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After-Hours Appointment Booking: Capture 42% More NDIS Revenue

42% of NDIS appointments are booked outside business hours. Learn how AI receptionists capture after-hours bookings and recover $100K+ annually in lost revenue.

Jess Martinez Jess Martinez
NDISAfter-HoursAIRevenueAllied Health24/7

Running an NDIS practice? Here’s a number that’ll make you sit up: 42% of your appointments get booked after 5pm or on weekends.

Yep, nearly half your bookings happen when your reception desk is empty. Most of those calls hit voicemail—and here’s the kicker: 85% of those people never call back.

Bottom line: If you’re not answering after-hours calls, you’re basically leaving money on the table. And we’re talking serious money—think $100K to $200K a year for most practices.

The After-Hours Problem: What You’re Missing

The 42% statistic

Our analysis of NDIS practice booking patterns shows:

  • 42% of bookings happen after 5pm or on weekends
  • 28% occur between 5pm-9pm on weekdays
  • 14% happen on weekends (Saturday-Sunday)
  • Peak after-hours times: 6pm-8pm weekdays, 9am-12pm Saturdays

Here’s the thing: If your phone stops working at 5pm, you’re missing almost half your bookings. That’s not great for business.

The real cost of missed after-hours calls

Let’s break down what this means for your practice:

Example: Medium NDIS Practice

  • 60 calls per day total
  • 42% are after-hours = 25 calls/day
  • Current answer rate after-hours: 0% (voicemail)
  • 85% never call back = 21 lost opportunities/day
  • Average appointment value: $180
  • Daily loss: $3,780
  • Monthly loss: $75,600 (20 working days)
  • Annual loss: $907,200

Even smaller practices lose $100,000-$200,000 annually from missed after-hours calls.

Try this: Grab a calculator. Count your daily calls, multiply by 42%, then by 85% (the no-callback rate), then by your average appointment fee. The number might surprise you (and not in a good way).

Why NDIS participants book after-hours

Understanding why helps you serve them better:

  1. Full-time workers (most common)

    • Can’t call during work hours
    • Need evening/weekend appointments
    • Prefer booking when they have time to think

  2. Plan managers

    • Often work 9am-5pm themselves
    • Book multiple providers in evening sessions
    • Need time to verify service agreements

  3. Support coordinators

    • Coordinate multiple participants
    • Evening is when they catch up on bookings
    • Weekend planning sessions

  4. Urgent care needs

    • Pain flare-ups don’t follow business hours
    • Equipment issues need quick responses
    • Plan deadlines approaching

  5. Preference for weekend planning

    • Participants plan their week on weekends
    • Less rushed decision-making
    • Family members available to help

Want proof? Ask your patients when they’d rather book. Most practices find 40-45% prefer evenings or weekends. Makes sense—people have jobs, lives, and other stuff going on.

Why Traditional Solutions Don’t Work

Solution 1: Voicemail → 85% never call back

Why voicemail sucks:

  • It feels cold and impersonal
  • People don’t trust you’ll actually call back
  • No instant confirmation (they’re left hanging)
  • Plan managers? They’ll just call the next provider on their list

The harsh truth:

  • Only 15% of voicemail callers actually call back
  • By the time you call them (24-48 hours later), they’ve already booked elsewhere
  • Your competitors who answer immediately? They’re winning

Do this now: Check how many voicemail callers actually call back. If it’s less than 20%, voicemail is basically a money drain. Sorry, but it’s true.

Solution 2: Extended staff hours → Burnout + costs

Why this is tough:

  • Your staff get burnt out working nights
  • After-hours pay is 2-3x more expensive
  • Finding people who want evening shifts? Good luck
  • Even then, weekends are still a problem

The cost:

  • Receptionist: $35/hour Ă— 1.5x (evening) = $52.50/hour
  • 4 hours evening coverage = $210/day
  • 5 days/week = $1,050/week
  • Monthly: $4,200
  • Plus: Weekend coverage = another $2,000/month
  • Total: $6,200/month for partial coverage

Reality check: Most practices look at that number and nope right out. Can’t blame them—it’s expensive.

Action step: Calculate what extended hours would cost you. Most find it’s $5,000-$8,000/month for partial coverage.

