CRM system a great foundation for the marketing of private medical services

Having a good CRM system in place enables practices to build up a credible customer base

The value of marketing has been proven over and over again, in both the business to business and business to consumer worlds.

From the generous advertising budgets of the pharmaceutical giants like Roche and Pfizer to the complex campaigns that technology brands such as SIEMENS Medical roll out globally, it’s invariably the power of efficient communication that generates sales.

However, marketing a small business is very different to promoting a global giant. So, when it comes to marketing a private medical practice, what are some of the first steps you should take?

Knowing your customer, in this case – your patients, is the foundation of marketing strategy and this is exactly what good CRM is all about. From the initial patient file through the consultation, diagnoses, procedures and invoicing, the software allows you to track every point of contact in the relationship. Only when this has been achieved is it wise to implement a marketing communications campaign.

Marketing communications – by SMS, e-mail or post

As software developers, we knew that we had to ensure that one of the key CRM functionalities of ‘PPM’ – Private Practice Manager would have to be controlling the consultant’s marketing communication with clients. The system’s easy to use database allows the practice secretary or marketing team to send patients timely and interesting communications.

Keeping in contact with patients and announcing the practice’s latest services or achievements can translate into increased turnover and profitability. It helps to improve the practice’s reputation and visibility and can also assist with patient care by making sure appointments are kept and communication channels remain open. This can be achieved by e-mail, including secure e-mail, SMS or by mail merge into a printed document. Often practices find that a combination of all three can provide the most dynamic method of patient interaction. Because ‘PPM’ – Private Practice Manager is fully integrated with Word, print mailings are easy to produce and distribute. This leaves more time for secretaries to spend on improving customer service and the overall client experience.

Keeping communications secure and private

Due to the intrinsically delicate nature of medical and healthcare communications, private practitioners need to be able to offer their patients an assurance that their communications can remain confidential. As a result, all information about procedures and patient data is stored securely and only released to relevant practice staff.

Furthermore, thanks to ‘PPM’ – Private Practice Manager’s integration with SSLPost, a low cost secure email product that is simple to set up and use, confidential e-mail communications can be sent with complete peace of mind. The product comes with an easy installation guide that allows the sender to begin encrypting emails within two hours of purchasing the software.

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