How do I optimize my waitlist and increase my last-minute success rate?

Below are the key optimization tips.

🎯 1. Ensure sufficient variation in treatments and appointment durations

A qualitative waiting list includes sufficient variation in:

• Type of treatment

• Appointment duration

Variation is crucial.

For example, if your waiting list only contains 45-minute appointments and you create a 30-minute last-minute slot, it will never match and therefore never be filled.

👉 The better the spread in durations, the higher the chance that a newly available time slot matches patients on your waiting list.

📊 2. Ensure sufficient volume per practitioner

For optimal performance, TurnUp recommends:

• At least 50 appointments per practitioner on the waiting list

Why is this important?
When creating a last-minute slot, TurnUp invites up to 20 patients (if available).

If a practitioner only has 5 appointments on the waiting list that must also match the correct duration and treatment type, the same 5 patients will be invited repeatedly.

This reduces the chance of success and may lead to lower response rates.

👉 Sufficient volume increases your conversion rate.

📈 3. Regularly consult Waitlist Insights

Via Insights > Waitlist, you can immediately see:

• Which practitioners have insufficient appointments

• Where additional appointments are needed

Is your waiting list too limited?
Then the same patients will be invited repeatedly, which may lead to “notification fatigue” and a lower success rate.

🚀 4. Use the “Waitlist Invitation” feature

This feature is only available for practices with active synchronization between their PMS and TurnUp.

With Waitlist Invitation, patients with a future appointment are automatically invited to join the waiting list.

You can configure:

• For which treatment

• How long before the appointment the invitation is sent

This results in:

• Organic growth of your waiting list

• Patients who are genuinely interested in an earlier appointment

• Higher response rates to last-minutes

• Less manual work at the front desk

This automatic inflow significantly increases both the quality and quantity of your waiting list.

More information on configuring this feature can be found here.

🔄 5. Keep your waiting list up to date

An outdated waiting list automatically lowers your success rate.

Important to know:

• Completed appointments are automatically removed from the waiting list

• Irrelevant appointments can be manually removed

• Patients can unsubscribe themselves via TurnUp communication

You can also use the “Clean up waiting list” feature:

• TurnUp automatically sends an email to all waiting list patients

• They confirm whether they are still interested

• Only interested patients remain active

This keeps your waiting list relevant and qualitative. More information about this feature can be found here.

🎯 Why is this crucial for your success rate?

A qualitative waiting list leads to:

• Higher response rates to last-minute invitations

• Better use of your agenda

• Less manual follow-up

A limited or poorly maintained waiting list automatically lowers your conversion rate.

✅ What does a healthy waiting list look like?

An optimal waiting list:

• Contains sufficient volume per practitioner

• Has enough variation in treatment type and duration

• Consists of active, interested patients

• Is cleaned up regularly

• Grows automatically via Waitlist Invitation