Monday cancellations.  Every dental office has them and no one looks forward to them at all.  Remembering the movie Office Space, it seems like many people “have a case of the Mondays” and just don’t want to come in and take care of business.  Here area  few tips to avoid the dreaded Monday cancellations.

Reminder Phone Calls

Make reminder phone calls to those patients who have Monday appointments on Friday.  It is best to start making the calls Friday morning since many people sneak out of their offices as early as possible Friday afternoon.  However, reaching as many people as you can on Friday will cut down on the Monday no-shows.  When people are reminded they are more likely to keep the appointment.  It improves their memory and it reminds them of the embarrassment of a missed appointment.

Turn Off The Answering Machine

While the answering machine or voice mail system in your office is quite helpful most of the time, it can be a hindrance when it comes to Monday cancellations.  Many people feel as though they’ve done all they need to do if they leave a message and are more comfortable speaking to a machine to cancel, something they all realize they should not do.  If they don’t reach a machine they will be more compelled to show up for their Monday appointment, especially if they were unable to cancel and don't want to incur a cancellation fee.  Try turning off the machine on the weekends and see how your Monday appointment situation improves.