Tips for Implementing a Reservation Fee Without Losing Quality Patients
Many elite dental practices have reservation fees to preserve the quality of their patient base and services. When implemented correctly, a reservation fee acts as a filter, ensuring that patients who schedule appointments are genuinely committed to receiving quality dental care. However, as with any strategy, its success hinges on proper execution.
Why Have a Reservation Fee
From a marketing perspective, the concept of a reservation fee can help refine your patient base, helping you focus on patients who are serious about their dental health, in line with your practice’s values. Requiring a reservation fee sets a standard that your time and expertise are valuable, naturally weeding out patients who may not be the right fit. A reservation fee can minimize no-shows and cancellations, allowing you to provide a higher level of care and service to the patients who keep their appointments.
Making a Reservation Fee Work in Your Favor
The effectiveness of a reservation fee depends entirely on good communication. If the team member on the phone doesn’t fully understand the purpose of the fee or lacks the confidence to present it correctly, it will backfire. A reservation fee needs to be framed as a way to ensure the best possible care for all patients. For this reason, it’s crucial to train your team to communicate the fee effectively in person, over the phone, and online. Every person on your team who interacts with patients should be comfortable explaining the fee as a benefit to ensure that patients receive the level of attention and service they deserve. If a team member is hesitant or unsure when discussing the fee, it can erode trust and cause the practice to lose high-quality patients along with the “shoppers.”
Fed Up with No-Shows and Cancellations?
I hear a lot of practices complain about no-shows, cancellations, and quality issues. Unless your practice is experiencing an unusually high number of patients not keeping their appointments or simply not seeing any quality patients, implementing a reservation fee should not be your first recourse. Before making any moves, I recommend evaluating how the team handles incoming phone calls and online appointment request forms. Make sure team members are building trust and rapport with all patients, not just the ones in the office. If everything is in order and you are satisfied that your team is handling all patient interactions correctly, but you continue to experience problems, introducing a reservation fee might be a good idea. However, it’s not a surefire solution. If you choose to do it, be sure to present the fee as a part of the practice’s commitment to delivering exceptional care. Patients who see the value in your services will be more likely to accept the reservation fee as fair and necessary.
While some practices are hesitant to add a reservation fee, doing so can be a helpful strategy if your practice has a high no-show or cancellation rate. It may also deter people who are merely shopping around or not committed to maintaining their oral health. However, you must be careful how you present a reservation fee to your team and patients. Training your team to communicate the fee effectively and build trust with patients is essential. If implemented correctly, a reservation fee can increase the number of patients who keep their appointments and improve the quality of those patients as well.
