Call-to-booking rate

This rate measures the work of the front desk and the call centre. Marketing brings a phone call; whether it becomes a booked visit depends on how fast someone picks up, what they say and whether a slot is available. It differs from cost per lead in that it judges what happens after the lead arrives.

Example

A dental clinic logs its April requests. Calls and online requests: 900. Not target requests (existing patients moving a visit, suppliers, wrong numbers): 150. Target requests: 750. Appointments booked: 420.

Call-to-booking rate: 420 / 750 = 56%.

Of the 330 target requests without a booking, 120 were missed calls nobody returned. If callbacks within 1 hour booked even 40 of them, the rate would reach 460 / 750, about 61%, with the same ad budget. The figures are illustrative.

How to use it

Split the denominator into answered and missed calls, then track both. A low rate with many missed calls is a staffing problem; a low rate on answered calls points to the script, prices or schedule.

Break the rate down by administrator and by service. Implant consultations and hygiene visits book very differently, and one administrator at 70% can hide a weekend shift at 40%.

Read it next to the no-show rate: a booking only pays off when the patient arrives.

Common mistakes

• Counting all calls, including existing patients rescheduling, which makes the rate swing with the patient base rather than with performance.
• Counting a booking twice when a patient reschedules.
• Leaving chat, messenger and website forms out, so the rate covers only half of the requests.
• Judging administrators by bookings alone, which rewards booking people who will never come.

Related terms