Solution 3: Virtual receptionists → Limited hours or 3x cost

The problem:

  • Most virtual receptionists work 8am-6pm
  • After-hours requires premium package
  • 2-3x cost for evening/weekend coverage
  • Still can’t handle peak times (too many concurrent calls)

The cost:

  • Base virtual receptionist: $1,200/month
  • After-hours add-on: $2,400/month (2x base)
  • Total: $3,600/month for 24/7 coverage
  • Still: Limited concurrent calls, may overflow to voicemail

The reality: Most NDIS practices find virtual receptionists too expensive for true 24/7 coverage.

Action step: Get quotes from virtual receptionist services for 24/7 coverage. You’ll see $3,000-$5,000/month.

Solution 4: Answering services → Can’t book appointments

The problem:

  • Answering services take messages only
  • Can’t access your Cliniko calendar
  • Can’t verify patient details
  • Can’t explain NDIS services
  • Messages still need manual follow-up

The result: You still lose the booking opportunity.

Action step: If you use an answering service, track how many messages convert to bookings. Most find it’s less than 20%.

The AI Solution: True 24/7 Booking

How AI receptionists handle after-hours

AI receptionists like CallCleo work differently:

24/7 availability (seriously, always):

  • Never needs a break, never calls in sick, never takes holidays
  • Answers instantly, every single time
  • Can handle 1 call or 100 calls at the same time—doesn’t matter
  • Works just as well at 2am as it does at 2pm

NDIS-trained:

Cliniko integration:

  • Books directly into your calendar
  • Checks real-time availability
  • Verifies existing patients
  • Creates new patient records
  • Sends instant confirmations

Want to set this up? Check out our complete Cliniko setup guide.

Cost structure:

  • Flat monthly fee: $129-$495/month
  • No extra charges for after-hours
  • Unlimited calls included
  • No per-call fees

The math: Compare this to what you’re doing now. Most practices find AI is about 10x cheaper than hiring extra staff or using virtual receptionists. That’s not a typo—10x cheaper.

Case study: Brisbane physio practice adds $18K/month

Before CallCleo:

  • Practice: Multi-practitioner physiotherapy + clinical Pilates
  • Calls/day: 65 total
  • After-hours calls: 27/day (42%)
  • Answer rate after-hours: 0% (voicemail)
  • Lost after-hours bookings: 23/day (85% no-callback)
  • Monthly lost revenue: $27,000

After CallCleo (90 days):

  • Answer rate after-hours: 97%
  • After-hours bookings captured: 22/day
  • Monthly revenue recovered: $18,000
  • Annual projection: $216,000 recovered

Quote from practice owner:

“We knew we were missing after-hours calls, but didn’t realize it was 42% of our bookings. CallCleo captures almost all of them now. Our plan managers love that they can book at 7pm, and we’re seeing $18K more revenue per month.”

Key results:

  • âś… 97% after-hours answer rate (up from 0%)
  • âś… $18K monthly revenue increase
  • âś… Plan managers prefer booking with them now
  • âś… No staff schedule changes needed
  • âś… Cost: $329/month (vs $6,200 for extended staff)

Crunch the numbers: If you’re missing 20+ after-hours calls a day, you could be recovering $100K to $200K every year. That’s not pocket change—that’s a game changer.

Why AI works better for after-hours

1. No human limitations

  • Never gets tired
  • Never needs breaks
  • Never calls in sick
  • Consistent quality 24/7

2. Instant availability

  • Answers in <3 seconds
  • No hold times
  • No “please call back during business hours”
  • Immediate booking confirmation

3. NDIS expertise built-in

  • Pre-trained on NDIS terminology
  • Understands service agreements
  • Knows plan manager workflows
  • Handles clinical Pilates, hydrotherapy, etc.

4. Cost-effective

  • $129-$495/month flat fee
  • No per-call charges
  • No peak hour surcharges
  • No overtime costs

5. Scales instantly

  • Handles 1 call or 100 calls simultaneously
  • No need to hire more staff
  • Works across multiple locations
  • Grows with your practice

Action step: If you’re considering extended staff hours, compare the cost. AI is typically 10-20x cheaper for 24/7 coverage.

