.

I chose an answering and appointment booking service to free up my guilt and time of not being available for calls – sometimes because I am busy and sometimes because I just can’t answer calls.

However, I’ve also found the more I do social networking, blogging, emailing, newslettering and call response, the more I feel like I am tied now to updating 5 things where there used to be one. I don’t want to have an out of date blog, or website, or workshop calendar, or service pricing or voicemail. So, somedays, I wonder if it would be easier to go back to one voicemail that says “it usually takes me one or two business days to return calls but I WILL get back to you!”

It’s been an interesting transition to online world. I love it and I struggle with it. I feel like I’m shouting my business into a vacuum, yet I’ve been getting some new clients, too. Strange world!

We’ve reached the point where we have full time help in the clinic, so no need for a daytime service, but I’ve been pondering whether an after hours one might be worthwhile.

I’m also curious about online booking. Anyone have any success with clients booking their own appointments using web-based programs? I know there are some great tools out there that can automate the whole website part of things.

It does cost some dollars, for sure. But an off-site service can be cheaper than an on-site receptionist. Depending, of course, on hours, etc.

Do you use a service? If so, would you be willing to share the name or what you like about it?

I love the shared assistant idea, too. That seems like a good way to keep everyone happy and employed. Anyone out there tried something like that?

Eileen

PS: Anyone out there who hasn’t yet perused Dan and Tara’s blog should take the time. http://alternativehealthpractice.com/

You’re SO right about the phone service. We used to take holidays, shut the office down, and just have someone check messages. One year we did a test to compare the total number of callers versus the number of actual messages that were left over two weeks.

Only a third of callers left a message. It didn’t take much math after that to realize that it was worth having a real person answer the phone.

The trick, of course, is that it does cost money to do it. I love your shared assistant idea – what a great way to get over that initial no-receptionist hurdle!