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SMS Sent or Received

October 17, 2024 4 minutes To Read

Today’s Date: 2024-10-18

KPI: SMS Segments Used

The KPI “SMS Segments Used” measures the total number of SMS message segments sent or received within a particular period. It is crucial for monitoring communication costs and performance, thus helping dental practices manage their SMS usage effectively.

Calculating SMS Segments Used

To calculate the number of SMS segments used, follow these steps:

  • Identify the Total Number of SMS Messages: Determine the total number of SMS messages sent or received within the reporting period.
  • Determine Message Length: Count the number of characters in each SMS message. A standard SMS segment can contain a maximum of 160 characters.
  • Calculate Segments per Message: For each SMS, divide the total number of characters by 160. If the message length exceeds a multiple of 160, round up to the next whole number since any remaining characters even if fewer than 160, would still count as an additional segment.
  • Sum of Segments: Add the number of segments for all messages to get the total SMS segments used.

Example: If you sent 3 SMS messages with lengths of 80, 200, and 350 characters, the calculation would be:

  • First message: 80 characters / 160 = 0.5 (round up to 1 segment)
  • Second message: 200 characters / 160 = 1.25 (round up to 2 segments)
  • Third message: 350 characters / 160 = 2.1875 (round up to 3 segments)

Total SMS segments used = 1 + 2 + 3 = 6 segments

Importance of Tracking SMS Segments Used in a Dental Office

In a modern dental office, effective communication with patients is essential for excellent service and patient satisfaction. The “SMS Segments Used” KPI is crucial for several reasons:

  • Patient Engagement: Regular communication keeps patients informed about appointments, follow-ups, and promotions. SMS has a high open rate compared to other communication channels.
  • Operational Efficiency: Tracking SMS usage ensures efficient communication with patients, helps in managing appointments, and reduces no-show rates.
  • Cost Management: SMS communication costs are based on the number of segments used. Monitoring this KPI helps manage the communication budget, avoid overspending, and optimize cost-effectiveness.

Example Calculation: If a dental office sends 500 appointment reminders and receives 200 confirmations in a month, the total SMS segments used would be 700.

Strategies to Optimize SMS Usage

Improving the ‘SMS Segments Used’ KPI involves balancing effective patient communication with cost-efficiency. Here are some actionable strategies:

  • Automate SMS Reminders: Utilize automation tools to send reminders for appointments, follow-ups, and even patient birthday wishes. This ensures timely communication and saves staff time.
  • Personalize Messages: Craft personalized messages based on patient history and preferences to make communication more effective.
  • Consolidate Messages: Send fewer, comprehensive messages rather than multiple short ones to minimize segments used.
  • Review and Optimize Content: Regularly review the content of messages to ensure they are clear, concise, and necessary, thus reducing unnecessary communication.
  • Leverage Two-Way Communication: Enable patients to respond to SMS for confirmations or queries, making communication more interactive and efficient.

Example: If an automated reminder involves 3 segments, revise to fit into 1 or 2 segments without losing crucial information.

Practice by Numbers and KPI Improvement

Practice by Numbers is an excellent solution for dental offices looking to improve their KPIs. By leveraging dental business intelligence software, your practice can gain deeper insights into communication patterns and costs. Here’s how Practice by Numbers can help:

  • Advanced Analytics: Provides detailed, per-month KPI statistics to help you understand trends and make data-driven decisions.
  • Automated Reporting: Offers automated reports and customizable dashboards to monitor SMS usage effectively.
  • Cost Management: Helps track and manage your communication costs to ensure you stay within budget.
  • Enhanced Patient Communication: Features tailored tools for patient reminders and follow-ups to ensure consistent engagement and satisfaction.

By utilizing these functionalities, your dental practice can enhance patient satisfaction, improve operational workflows, and effectively manage communication costs, leading to overall practice growth and success.

For more detailed and per-month KPI statistics, Practice by Numbers users can access comprehensive insights through their platform.

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