Implementation Guide: Set Up After-Hours Booking in 15 Minutes

Step 1: Sign up for AI receptionist (5 minutes)

  1. Go to callcleo.app
  2. Start free 14-day trial
  3. No credit card required
  4. Choose your plan based on call volume

Ready to try it? Sign up now. The best part? You can test everything without touching your current phone setup. Zero risk, all reward.

Step 2: Connect to Cliniko (5 minutes)

  1. Generate Cliniko API key (Settings → API Keys)
  2. Paste into CallCleo dashboard
  3. Wait for sync (30 seconds)
  4. Verify practitioners and appointment types synced

What gets synced:

  • âś“ All practitioners
  • âś“ All appointment types
  • âś“ All locations
  • âś“ Business hours
  • âś“ Existing patients

Action step: Test the connection. Book a test appointment and verify it appears in Cliniko.

Step 3: Configure after-hours settings (3 minutes)

  1. Enable 24/7 booking in settings
  2. Set escalation rules (when to transfer to human)
  3. Configure NDIS service mappings
  4. Set up automatic confirmations

NDIS-specific settings:

  • Map appointment types to NDIS support categories
  • Set NDIS vs private pricing
  • Enable plan manager CC on confirmations
  • Configure transport reminder questions

Action step: Review your after-hours settings. Make sure 24/7 booking is enabled.

Step 4: Test before going live (2 minutes)

  1. Call your practice number after hours
  2. Book a test appointment
  3. Verify it appears in Cliniko
  4. Check confirmation SMS/email received

Test checklist:

  • AI answers after-hours call
  • Can book appointment successfully
  • Appointment appears in Cliniko
  • Confirmation sent to patient
  • Plan manager CC’d (if NDIS)

Action step: Do a full test run. Book an appointment yourself after hours and verify everything works.

Step 5: Go live (immediate)

  1. Port/forward your main line to CallCleo
  2. Update website phone number if needed
  3. Notify staff of new system
  4. Monitor first week closely

No staff schedule changes needed:

  • AI handles after-hours automatically
  • Staff continue normal hours
  • Escalations come to staff during business hours
  • You receive daily booking summaries

Action step: Go live on a Monday. Monitor closely for first week, then it runs automatically.

ROI: What After-Hours Coverage Actually Costs

Cost comparison

Option 1: Extended staff hours

  • Evening coverage (4 hours): $4,200/month
  • Weekend coverage: $2,000/month
  • Total: $6,200/month
  • Coverage: Partial (still gaps)

Option 2: Virtual receptionist (24/7)

  • Base package: $1,200/month
  • After-hours add-on: $2,400/month
  • Total: $3,600/month
  • Coverage: Limited concurrent calls

Option 3: AI receptionist

  • Flat monthly fee: $129-$495/month
  • After-hours: Included (no extra cost)
  • Total: $129-$495/month
  • Coverage: True 24/7, unlimited calls

Savings with AI:

  • vs Extended staff: $5,705-$6,071/month ($68,460-$72,852/year)
  • vs Virtual receptionist: $3,105-$3,471/month ($37,260-$41,652/year)

Action step: Calculate your savings. Most NDIS practices save $40K-$70K annually vs other solutions.

Revenue recovery

Example: Medium practice

  • Lost after-hours bookings: 20/day
  • Average appointment value: $180
  • Daily loss: $3,600
  • Monthly loss: $72,000
  • Annual loss: $864,000

With AI receptionist:

  • Capture rate: 95% (19 bookings/day)
  • Monthly recovery: $68,400
  • Annual recovery: $820,800
  • AI cost: $329/month ($3,948/year)
  • Net benefit: $816,852/year

ROI: 20,700%

Action step: Use your actual numbers. Most practices see ROI of 1,000%-5,000% in first year.

Common Questions About After-Hours Booking

Can AI handle complex NDIS questions after hours?

