Press Release Monday 3rd August 2009

Opticabase integrates SMS text messaging and a postal service

Since Optrafair, there has been a large increase in the number of practices installing Opticabase practice management software and many others taking up the offer of a free trial. The number of practices now using Opticabase has grown to over 150 in the short space of time that the system has been available to the profession. Director Michael Prais said “Even in these days of recession we have been seeing a continued increase in sales, much of which has come from leads that we got at Optrafair.”

With the continually evolving world that we live in, the ways that Opticians are communicating with their patients is also changing. Many patients now prefer communication through their mobile phones, so it was felt that the time was right to incorporate an SMS solution into Opticabase. SMS text messages are very useful to confirm appointment times with patients and informing them that their spectacles or contact lenses are ready for collection. A phone call is usually more expensive than an SMS message and will take up more reception staff time.

Sending 300 SMS messages through Opticabase will cost £19.50 (6.5p/text). This cost would be more than covered by just one patient turning up for their appointment out of 300 who would have otherwise forgotten without the reminder. 300 phone calls could easily take 150 minutes which is 2.5hrs of receptionist time, whereas it only takes 2 seconds to send each text message.

Opticabase have also partnered with a company to post out letters for practices to save their staff many hours spent folding letters for reminders and for mail shots. When a practice prints their letters they can choose to have them sent securely down the internet to a factory where the letters are then printed, folded, put in envelopes and posted for just over the cost of a second class stamp. The cost includes the paper, envelope and postage and saves practice reception staff's time.

The designers at Opticabase are aware of the importance of keeping Opticabase simple to use for practices and have made sure that this theme has continued for both SMS messages and letter posting.

For more information Opticabase can be contacted on

0161 660 5678 or enquiries@opticabase.co.uk .

www.opticabase.co.uk

Michael Prais is available for interview on 07711 600915