Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, digitization and technology have become important lifelines for almost all businesses. Massage therapy businesses are no stranger to this. One important part of any business is the administrative tasks. Administrative tasks can take up way more time than anticipated. The process often involves taking calls, asking your clients to fill out forms (or filling one out yourself), re-entering the data from the form into your practice management software, and re-writing the information again when you draft an engagement letter. Automated workflow is a much better option due to various reasons. Automation saves a lot of time, especially due to cutting and simplifying  the processes mentioned above. It is also a safer option because you can incorporate things like touchless payments, which reduces the number of surfaces to be sanitized. Automated client intake options are thus helpful to growing a business exponentially. We will see ways to automate client intake for massage therapists here. The first two points are more general software for client intake, and the final point suggests specific software for massage therapists:

Use Client Intake Tools:

Many programs automate various parts of the client intake process. For example, some programs make it easier to create intake forms, or they give clients the option to use e-signatures so that forms or documents can be signed without meeting face to face. 

The best tools in the market can integrate directly with any practice management software. A new contact or matter is created automatically whenever your new clients fill out an intake form. Here is a list of software to help you automate client intake.

Intake 123

Intake 123 is extremely helpful in automating client intake for your business. It provides customizable online forms. You can easily integrate it into your website to capture information from your prospective clients. 

Amiquis

Amiquis is an option that provides ample security with end-to-end encryption for client intake data and key documentation. Amiquis also offers identity and compliance checks and more. 

Use Zapier

Zapier is a nifty service that allows you to save time spent on repeatable tasks between apps. In addition, it allows you to automate actions between your frequently used apps by setting up Zaps between them. 

For example, you can set up a Google Form and then add a Zap to automatically create a new file in your database or practice management software when the form is filled out. Or you can even take it up a notch by setting it up to automatically create your engagement agreements. The service then can store all new client information in a Spreadsheet.

Essential Softwares for Massage Therapists

There are a few services that can specifically cater to massage therapists. We have listed some out which can help improve your client intake experience.

ClinicSense

Daniel Ruscigno found ClinicSense in 2013. The motive behind it was to automate and streamline mundane tasks. ClinicSense automates tasks like SOAP notes, scheduling, invoicing, and appointment reminders. It also protects the client and the service provider by automatically sending a COVID pre-screening form to complete the day before their appointments. Due to touchless payment transactions and online intake forms, the number of surfaces touched like payment terminals or pens/pencils can also be reduced. 

Other than that, ClinicSense also provides tools to reduce your no-shows, sell more gift certificates, and increase your client retention. It also has an email marketing tool to expand your business even further. It is priced from 29-99 USD a month.

MassageBook

Mark Volkman started MassageBook because he was a massage therapist who needed de-cluttering his workflow. The service is helpful to solo or small business massage therapists. MassageBook provides automated workflow and client intake, but it also has additional features. For example, during the early stages of the pandemic, MassageBook offered a service called Membership which helped massage therapists better manage their clients and receive a steady monthly income in difficult times. For example, clients who paid for Membership can save up the credits of their unused sessions for future use. MassageBook also offers a clean and intuitive interface for both the clients and the massage therapists. 

The points above made up a comprehensive list of methods one can use to improve their massage therapy business. Automation has helped different businesses, and certainly, massage therapists can also boost their business by improving their workflow by automating processes like client intake.