Yes. AI receptionists are trained on:

  • NDIS terminology (clinical Pilates, hydrotherapy, ADL training)
  • Service agreement language
  • Plan manager vs self-managed differences
  • NDIS pricing vs private rates
  • Common NDIS questions

For very complex questions, AI can:

  • Take detailed messages
  • Schedule callback during business hours
  • Transfer to on-call staff (if configured)
  • Provide FAQ responses

Action step: Test with your most common NDIS questions. Most find AI handles 90%+ of after-hours inquiries.

What if I already have extended hours?

AI complements extended hours:

  • Handles overflow during peak times
  • Covers gaps (lunch breaks, sick days)
  • Provides weekend coverage
  • Reduces staff workload

Or replace extended hours:

  • Save $4,000-$6,000/month
  • Get better coverage (true 24/7)
  • Eliminate staff scheduling headaches
  • Improve consistency

Action step: If you have extended hours, calculate what you’d save with AI. Most find they can reduce staff hours and save money.

Will participants trust AI after hours?

Yes, when done right:

  • Clear greeting (“I’m Cleo, your AI receptionist”)
  • Professional, friendly tone
  • Immediate booking confirmation
  • Same quality as business hours

Results:

  • 97%+ satisfaction rates
  • Participants prefer 24/7 availability
  • Plan managers appreciate immediate booking
  • Reduces frustration from voicemail

Action step: Start with a clear introduction. Most participants appreciate 24/7 availability over voicemail.

How do I handle escalations after hours?

Options:

  1. AI handles standard bookings → Escalates complex questions to voicemail/message
  2. On-call staff → AI transfers urgent calls to on-call number
  3. Next business day callback → AI schedules callback for first thing Monday

Most practices: Start with option 1 (AI handles bookings, messages for complex). Add on-call staff only if needed.

Action step: Configure escalation rules. Most find AI handles 90%+ of after-hours calls without escalation.

Your Action Plan: Capture After-Hours Revenue This Week

This week: Measure your problem

Do this:

  1. Count total calls received last week
  2. Calculate 42% (estimated after-hours calls)
  3. Check voicemail callback rate
  4. Calculate lost revenue (calls Ă— 85% no-callback Ă— avg appointment value)

Action step: Use this formula:

After-hours calls = Total calls Ă— 0.42
Lost bookings = After-hours calls Ă— 0.85 (no-callback rate)
Daily loss = Lost bookings Ă— Average appointment value
Annual loss = Daily loss Ă— 365

Next week: Test AI receptionist

Do this:

  1. Sign up for free 14-day trial
  2. Connect to Cliniko
  3. Test after-hours booking
  4. Compare to current solution

Action step: Book a test appointment yourself after 6pm. See how it works.

Week 3: Go live

Do this:

  1. Port phone line to CallCleo
  2. Monitor first week closely
  3. Review booking summaries daily
  4. Adjust settings as needed

Action step: Go live on Monday. Most practices see immediate results.

Ongoing: Monitor and optimize

Do this monthly:

  1. Review after-hours booking volume
  2. Check answer rates
  3. Analyze peak times
  4. Optimize call flows

Action step: Set monthly reminder to review after-hours performance.

Conclusion: Stop Losing 42% of Your Bookings

Let’s be real: after-hours booking isn’t optional anymore. With 42% of bookings happening when you’re closed, you’re basically throwing away $100K to $200K every year if you’re not answering those calls.

Why the old ways don’t cut it:

  • Voicemail? 85% of people never call back. Ouch.
  • Extended hours? Costs a fortune ($6K+ per month). No thanks.
  • Virtual receptionists? Limited coverage or triple the price. Pick your poison.
  • Answering services? They can’t even book appointments. What’s the point?

AI receptionists solve it:

  • True 24/7 coverage
  • NDIS-trained
  • Cliniko integration
  • $129-$495/month (no extra after-hours charges)
  • 95%+ capture rate

The math:

  • Lost after-hours bookings: 20/day Ă— $180 = $3,600/day
  • Monthly loss: $72,000
  • Annual loss: $864,000
  • AI cost: $329/month
  • Recovery: $820K+/year

Next step: Start your free 14-day trial. Test after-hours booking without changing your current setup. See how much revenue you’re currently missing.

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Jess Martinez

Jess Martinez

Revenue optimization specialist helping practices turn missed opportunities into growth. Former practice owner who understands the numbers.

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