The summer months may have given your patients some added flexibility in terms of appointment times and scheduling. What happens come fall, back to school, and more demanding schedules? As you, and your staff begin to project business and your own work load this fall and winter, think about successfully optimizing your scheduling and office hours.

Doing so in a proactive and marketable way can lead to added business of happier and stress-free clientele. We have provided some help as you begin projecting and planning your appointment, along with scheduling systems.

Holidays and School Calendars

An easy way to get a step ahead of the scheduling game is by playing by the same schedules. Your local area schools have established school calendars that outline observed holidays, days off, and start-and-end dates. Knowing these will help you know your patients, adding to your customer appreciation and service efforts. Make an added effort to know the important dates of youth sports leagues and other extra-curricular dates as well.

Take note of the extra curricular activities and other active interests of your patients. Knowing where possible scheduling conflicts and concerns come from will benefit your work and staff as you set out to meet the needs of your clients.

Emergency Visits

With the possible increase of injuries, or need for repair work on braces, have a systematic way of handling emergency calls and visits. These will arise, and your patients will expect you to be ready to handle them.

These types of visits may require your professional skill set in addition to the help of your assistants. Prepare a schedule, or rotation for your staff in times of on-call shifts or call-in scenarios. While the possibility is rare, it is worth the preparation to have these types of systems in place and communicated to your staff.

Scheduling Appeal

As you begin preparing for the near future, remember that scheduling alone can be a profitable asset. Extended hours during select days of the week—open until late, or early on Tuesdays and Thursdays for example, are easy ways to gain and maintain business.

This can be a marketable tool used in direct mail campaigns, setting you apart from other local practices. As patients see your commitment to their changing and diverse schedules, they will quickly remember you as a practice that is about them.

As you share your scheduling changes with your clients and the community, have your staff prepared to work the extended hours. Work with them to build a reliable and steady flow of work schedules. Some employees may enjoy early hours, while others enjoy extended, late hours. This can be a win-win situation if properly applied and communicated.

Harnessing scheduling as a profitable asset is good business. As always, with OrthodonticMarketing.net, remember that you control the variables. Contact us today for all your direct mailing needs.