You Have 10 Missed Calls: How AI Can Help Eliminate Those Missed Opportunities

Do you know how many missed calls your office receives every day? Or how much these missed calls potentially cost you in collection opportunities? If you’re not keeping track of what you’re missing when your team is handling other tasks or are away from the phone(s), you could be leaving money on the table. 

We spoke with Amplify360’s Call Quality Supervisor, Sara-Shae Lewis, who oversees a team of analysts working hard to help dentists train and maximize their teams’ interactions with patients. Part of that work is implementing new technologies to support phone procedures. And AI (Artificial Intelligence) plays a vital role in identifying areas for improvement.

Missed Calls May Mean Missed Cases 

Sara-Shae and her team employ AI to pinpoint areas where additional phone support could be most effective in reducing missed calls. A study conducted by her team in January of this year revealed insightful data that’s now helping the team pivot training strategies for our clients. 

Below is a breakdown of what they discovered after analyzing 70,000 incoming calls using AI. 11%, or 8,000 calls, were missed during specific time blocks throughout the workday. The percentage was further broken down and are represented by statistics ranging from highest to lowest missed calls:      

• 1 pm - 2 pm: 12.27%
• 12 pm - 1 pm: 11.55%
• 10 am - 11 am: 11.45%
• 11 am - 12 pm: 11.17%
• 2 pm - 3 pm: 10.89%   

If you study the timeline, you’ll be able to come to your own conclusions as to why the calls are missed. Lunch breaks, an influx of appointments arriving, other tasks taking attention away from calls, your short-staffed, etc. All play a role in missed opportunities. 

How can your team improve these statistics?

Reducing the number of missed calls at your office is essential for maintaining patient satisfaction and ensuring efficient communication. Here are several strategies to improve the handling of incoming calls and minimize missed opportunities:

1. Implement Call Forwarding + Voicemail: Call forwarding ensures incoming calls are directed to another line or designated team member if the primary line is busy or unattended. Voicemail should always be enabled to capture calls outside of office hours or during peak call periods. 
2. Train Staff on Phone Etiquette + Procedures: Comprehensive training on effective phone etiquette and call handling procedures is imperative. Emphasize the importance of answering calls promptly, speaking clearly, and addressing caller inquiries professionally. 
3. Utilize Call Queuing Systems: Implementing call queuing systems help inform callers of their position in the queue and estimate wait times. This helps manage caller expectations and reduces frustration while waiting for assistance. You can also offer call-back options so they can hang up but still receive a call from your office in their queue order. 
4. Offer Online Appointment Booking: A lot of consumers like using online appointment booking options. It allows them to easily see what you have available and reduces the reliance on phone calls for scheduling. 
5. Assign Dedicated Staff for Call Handling: Designating specific staff members to manage calls during peak times ensures no call goes unanswered. If you’re short-staffed, try to find ways to prioritize phone calls during high volume periods throughout the day and set expectations that other tasks can wait.
6. Implement Call Tracking + Recording: This is where Sara-Shea and her team shine. They’re experts at tracking and recording calls that are consistently monitored and analyzed in order to identify missed opportunities, evaluate staff performance, and identify areas for improvement in call handling procedures. 

By implementing any one of these strategies, your team can improve the handling of incoming calls, minimize missed opportunities, and enhance the overall patient experience. They also help your practice grow using consistent and effective communication plans that keep patients happy and informed. 

Want to learn more about the strategies we can put in place to put an end to missed calls and help your practice grow? Then consider scheduling a complimentary Practice Discovery Call.