Most CFOs look at their contact center and see a cost center.
I look at it and see a revenue function.
The distinction matters more than most executives realize.
Managing for cost means every decision is about subtraction:
– Less agents
– Cheaper labor
– Tighter budgets
The goal is a smaller line item.
Managing it as a revenue function means the questions change:
– How many patients are we losing because they can’t get through?
– What does a lost patient cost us over their lifetime?
– What would it take to fix that?
In healthcare, the contact center is usually where the patient relationship starts.
Someone calls to schedule. If that call goes well, they come in.
If it doesn’t, they don’t, and usually end up at a competitor.
Some leave a bad review that costs you the next patient too.
I saw one company offshore their contact center just to cut costs:
The savings were immediate.
But so was the plummet in satisfaction scores.
New patient share dropped, while competitors grew.
The scheduling the offshore team couldn’t handle fell to the doctors.
By the time the revenue loss showed up, the decision was already locked in.
Your contact center line item is an expense.
It’s also funding the function that converts calls into patients.
You already know what your contact center costs.
But do you know it’s revenue impact?
I’m Mark Danielson, and I help healthcare leaders reduce support costs while improving patient satisfaction.
Follow me for practical insights on cutting contact center costs, improving service quality, and modernizing operations without the tradeoffs.
