5 signs your front desk needs extra support

An organized and efficient front desk is the backbone of any dental practice. Your staff may have a routine that is efficient and works. But your front desk needs extra support, and you might not know it.

Due to the dental industry's many changes and demands, dental practices may be losing clients. How? Missing calls or failing with insurance verification processes might be some of the reasons. Sometimes, these processes are not being done effectively and can affect income.

There are some signs that tell you that your front desk needs extra support, and we’ll mention five of them here.

1. High call abandonment rate

Your dental practice might miss calls too often or put people on hold for too long, which indicates that your front desk is overworked. 

The signs are unmistakable. Missed calls equal missed opportunities. You might lose new patients to nearby practices that answer the phone more reliably. A virtual assistant can do a lot, but it can do two things in particular for missed calls: manage the calls so they aren't missed and schedule appointments for new patients.

2. Frequent scheduling errors

A front desk team facing high demand may not be able to keep the appointments straight, and errors like double bookings or missed follow-ups may result. An appointment that is scheduled incorrectly is almost guaranteed to dissatisfy the patient.

From basic booking capabilities to calls and rescheduling duties, a front desk team may have trouble effectively dealing with that workload. Again, with a virtual dental assistant, these types of tasks are part of their responsibilities, and they are fully trained to do so.

3. Billing and insurance processing delays

Your front desk may be stretched too thin if billing errors or delays in insurance claims are frequent occurrences. 

These problems can frustrate patients and seriously disrupt your revenue cycle. Consider hiring a dedicated billing specialist or using a virtual assistant to help with the insurance verification that must be done before you can submit claims accurately.

4. Overwhelmed staff and increased errors

Front desk staff who are overworked are more likely to make errors. Those errors can run the gamut from data entry mistakes to missing vital patient communications. Plus, you can't expect them to be accurate or efficient. 

Consider providing them with some help. Whether that help comes from sending in part-timers or employing virtual assistants, it has improved the situation.

5. Declining patient satisfaction

When patients express dissatisfaction, it's often the front desk they are unhappy with. The front desk has a greater responsibility than just handling incoming calls and scheduling appointments. They are the "gatekeepers" to your practice, and if they aren't pleasant and efficient, the whole practice suffers. 

Here are some pointers for ensuring that the front desk meets and exceeds patient expectations. Adding a virtual assistant to your team can help your staff focus more on in-office interactions.

Conclusion

Numbers and statistics support our services. Virtual assistants are estimated to improve efficiency. Research indicates that practices using virtual assistants experience a 30% increase in front desk efficiency (Becker’s Dental).

If you see that your equipment is starting to show some of these signs, you should start considering taking action. With a VA, you will have a customer service specialist while receiving help in various administrative processes.

Contact us to learn more about Reach's services and our VA. It is an entirely free consultation.

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