The High Cost of a Missed Call: Why Chiropractors Can’t Afford to Let Patients Go to Voicemail
Picture this: a potential new patient is scrolling through Google, finds your chiropractic website, and decides to pick up the phone. They’re in pain, they’re ready to book, and they’re reaching out for help.
But no one answers.
They hang up, call the next chiropractor on the list, and become their patient instead of yours.
It’s that simple—and that costly.
Why Every Missed Call Matters
Research shows that speed matters more than almost anything else when it comes to securing new patients. Harvard Business Review found that companies contacting leads within an hour are nearly 7× more likely to qualify them than those who wait just one more hour—and more than 60× more likely than those waiting 24 hours or longer.
When a patient calls your office and no one answers, here’s what happens:
Trust is broken immediately. Patients expect responsiveness, especially when they’re in pain or worried about their health. Your website brought them this far, but an unanswered phone tells a different story about your practice.
You lose revenue. Each missed call represents a missed appointment, which could mean thousands of dollars in lifetime patient value walking out the door.
Consider this: if your average patient is worth $2,000 over their treatment cycle, just five missed calls per month costs you $120,000 annually.
Your competitors win. Most patients won’t leave a voicemail—they’ll just call the next chiropractor they find online. In today’s instant-gratification world, patients expect immediate responses to their healthcare needs.
The Psychology of First Impressions
Your marketing efforts work hard to get patients to your website and convince them to call. But the real test of your brand comes the moment they hear your front desk team’s voice—or the dreaded voicemail beep.
Studies show that 75% of customers believe the first company to respond earns their business. If your office doesn’t pick up the phone, you’re essentially telling that patient, “We’re not available to help you when you need us most.”
Here’s the challenge: patients don’t separate your front desk service from your clinical expertise. If the call isn’t answered promptly and professionally, it creates doubt about whether your practice is organized, caring, or even open for business.
Actionable Steps to Stop Losing Patients
The good news? This is one of the simplest marketing fixes you can make. Here’s how to ensure every call becomes an opportunity:
● Prioritize Call Coverage During Office Hours: Make sure your phone is always answered by a real person during business hours. Even a warm, professional greeting can turn an inquiry into a booked appointment. Train your team to answer within three rings whenever possible.
● Implement Call Tracking: Use tools to measure exactly how many calls you’re receiving, when they’re coming in, and how many are being answered versus going to voicemail. This data reveals opportunities you might be missing and helps you optimize staffing during peak call times.
● Train Your Front Desk Team: Your staff should treat every call like a first impression—because it is. A friendly, confident, and knowledgeable response can immediately build trust. Ensure they know how to handle common questions about services, scheduling, and insurance.
● Create a Backup Plan: If your team is small or often busy with in-office patients, consider a professional healthcare answering service. This ensures patients always hear a live, trained voice that can schedule appointments or take detailed messages for immediate follow-up.
● Respond to Voicemails Within Minutes: While the goal is to avoid voicemails entirely, when you do receive one, return the call within 15 minutes whenever possible. Quick response times demonstrate that you value their time and prioritize their care.
● Optimize Phone Staffing: Review your call patterns to identify peak times, then ensure adequate coverage during those periods. Monday mornings and late afternoons often see higher call volumes as patients plan their week or address pain that’s built up during the day.
The ROI of Answering Your Phone
Consider the math: if you typically receive 50 calls per month and convert 40% into new patients, that’s 20 new patients monthly. If you miss 20% of calls due to poor coverage, you’re losing 4 new patients each month—potentially $96,000 in annual revenue based on a conservative $2,000 lifetime patient value.
Investing in proper phone coverage—whether through additional staff training, extended hours, or an answering service—pays for itself many times over.
Your Digital Marketing Investment Depends on It
You invest in websites, SEO, and online marketing to get your phone ringing. But if no one answers when it does ring, you’re essentially throwing away that investment. Every missed call represents wasted marketing dollars and a competitor’s gained patient.
Your online presence works 24/7 to build trust and encourage patients to call. Don’t let a missed phone call undo all that hard work in a single moment.
The bottom line: Your marketing dollars are working hard to get the phone ringing. Make sure someone’s there to answer.
Ready to ensure your practice never misses an opportunity?
Let’s work together to audit your current phone processes and optimize your entire patient journey—from the moment they find you online to the second they hear your team’s voice. Perfect Patients’ comprehensive digital marketing strategies don’t just attract more calls; we help you identify systems that convert every opportunity into loyal patients.