Coming to therapy appointments is daunting for many counselling clients. This plus the understandable organisational and memory difficulties that can come when we experience mental health issues, means that non-attendance is a pressing challenge when running a therapy business.
By the time we come to set up private practice, as counsellors we know that DNAs are par for the course. Finding ways to minimise not-attendance is therefore an important consideration when forming your counselling business plan.
Using practice management software for therapists that includes a text message reminder service is a great way to tackle the time and income that can be lost to non-attendance in your therapy business.
The benefits
1. Appointment reminder texts are automatically issued to clients the day before the session to ensure that they remember the booking. If the service is enabled these messages will go out each week without you having to do a thing.
2. There is no need for the usual flurry of emails or phone calls that often accompanies confirming an appointment. Research shows that whereas most people only read their emails at certain times of the day, SMS messages are usually read instantly. That means the appointment reminder is sure to be received and read by your client.
3. SMS is efficient and accessible for your counselling clients. In almost any environment, they can be received and read discreetly, without being invasive. Almost everyone has a phone with SMS technology, and with more and more people, including therapists and counsellors, using smartphones to manage their professional and daily lives, text messages are the leading medium for reminding clients of their appointments.
You have worked hard to set up and run your private practice, so don’t let DNA’s ruin your morale and work flow.
With automatic SMS reminders you will enjoy fewer missed appointments, more time to devote to your practice, and consequently, more income.
The best scheduling software for therapists will include an sms reminder service that allows you to select the messages you want to issue and allow clients to opt in and out of this form of communication.
Kiku offers both an optional text reminder service and the ability to schedule appointment and payment reminder emails to ensure that your counselling clients are always fully aware of arrangements.