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It’s a familiar story. A patient has booked an appointment at your practice. You’ve booked them a slot and a room and assigned them to their preferred practitioner. You’ve pulled all equipment and products needed for the service, too.
But 15 minutes go by. Another 30 minutes go by, and the patient still hasn’t arrived, called, or rescheduled. And by the time a full hour rolls in, your practitioner is out of time, heading to their next appointment, and hoping their next patient shows up.
No-shows can create a serious tangle of issues for clinics. They leave huge gaps in your schedule and deprive your clinic of billable hours. They also cost you viable patients, efficiency, and organization.
And, patients might not show up due to various reasons. They might be flaky or not that serious about their appointment. They might have simply forgotten. Alternatively, maybe you didn’t remind them enough. Anything could be the trigger.
But the truth is, your clinic doesn’t have to suffer because of it.
We have three words for you. Automated. Patient. Deposits. What about them, you ask? Automated deposits for aesthetics can help you:
Feeling unburdened already? Our latest blog unpicks Pabau’s deposit features and shows you how you can easily solve missed appointment issues — all from a single software.
From being able to request full payments at the time of booking to tailoring client-specific deposits, Pabau has you covered!
Deposits for aesthetics: The golden formula ✨
The US healthcare industry loses $150 billion to no-shows every year.
But how much of this financial loss applies to your practice, salon, and med spa?
Stats say 28% of no-shows happened in Medicaid, 15.3% in Medicare, and from 17% to 31% in dermatology. Let’s put this percentage into perspective.
Say your practice has three team members who have 15 appointments a day, and charge $120 per appointment. Now, if every practitioner had just one no-show per day, that is still just one no-show per day for them.
But it’s three no-shows a day for the clinic!
Time to do the numbers.
Piles of cash, puff, gone. This is viable, business-boosting money you have going down the drain. Money that is easily saved by automated patient deposits for aesthetic practices.
Do I really need deposits?
If you are a new practice or already have patients who are used to paying a certain way, you might second-guess introducing deposits for the first time.
You might be thinking, ‘Patients might not like the idea of paying deposits.’ But, the truth is, deposits are a common practice across countless industries.
For example, when you book a vacation rental, you might be asked to pay a deposit first. In this case, you will pay the deposit without questioning the amount or need for it.
What’s more, when choosing a suitable accommodation, you won’t care if a deposit has been charged — more so whether the reviews say the place is a ‘nice stay.’
Deposits are the security blanket for your practice. They help you save money you’d otherwise lose on no-shows. But deposits also help you filter out unserious patients from the get-go, keeping only the committed clients aboard.
In reality, you don’t want to attract patients whose only care is if they should pay a deposit or not. The utmost retention, engagement, and collaboration will come from clients who choose your clinic based on the quality of service you offer and your reviews — without seeing deposits as a threat.
Automated deposits for aesthetic practices: Key benefits
Taking automated deposits from patients can benefit your practice from multiple angles.
Reduce no-shows and last-minute cancellations
Last-minute cancellations and no-shows give practices a run for their money, literally.
One, you have to deal with the aftermath that no-shows create. Two, you still have to compensate hours for staff assigned to that appointment. And three, you still have to cover treatment equipment and product expenses. However you look at it, you lose.
Setting upfront fees with Pabau, like deposits, saves you from ongoing no-shows.
1️⃣ Deposits make patients more aware of how they spend their money and more invested in their health.
2️⃣ For practices, deposits secure the patient’s payment method in the long run — whether they choose the online booking via Stripe or their account balance.
However you look at it, you win.
Keep in mind that most competitors offer pretty standardized deposits. This means that instead of tailoring deposits for, say, high-value patients or patients who cancel often, you will have to put all patients under one deposit roof.
But Pabau handles things differently. We offer maximum deposit flexibility, meaning you can choose standardized as well as client-specific and service-specific deposits, based on what suits your clinic and patients the best.
You can set lower deposits for diligent and valued patients and higher deposits for no-shows or newbies. Two birds, one stone.
Here’s how our deposit options help fill in option gaps.
You can set deposits in general
Pabau lets you decide how patients will pay their deposits. You can easily flex between full rates, percentages, and full deposits, based on what works best for your clinic.
💵 Flat deposit fees give patients predictable upfront costs and leave 0% confusion.
A flat deposit rate can apply to standardized services or patients who need to start showing up for appointments more responsibly.
💵 Percentage-based deposits let patients have more balanced payment options.
For new patients, you can opt for a low-percentage deposit. Or, you can set a flexible percentage deposit based on the treatment complexity and its total cost.
💵 Full payment deposits are super convenient. They eliminate the need for follow-up payments after the treatment. Patients have peace of mind knowing that they have fully covered the cost in advance. And you reduce the risk of unexpected charges, like that.
You can create service-specific deposits
Aside from client-specific deposits, you can also set service-specific deposits.
You can choose a specific, let’s say, $30 deposit for your online consultations, but set up a $50 deposit for in-person treatments, based on the treatment’s extensiveness.
Here’s what that does for your practice and patients.
🔄 Resource allocation. Specific deposits will help allocate staff, equipment, and supplies, making resources available and properly distributed for each service. For services that include costlier materials, equipment, and personnel, setting higher deposits will help you cover the expenses more accurately.
