Updated 2026-08-30 · 2 min read
Almost every clinic is in one of these four, and many have been through two or three before deciding.
The comparison, with no frills
| By hand | Automatic replies | Menu bot | Assistant that books | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Replies at night | No | A notice, not an answer | Yes | Yes |
| Understands what's written | Yes | No | Only the options | Yes |
| Gives a specific slot | Yes | No | Sometimes | Yes |
| Knows that patient's pack | If someone checks | No | No | Yes |
| Confirms the day's sessions | By hand | No | No | Yes |
| Steps aside if the team replies | — | No | No | Yes |
| Cost | Your team's hours | Low | Medium | Monthly fee |
Where each one breaks
By hand breaks at peak times and at night. Automatic replies break as soon as the patient answers anything, because there's nobody behind them. The menu bot breaks with the first sentence that isn't on the menu, and in physiotherapy that's almost everything: people write explaining why they're getting in touch.
The step you notice most
It isn't from «by hand» to «automatic». It's from replying to BOOKING. A message saying «we'll confirm tomorrow» and a specific slot with a professional's name aren't the same answer, and the patient knows it.
That's why the useful comparison isn't price against price, but how many of those messages end with a session in the calendar.
Questions clinics ask
Can I start with the simplest option? You can, and many clinics do. Be clear about what you gain and what you don't: an automatic out-of-hours notice doesn't stop that person writing to another clinic.
Can they be combined? Yes. The normal thing is for the assistant to answer all the time and your team to join whichever conversations they want.
What happens with messages it doesn't know how to answer? It passes them to your team and flags them in the dashboard so nobody misses them.