How Dentists Use the Weave Phone System to Improve Patient Engagement
Weave is a popular patient communications system used today by over 13,000 customers. Weave's primary differentiator is its integration with VOIP phones.
As part of our in-depth research, SoftwarePundit recently spoke with a handful of dentists about their experience using Weave. Our goal was to understand how Weave helps improve patient engagement at their practices.
For full analysis, check out our in-depth Weave review. To get a free demo of Weave, click here.
Table of Contents
- Dentists We Interviewed
- Four Ways Dentists Use Weave to Improve Patient Engagement
- Is Weave Worth the Cost?
Dentists We Interviewed
Dr. Daniel Balaze is a dentist practicing in Southern California at Balaze & Gregg Dentistry. Dr. Balaze earned his fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry and has completed the curriculum at the Pankey Institute in Key Biscayne, Florida. He is also an active podcaster. His podcast, Anything But Dentistry, currently has hundreds of downloads per month.
Dr. Jacqueline Fulop-Goodling, D.M.D., P.C., also known to her patients as Dr. Jacquie Smiles, now practices orthodontics in her main office in Midtown Manhattan. She also has 2 other office locations in Englewood Cliffs, NJ, and Monroe, NY. Dr. Jacquie Smiles is a VIP Platinum Invisalign Provider in NYC and has been recognized as a top provider every year since 2003.
Four Ways Dentists Use Weave to Improve Patient Engagement
Weave has several features that improve its customers' patient engagement. The system unlocks new patient communication channels and lifecycle marketing capabilities.
1: Dentists Found that Patients Prefer Two way Texting
Weave's platform streamlines two way texting, which both dentists and patients love. By moving communication to an easier-to-use channel, the system typically results in a huge increase in overall communication volume.
Dr. Daniel Balaze, a dentist practicing in Southern California at Balaze & Gregg Dentistry, noticed this when he began to receive an increasing number of emergency texts after he adopted Weave. “When I was using my personal cell number, patients wouldn't text me as much," says Dr. Balaze, "I think it's because they know the Weave phone number is an office phone. They know it could be me or the front office, if it’s after hours, patients know it’s me."
Clearly, a text-friendly practice will appeal to a younger, tech-savvier demographic. Interestingly, Dr. Balaze noticed that his senior patients eagerly adopted texting as well. "I live in a zip code with a high senior citizen population. Senior patients love being able to communicate through text," he says. Dr. Balaze's observation supports findings from Twilio’s Global Mobile Messaging Consumer Report 2016 that shows a quarter of people ages 55+ choose text messaging as their preferred customer service channel.
2: Weave Makes Acquiring New Patients Easier
Your team must be available to successfully on-board new patients. Missing phone calls from new potential customers is costly in the long run. Most new patients are not going to leave a message, and they may not call back. However, accidents happen when your hardworking staff is busy.
Weave tracks all missed calls, as Dr. Jacquie Smiles noticed, and reports if the call was from a potential new patient. "If we miss a new patient phone call, Weave allows us easy access to call records, and return those calls" she says.
Additionally, Weave offers a missed call auto text feature. This feature automatically sends a customizable text message to callers you missed, so patients do not feel left in the dark.
3: Automatic Appointment Reminders Improve Patient Retention
Weave's automated appointment reminders boost patient retention. Your practice will save time and money by reducing the number of cancellations and no-shows. Additionally, this automation reduces your staff's workload, as they no longer have to manually call each patient for every appointment.
Dr. Balaze uses Weave's automated appointment reminders at his practice in California. While they're effective, he does think this is one area Weave can improve in the future. "The automated reminder emails are appropriate, but somewhat generic," he says. "In our small relationship-based practice we would like to be able to customize them."
4: Automated Text Messages Generates Valuable Reviews
The Weave platform streamlines patient engagement after their appointments. The system allows you to automatically send customizable texts to your patients to give them an opportunity to leave a review of your practice. After they leave a review, you can also use the platform to respond expeditiously.
Dentists told SoftwarePundit that Weave helped them generate valuable reviews. Dr. Balaze noted that, "at first, my practice didn't get any reviews." However, after purchasing Weave, "we consistently receive 2-5 reviews per week."
One downside of Weave is its automated emails aren't as fully featured. "If they could improve anything, I would love to be able to customize copy emails," says Dr. Balaze.
Is Weave Worth the Cost?
Weave improves patient engagement for thousands of dentists across the country. Starting at around $500 per month, it's not cheap, but typically has a positive ROI.
Weave is a great tool to secure new patients, and minimize missed appointments & no-shows. Weave also creates value for your practice by generating reviews. Having a high volume of positive reviews on large, established websites will increase your practice’s visibility in search results, and improve your chances of acquiring new patients.
Weave can help cut costs if you are currently using another patient communication system in addition to a landline phone service. Weave is a VoIP service, so it consolidates two bills into one. Weave, Dr. Balaze explains, "simplified the billing process by combining two services into one, and does the job well enough that I don't miss the others."