🚩 Risk management. Aesthetic clinics can implement flexible service deposits by categorizing procedures based on their risk levels. Higher deposits can be set for riskier treatments like facelifts, whereas lower deposits can be set for less invasive procedures like Botox injections. This boosts risk management for your clinic and offers flexibility for patients who want to choose a treatment based on their financial commitment abilities.
🔎 Pricing transparency. Specific service deposits give patients insights into the deposit amount, alongside the cost and extent of the service. Full pricing transparency helps patients build trust in your practice.
🆙 Enhanced client experience. Offering flexible service deposits attracts a wide range of patients with different preferences. Customize their experience and accommodate their needs by setting a deposit that works best for their budget.
🤝 Appointment commitment. Setting higher deposits for certain services, like lasers, will encourage patients to commit to their appointment more, and take the booking seriously. This will automatically reduce the likelihood of no-shows, and spark up retention.
How Stripe integration helps with deposits for aesthetics
The safest way to take, process, and manage patient deposits is through Stripe. Stripe allows patients to see how much deposit they need to pay, and what for.
Pabau’s Stripe integration does automated deposits by heart.
If a patient makes an online booking, they will be automatically directed to pay a deposit through Stripe. This will secure booked appointments for patients and guarantee their attendance for practitioners.
You can filter out flaky clients
When you first introduce deposits to patients, some of them won’t be on board with it.
Some patients don’t like paying in advance and they might even be difficult about it.
Because here’s the thing — patients who take their wellness seriously will happily pay upfront and understand why deposits are needed to complete their booking.
No-shows can drain clinics financially. But making them a mandatory practice, especially for online bookings, will secure clinic viability. It will also help filter out unreliable patients, but retain the committed ones on your roster.
It’s all about communication and making sure that your patients know your relevant deposit policies ahead of time. That way, they can make informed decisions when booking, depositing, and showing up to their appointments.
You can use deposits for special treatment supplies
Deposits are a great way to cover treatment material expenses ahead of time.
For example, if a client requires unique treatment products, like a specific skin or hair growth serum, you can use their deposit to order and add that product to the treatment.
This is great if you use limited-product orders for select patients, and select treatments.
You can even set the deposit amount based on the specific product cost. E.g. If a patient needs a specific serum that costs $50, you can set their deposit for $50. Patients will only use a portion of the product during the appointment. But you’ll have spares ready for upcoming treatments.
You can improve schedule management
Yes, missed appointments lose your practice time and money you cannot get back. They also create schedule gaps that impair clinic management and efficiency.
Pabau’s automated deposits put an end to no-shows by targetting patients who tend to cancel at the last minute, or book and bail. Use our system tags to mark these clients, then set specific deposits on their services.
Now, they are obliged to pay upfront. Whether they show up or not, you’ll be financially covered, and have a sorted schedule.
You can boost patient engagement and leads
Booking online appointments is the preferred scheduling method among patients.
Why? Because it’s more available and easier.
Look at it this way: many patients will book appointments outside clinic work hours. Having an online booking system allows them to schedule an appointment at a time that works best for them, and pay for an appointment using a tailored deposit.
At the same time, you can build trust with patients, earn higher-quality leads, boost conversion, and reduce churn rates.
Introducing tailored deposits gives patients a frictionless booking experience. A higher deposit will instill a sense of commitment for new clients from the start, whereas a lower deposit for recurring patients will give them a sense of being valued.
Additionally, you can choose the deposit policy that works best for you.
If you’d prefer higher quality leads, you can set a higher deposit percentage. If you’re more focused on volume then a lower deposit policy could be the strategy for you.
Secure appointments with deposits for aesthetics: What to consider
Deposits can be a two-edged sword for practices. On one hand, patients need to pay them in order to book an appointment. On the other, they need to be okay with paying a deposit and ensuring it works in their best interest — not just your clinic’s.
Here are some considerations to keep in mind when defining and enforcing deposits.
✔️ Procedure cost. For costlier services, a higher deposit will further secure patient booking, helping your clinic save money and avoid payment gaps.
✔️ Clear guidelines. Patients need to know your practice’s full cancellation, refund, and emergency cancellation policy before paying a deposit. Let patients know how long they have to complete a deposit, and how deposits are refunded if needed.
Explain when a deposit is considered non-refundable or fully charged, and list the penalties at hand. Navigating patients through your deposit process gives them a sense of diligence and completion and defends your practice against misbehavior.
✔️ First-timers. For new patients, consider setting a more flexible deposit policy, at least until you onboard them. You won’t scare off newcomers with hefty charges but will drive more people to your very organized practice.
✔️ Efficiency & satisfaction. Managing deposits via designated software scales your efficiency. An automated deposit system reduces money losses, boosts patient satisfaction and positive reviews, and saves you hours of manual billing.
📢 Boost patient commitment and practice efficiency with Pabau!
Streamline deposit management and ✂️ billing hours with Pabau’s automated deposit features!
Enjoy maximum flexibility, cut the back-and-forth with patients, and maintain a gap-free schedule within a few clicks!
Want to enhance appointment attendance beyond deposits? Pabau’s automatic reminders and smart tags keep your patients coming back!
Don’t miss out on the benefits — explore our case studies to see how Pabau clinics use deposits to nip no-shows in the bud!
