Lowering Software Fees Through Innovation!
In regard to orthodontic management software, orthodontists have always put two items at the top of their list of complaints:
The cost of orthodontic software and technical support; and
The quality and availability of technical software support services.
It might surprise you to hear that Advanced Ortho Systems (‘AOS’) believes that these complaints are, for the most part, fully justified! For that reason, we want to point out what AOS has done, and is constantly doing, to address these issues that you find so important.
Software Costs
In the beginning, AOS established a fair, competitive price for its software and only offered discounts in connection with its Recent Grad Program. However, in 2005 we eliminated paper brochures and paper system proposals; stopped attending orthodontic meetings and providing onsite demos; did away with mailing out demo CDs, and began providing everything online. The savings derived allowed AOS to reduce the Program Director software fee by about 11%. (To read about how we handle our highly personalized marketing process, visit http://www.advanced-ortho.net/different.asp.)
A short time later, AOS ceased advertising and began carefully evaluating the impact that action would have on new sales. The sales resulting from website visitors, along with the ever increasing referrals from our clients, have made up for the elimination of magazine ads and AOS is now going to pass the significant savings along to new purchasers. Consequently, effective January 1, 2007, AOS is permanently reducing its software license fee by another 14%; a total discount of 25% in just two years!
Software Support Costs
Since its initial release over 8 years ago, Program Director has been the most stable orthodontic program available; it has never crashed! Five years ago, AOS became the only orthodontic software company to deliver paperless management software and patient data from powerful enterprise servers in its own datacenter in Los Angeles, using Internet Program Delivery ('IPD'). Because our technicians and programmers have absolute control over, and easy access to, the program and data in our datacenter, we were able to eliminate most problems incurred by doctors operating in-office networks. The resulting decrease in support calls provided a sizeable savings for AOS. As a result, 5 years ago AOS decreased its support fees for IPD networks . . . and they still remain at that level today!
Quality & Availability of Software Support
If asked, AOS clients will tell you they get exceptional help when they call during normal support hours (Monday-Friday, 8AM-8PM ET) and that they immediately talk to a technician! This superior service is furnished despite our fee reductions and, because AOS constantly uses new technologies and systems to increase its support capabilities, it has not been necessary to increase fees during the past five years!
Software Enhancement
Software enhancement (or the lack thereof) from their vendor is also a source of irritation for many orthodontists. Since Program Director enhancements are included in the fee for software support, we want you to know what kind of upgrades AOS provides to clients. Typically, we supply 4 significant upgrades each year; and every 2-3 years we release a completely new version. This ensures that once you have invested in our software, it will always be capable of taking advantage of new technologies. AOS eliminates the need for you to ever have to convert to another program!
Summary
Since 1999, no Program Director user has ever had an increase in support/enhancement or IPD fees! In reality, many saw their fees reduced!
Are you aware of any other orthodontic software vendor that works hard to keep costs low (without reducing quality or services) so you can pay less for their software and/or its support?
Although Advanced Ortho isn't necessarily trying to become the largest orthodontic software company; it could happen some day. Our philosophy is to earn a reasonable profit by efficiently and cost-effectively serving satisfied long-term clients who remain with us during their entire orthodontic career. There are many other ways that we can reduce the costs of operating a leading-edge clinical / information / management system in your practice (you can learn about those by calling us or perusing this website), but this document only addresses the two issues that seem to bother and frustrate orthodontists most.
Please compare Advanced Ortho Systems with any other orthodontic software vendor's products and services. If you do this and find better software and support at a comparable price; buy it!