Offering SMS as an option for automated recalls

Mobile phones are a part of life in the new millennium and whether personally you love them or hate them, chances are, many of your patients will embrace them as the ultimate personal accessory.

Offering SMS - short message service - appointment confirmations via your patients mobile can both make your practice more efficient and communicate with your patients in a manner that in their circle is the accepted norm.

"Many dental practices spend a lot of time trying to track down patients to confirm appointments," said Ms Sara Wilkie, a director of CONFIRMa!ert, a new service that facilitates automated text messages to your patients. "Sending select patients an SMS message can increase your efficiency.

"Appointment 'no shows' are almost inevitable as your clients strive to balance lives that are getting busier and busier. As it doesn't look likely that their lives are going to get any quieter, it is up to the practice to take control, adapt their practices and remind clients of their appointments.

"Communication is the key to success and mobile technology is making communication easier and cheaper to use. SMS messaging ('texts') are at the forefront of this. Most people now own a mobile phone, and the cost of an SMS is less than the cost of a local phone call. The biggest cost with sending an SMS is the time it takes to write and send them to each of your clients."

CONFIRMa!ert has developed an online appointments diary that automatically sends SMS confirmation, reminder and sales messages. It allows you to write and set your own default message and choose when to send it.

"Don't let your business suffer from 'no shows'; take control and increase your revenue."