When you buy software for your business, you’re sure to have questions or need help with the product at some point, no matter how intuitive the system is. Unfortunately, the quality of the software vendor’s support might not meet your expectations. In one survey, more than half of customers reported they feel “stressed” and “exhausted” after dealing with a company’s customer service organization.
EMS agencies can’t afford a sub-par software service experience, especially when it comes to EMS billing software. To maximize reimbursement, increase revenue, and boost profitability, your billers need prompt, knowledgeable support that helps them use the billing software to its fullest capacity.
How do you know if you’re receiving the high-quality service your EMS agency needs to keep the billing function working at its best? The following are all good signs you’re getting exceptional EMS billing software support.
The support team knows EMS operations and billing.
When you have a question about your EMS billing software or need help troubleshooting a problem, you can’t take the time to get the support rep up to speed on your agency or the nuances of EMS billing. An EMS billing software support representative that understands how agencies operate and has extensive billing experience will be in the best position to provide accurate answers to your questions.
Look for a vendor with experienced, knowledgeable professionals who are well-versed in the EMS industry and experts in EMS billing specifically. They’ll be well-equipped to provide quick, reliable answers and help you leverage your EMS billing software to meet your revenue goals.
The support team is dedicated and passionate.
We’ve all had the unfortunate experience of speaking with a customer support representative who doesn’t seem very interested in solving our problem. We can hear it in the tone of their voice, and we can sense it when they don’t take the time to truly understand the issue.
As an EMS agency, you attract employees who are dedicated to the job and passionate about providing exceptional patient care. So you should be able to rely on EMS billing software support reps who are just as dedicated to their jobs and just as passionate about serving your needs.
You can access support through multiple channels.
Many software vendors require customers to log support tickets online and wait for an answer…sometimes for days. But cash is the lifeblood of your EMS agency, so you can’t afford delays in getting your billing software questions answered and your bills submitted. When you need EMS billing software support, you want to reach out to the vendor using the channel that works best for you.
An EMS billing software vendor should provide multiple channels for you to request support, including live chat, email, and phone. And it should be easy to reach a live person if you need to, especially for simple questions they can answer on the spot. One survey found that 7 out of 10 customers prefer to receive support from a live agent by phone.
The vendor has a track record of responding fast.
A rapid response to your EMS billing support issues is critical to achieving important business goals, like improving reimbursement and increasing profitability. The faster you can get a billing software question answered or receive help with troubleshooting, the sooner you can get bills out the door…and the sooner you’ll receive reimbursement.
Before committing to an EMS billing software, find out the vendor’s average response time for support calls, live chats, and emails. The more knowledgeable and experienced their support (as noted earlier), the better those metrics will be. And if they don’t have those numbers to share, be wary.
The vendor provided your team with hands-on software training.
In this age of self service, many vendors point new customers to video tutorials and other online resources to get acclimated to the software. But for complex, nuanced functions like EMS billing, the best way to get your internal billers comfortable and productive with the software is to provide effective, hands-on training.
Before signing on for new EMS billing software, confirm that the vendor will provide your billers or in-house trainer with hands-on training, and find out if those sessions go beyond explaining how to use the software’s features. For example, does it cover EMS billing best practices proven to reduce claim denials and improve reimbursement—like how to code ambulance transports correctly and how to comply with state-specific Medicaid rules? It’s also important to ask about the credentials and tenure of the EMS billing software trainers. For example, AIM’s EMS senior billing software trainer has 30+ years of experience doing ambulance billing.
The vendor helps you optimize the software ongoing.
When you decide to take your billing in-house or switch to new EMS billing software, you need to be sure your team is optimizing all the features that can help you improve reimbursement, boost cash flow, and avoid claim denials. But some software vendors limit their post-implementation support to answering your questions reactively—not helping you proactively.
Ask the vendor how they’ll support your agency after you go live and whether they offer recommendations on using the software to its fullest. Vendors like AIM provide EMS agencies with proactive suggestions on how to maximize the software’s features and even flag areas where your team is still using manual processes instead of the system’s automated workflow.
For Exceptional Support, Choose AIM EMS Billing Software!
EMS agencies that use AIM EMS Billing Software get a powerful solution that cuts claim submission time up to 50%, prevents errors that slow reimbursement, and maximizes revenue cycle management. They also get the exceptional, worry-free service and support they need to run a thriving, profitable EMS agency.
In fact, 86% of EMS agencies rate our software support and EMS industry knowledge a 9 or 10 out of 10.
Request a demo to learn how AIM EMS Billing Software can help you accelerate reimbursement and improve cash flow.
