08
May
2024
08
May
2024
Outsourcing is a concept that many business owners in the Aesthetics sector are not 100% comfortable with, after all, why would you pay someone to do something that you can do better yourself for less or even nothing?
Suppose this is how you have approached the thought of outsourcing up until now. In that case, I’m hoping to get you to reconsider – in this blog, I’ll take a brief look at the benefits of outsourcing and some task areas in your business that you can, possibly, consider letting go of.
When we start our own business, we normally base it on our key skill – in your case treating patients with various aesthetic products, for me it’s using my knowledge and experience to service aesthetic practices. We often don’t stop to consider all of the other tasks that come with growth: accounts, recruitment, marketing, stock control, staff management, cyber security, information management, even the cleaning… the list is endless!
Whilst you continue to undertake many of these tasks yourself you are not in the treatment room doing what you do best - generating income.
Outsourcing can be a sensible solution as your task list grows, as we have found here for ourselves at Aesthetic Response. We work with an external HR company, have an HR platform, an accountant and book-keeper, 3rd party Cyber Security & systems support, a cleaning company and recruitment specialists all supporting our business with their expertise, which in turn frees us up to focus on what we’re good at, also allowing us valuable planning time.
It’s worth taking a step back from all of the tasks you’re juggling and considering what help would make the most impact for you – remember you’re looking to maximise your clinical time to ensure that you’re making the most of your valuable skills. I’m sure you have already invested in a CRM system, helping you to run your clinic smoothly. A good CRM, used effectively, has the ability to support several functions including consultations, patient notes, stock control, invoicing, appointment management and marketing.
There is an increasing number of outsourced support functions within the aesthetics sector that are available to your business, it’s simply a matter of targeting those that will most effectively meet your day-to-day challenges. You can receive HR support from a company like Citation, marketing support, lead generation with Boost, recruitment from SJ Partnership, business consultancy and coaching from Ron Meyers. There are even opportunities to outsource own branded products, with a company like Five Squirrels as well as a supported programme for client’s skincare products with Get Harley. As you can see there are a growing number of services that are supporting aesthetic clinics including ours here at Aesthetic Response and, as with everything in business it’s about weighing up the costs and benefits.
Virtual call handling and lead management are our areas of expertise here at Aesthetic Response. We have quite a variety of aesthetic clinics who take on our services: There are those who are building their practice from a mobile phone and often miss valuable calls, or who have callbacks to do at the end of a long day. There are established clinics including those with in-house staff who are often tied up with clients on reception, are on other calls, or may be off sick.
Whichever stage you are at with your business it may be wise to consider the options that are available to support your calls and enquiries as these are the lifeblood of your business!
You could consider using a simple message-taking support as a ‘catch-all’ safety net, or look to have a more comprehensive, dedicated service, where you have the peace of mind that calls and enquiries are being contained and that they are receiving a prompt, effective and efficient response. Although it may seem hard to imagine a third party being able to effectively manage your calls, leads and appointment bookings, experience and great foundational knowledge make it possible. By offering a friendly, professional response, underpinned by great treatment knowledge and confident diary booking skills, it’s possible for outsourced support like ours here at Aesthetic Response, to align with how your practice works.
It may well be that you are already outsourcing with great results, however, if you are not I hope that, from this brief look, you will gain insight into the support and help that is available to you as you look to free up valuable time to grow your business. These services can enable you to focus on what you do best - in the treatment room!
About us: With over 13 years' experience, Aesthetic Response is the sectors leading provider of call handling and lead management services and was the first to offer dedicated aesthetic clinic support. We’ve used this extensive customer service experience to create online training for front-of-house clinic staff.
To find out more email clientservices@aestheticresponse.co.uk or call us on 0191 720 3000
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