In the dental industry, Dental Support Organizations contract with existing practices (or launch them from scratch) to provide non-clinical operational support. This leaves dentists free to focus solely on patient care without worrying about practice business administration.
Non-clinical functions include marketing, accounting, financing, Human Resources, and patient support. Furthermore, patient support includes managing centralized call centers as well as patient communications at individual practices. A DSO’s proficiency at designing and managing patient support is key to profitability for the DSO and partner dentists. Just as importantly, profitability determines the rate and speed of return for investors.
One of the main competitive advantages DSOs leverage is that of operational expertise. They are able to use many optimization strategies to increase the value and profitability of already-profitable practices. These have a compounding effect and can produce a return on investment within just 3-5 years, even after paying the owner for acquisition. Everything DSO
Transform Your DSO Call Center From a Cost Center to a Profit Center
Traditionally, call centers were seen as drains on revenue, handling low-value interactions and complaints. However, this mindset is outdated, and there are compelling reasons to invest in well-run call centers. DSO call centers are the first point of contact for patients seeking appointments, information, and assistance. In this digital age, where technology is transforming healthcare, integrating AI-powered solutions can revolutionize DSO contact centers. Let’s look at how your DSO call center can become a profit center.
High-Value Conversion
Despite the digital shift, many patients prefer speaking with a person for complex procedures. Well-trained agents can close high-ticket dental services and instill confidence.
Building Patient Loyalty
The contact center is a pivotal touchpoint for creating loyalty. Providing personalized and empathetic service can leave a lasting impression, contributing to patient retention and lifetime value.
First-Party Patient Data Source
The contact center holds valuable first-party patient data. Extracting insights from conversations helps optimize marketing, sales, and patient experience efforts. AI-powered platforms extract conversation data for elevating the patient experience.
Enhancing Digital Experiences
By understanding the reasons patients call, DSO call centers can improve digital self-service options and address pain points on their websites. This streamlines the patient journey and allows agents to focus on high-value interactions.
Cross-Selling and Upselling
Call center interactions provide opportunities for subtle cross-selling and upselling. Agents can inform patients about relevant services during calls, contributing to revenue retention.
Modern DSO call centers should be viewed as revenue generators rather than cost centers. By driving sales, productivity, and patient retention, DSOs can transform contact center operations into strategic assets.
Charge a fair market rate to practices to use centralized services (billing services, call center, and other centralized services). Then manage the expenses to be under the market rate so that centralized services can become a profit center. DEO Dental Group
What is AI-Powered Call Center Software?
AI-powered DSO call center software refers to a sophisticated technological solution. It integrates Artificial Intelligence and automation into the operations and management of call centers. This software leverages AI algorithms, generative AI, natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and other technologies to enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and patient experience within a call center environment.
Don’t confuse today’s advanced AI communications platforms for menu-driven chatbots. Today’s full-service AI solutions can engage with patients in real-time. This provides seamless communication that enhances the patient experience and streamlines operations.
Cognitive technologies such as natural language processing, speech recognition, process automation and robotics are the key to helping customer contact center operations drive experiences that are more personal, intuitive and empathetic—and that are also faster, more automated and more scalable. Deloitte
Features and Benefits of AI-Powered DSO Call Center Software
Let’s discuss specific functions of DSO call center platforms.
Automated Call Routing
AI algorithms analyze incoming calls and route them to the most appropriate agent or department based on the caller’s needs, historical data, and other relevant factors.
Predictive Dialing
The software predicts agent availability and call outcomes, enabling the system to initiate outbound calls at optimal times to maximize productivity.
Virtual Agents or Chatbots
AI-powered chatbots handle routine customer inquiries and tasks through text or voice interactions, freeing up human agents to handle more complex issues.
Speech Analytics
AI communications software analyzes customer-agent interactions to identify sentiment, trends, and insights, helping improve agent training, customer satisfaction, and service quality.
Real-time Insights
The AI software real-time data and analytics, allowing supervisors to monitor call center metrics, agent performance, and customer interactions to make informed decisions.
Automated Responses
AI-enabled systems can provide immediate responses to common inquiries, reducing hold times and improving the overall customer experience.
Language Translation
The platforms can translate conversations in real-time, enabling agents to communicate effectively with customers who speak different languages.
Emotion Detection
AI can detect the emotional state of callers based on voice tone and language, helping agents tailor their responses to provide empathetic support.
Customer Data Integration
The software integrates with CRM systems to provide agents with relevant customer information, enabling personalized interactions.
Self-Service Options
AI-powered self-service options allow customers to access information and perform tasks without agent assistance, such as checking appointment status or account balances.
Call Prioritization
A quality AI solution prioritizes follow-up calls which helps agents quickly see which callers need a call back. The AI can handle the vast majority of calls and agents don’t have to spend any time on them.
Continuous Learning
AI systems learn and adapt over time, improving accuracy, efficiency, and customer interactions as they process more data.
Call Analytics and Reporting
AI generates detailed reports and insights into processes, helping to identify areas for improvement and further optimization. AI-powered analytics provide valuable insights into call center performance, patient engagement, and trends. DSOs can leverage these insights to optimize workflows, identify areas for improvement, and make informed decisions to enhance overall operations.
We estimate that applying generative AI to customer care functions could increase productivity at a value ranging from 30 to 45 percent of current function costs. McKinsey & Company
Overall, AI-powered call center software enhances the efficiency and effectiveness of call center operations. Optimizing agent and front desk team productivity drives better business outcomes. In addition, it empowers DSOs and affiliated practices to deliver a seamless, personalized, and efficient patient experience.
Enhanced Productivity: Automated Appointment Scheduling
One of the primary challenges faced by DSO call centers is managing appointment scheduling. AI-driven platforms like TrueLark enable automated appointment scheduling based on patient preferences, availability, and clinic schedules. Patients can book appointments 24/7 through text messages or online platforms, reducing the workload on call center agents.
Improved Efficiency: Instant Responses and Information Access
Patients often reach out to call centers for routine inquiries, such as clinic addresses, billing information, or general dental care queries. TrueLark’s AI can instantly provide accurate responses to these routine questions, saving call center agents valuable time. This allows agents to focus on more complex tasks that require human intervention, such as handling patient emergencies or addressing specialized inquiries.
Personalized Patient Engagement: Tailored Communication
TrueLark goes beyond generic responses, offering personalized communication that mimics human interaction. The AI can learn from past interactions and patient data to tailor responses and recommendations. This personalized engagement enhances patient satisfaction by creating a more human-like interaction, fostering trust and loyalty.
Scalability: Accommodating Growth with Ease
One of the most significant advantages of integrating TrueLark into DSO call centers is its scalability. As DSOs expand and patient volumes increase, traditional call centers may struggle to handle the growing demands. TrueLark’s AI-powered system can seamlessly handle a high volume of patient inquiries simultaneously, ensuring that patient communication remains smooth and efficient even during periods of rapid growth. In addition, TrueLark centralizes and integrates omnichannel patient communications across DSO call centers and practice front desk teams.
Conclusion
In the dynamic world of DSOs, call centers serve as the frontline for patient interactions. Incorporating AI communications software empowers DSOs to provide exceptional patient care while optimizing their operations for growth and ROI. Investing in solutions like TrueLark is not just an upgrade; it’s a step toward the future of patient-centered, technology-driven healthcare.
See our case study on The Smilist DSO
