December 2007

Adjust patients, not your schedule...

The real way to eliminate 'no show' appointments

by Dr. Phillip Golinsky

When I speak to chiropractors, as I'm trying to assess how we can help maximize their success at corporate wellness events, there are more than 40 factors and statistical figures I consider. Foremost is the number of employees who actually become patients. This number alone tells chiropractors if it is worth investing in a marketing campaign that will get their office into dozens of events every year.

Next on the list are two factors that help assess the number of employees who turn into patients: 1) how many employees set appointments, and 2) how many employees actually show for their appointments.

If you have been to any type of outside event to recruit for your office, then you know that it's very common to set a large number of empty appointments. When I first began attending corporate wellness events, I would sometimes set up to 25 appointments only to have 10 show up. How demoralizing is that?

Most of us have heard the same tactics to improve show rate. Collecting down payments, setting same day appointments, and giving out gifts and coupons are preached to chiropractors by almost every consultant who discusses events of any kind. I even list these strategies in my e‑book, "How to Get Your Small Business into Large Corporations." Although they can improve your show ratio, there's one strategy that works so much better it will absolutely guarantee that your show ratio improves:

Stop setting appointments with employees who are never going to show! You're probably thinking, "easier said than done." Yet, it really works.

First, let's review the numbers behind the strategy. When I first started, I averaged 16 appointments per event. Eight showed for their appointments and five became good patients. So my "show ratio" was 50% (eight out of 16 showed). That means I sat in my office waiting for eight people who never showed when I could have been setting other appointments, getting other work done, or spending time with my family. After working on my qualifying techniques, I now average 10 appointments per event, eight of whom show, and five who become good patients. My show ratio has now improved to 80%! I have fewer "no‑shows" and have become much more efficient with my time.

How do I find the employees who'll show? There are several questions and techniques that help me tremendously with this, too many to list in the space I have for this article. However, let me offer a couple of things for you to consider.

First, make absolutely sure the employee has a condition that really affects his or her life. Many employees talk about minor aches and pains, but these pains are too small for them to really take action. They always make appointments but are never really in enough pain to show. They make for good leads to add to your mailing list though, as their pains sometimes evolve into something worth having a doctor look at.

Second, if you accept insurance, make sure that you go to events where employees have good insurance. Don't waste your time trying to convince someone to pay out of pocket unless you are skilled in the arts of cash practice.

In addition to these strategies, there are many more techniques that can help you qualify employees before you set an appointment with them. Not only do these techniques help you manage your office schedule, but they also increase the number of serious appointments that you can set at a corporate wellness event.

Think about it. How many times have you spent 20 minutes conducting a spinal stress screening and evaluation for a person who ends up not becoming a patient? I can qualify an employee in less than one minute and tell you whether or not he or she is a potential patient. I don't spend much time with employees who will never become patients. Instead, I spend my time on those who will. This allows me to talk with more qualified employees at every event I attend and ultimately set more appointments with employees who will show.

Finally, remember that one of the advantages of attending corporate wellness events as opposed to community events is that it is much easier to find people who'll actually show for appointments. They don't exist in a greater number, but instead in a more concentrated number allowing you to set more legitimate appointments in less time. Why set 16 appointments over eight hours with a 50% show ratio when you can have an 80% show ratio setting 10 appointments over two hours?

The next time you attend a corporate wellness event, focus on qualifying employees and only setting appointments with those who will actually show. I promise that it's the real way to improve your show ratio.

(To learn more about corporate wellness events, or for questions pertaining to this article, visit www.corpwellnessevents.com , or contact Dr. Golinsky's staff at 1‑800‑996‑6031.)