What does aesthetics clinic software cover, and what does it miss?
Most UK aesthetics clinic software owns the booked patient: the diary, clinical notes, consents, photos and payments. An enquiry CRM owns the lead: where it came from, who replied and when, what follow-up is due, and whether it became a consultation. Clinics running paid ads usually need both, connected by a booking link.
| Task | Diary and charting software | Enquiry CRM |
|---|---|---|
| Diary and online booking | Core function | Hands over to your booking link |
| Clinical notes and consents | Core function | Not its job |
| Facebook and Instagram leads | Varies, often not covered | Imported automatically, with source and ad |
| Alert when a new enquiry arrives | Booking notifications only | Instant team alert |
| Call-backs and follow-up | Varies, often manual | Built around it |
| SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger and email | Often reminders only | One thread per patient |
| Cost per booked consultation | Varies, often not covered | Per campaign, ad set and creative |
Features differ by vendor. Check each system against your own list.
What happens to an enquiry before it reaches the diary?
An enquiry arrives as a lead form, a direct message, a call or a website form. Someone has to see it, reply, answer questions about the treatment and price, and get a consultation booked. If any step depends on someone remembering, enquiries go cold. That path needs its own tools and its own numbers.
- Enquiry arrives from a lead form, a direct message, Google or the website.
- First reply by phone or message.
- Questions answered: suitability, price, downtime.
- Follow-up when the first call is missed.
- Consultation booked, often with a deposit.
- Consultation attended, then treatment.
Diary software sees the patient from step five. The ad platform sees step one. Steps two to four are where patient lead management happens, and often nothing tracks them.
Why do speed of reply and follow-up decide bookings?
A person who fills in a lead form in the evening is often comparing several clinics at once. The clinic that replies first, clearly and with a next step, has the best chance of booking the consultation. People who miss the first call need a planned follow-up, not a reminder on a sticky note.
You do not need a benchmark. Take last month's enquiries and measure yourself:
- Time from enquiry to first reply, evenings and weekends included.
- How many got a second and third attempt after no answer.
- How many became booked consultations, by source.
Good software alerts the team the moment an enquiry lands, keeps overdue call-backs at the top, and sends follow-up automatically until the person replies.
How do you measure cost per booked consultation?
Cost per lead tells you what an enquiry cost. Cost per booked consultation tells you what a patient in the chair cost. To see it, software must keep the source, campaign and ad on every lead and record when that lead books, so ad spend can be divided by consultations rather than form fills.
| Metric | How to calculate it |
|---|---|
| Cost per lead | Ad spend divided by leads |
| Booking rate | Consultations booked divided by leads |
| Cost per booked consultation | Ad spend divided by consultations booked |
| Show rate | Consultations attended divided by booked |
| Cost per sale | Ad spend divided by patients who bought treatment |
| ROAS | Revenue divided by ad spend |
When booked visits go back to Meta through the Conversions API, the algorithm can optimise for people who book, not people who fill in forms. That needs each booking linked to its lead.
How should you evaluate aesthetics clinic software?
Start with your own patient journey, not a feature list. Write down where enquiries come from, who answers them and how bookings are made. Then ask each vendor to show, on screen, how a lead from your ads becomes a booked consultation, and which numbers you would see at the end of the month.
| Question to ask | What a good answer looks like |
|---|---|
| Where do Facebook and Instagram leads land? | Automatically, with campaign and ad saved |
| How does the team know a new enquiry arrived? | An instant alert to the person on duty, not a daily export |
| Can we message patients on the channels they use? | SMS, WhatsApp, Messenger and email in one thread |
| What happens when a patient does not answer? | Automated follow-up that stops when they reply |
| Can we see cost per booked consultation per ad? | Yes, per campaign, ad set and creative |
| Does it replace our diary and notes? | A clear line between what it covers and your booking system |
| Where is data hosted and what do we sign? | A named hosting region and a data processing agreement |
What UK rules should you check before you choose?
Software that holds patient data and sends marketing messages has to fit UK data protection rules. Ask where data is hosted, whether the vendor signs a data processing agreement under UK GDPR, and how marketing consent is recorded. Also check that your ads and messages follow the rules on prescription-only medicines.
- Data: ask where data is stored, who can access it and how you export it if you leave. Ask for a data processing agreement.
- Marketing consent: under PECR, marketing texts and emails generally need consent and an easy opt-out. Check that the software records both.
- Prescription-only medicines: UK rules restrict advertising botulinum toxin to the public. Read MHRA guidance and the ASA's CAP code before writing ads or templates.
- Access: each role should see only what it needs.
General guidance, not legal advice. Check current rules with the ICO, MHRA and ASA.
Where does Palyri fit next to your booking system?
Palyri is an aesthetics clinic CRM for the path from enquiry to booked consultation. It does not replace your diary or clinical notes. Leads from Facebook, Instagram and Palyri's own funnels land in one place, the team replies and follows up, and the patient books through your existing booking link or widget.
- Facebook and Instagram Lead Ads leads imported automatically every 5 minutes, and leads from Palyri funnels and quizzes instantly.
- Source, campaign and ad saved on every lead.
- Telegram alerts for new leads with status buttons, a call-back list and calling from the browser.
- SMS, WhatsApp Business, Messenger and email in one thread, with AI-drafted replies.
- Follow-up sequences and reactivation SMS campaigns that stop on reply.
- Conversions API sends leads and booked visits to Meta server-side, deduplicated.
- Cost per lead, booking and sale, and ROAS per campaign, ad set and creative, plus a manager dashboard against the previous period.
- Deposits, gift vouchers, treatment packages, before and after gallery, roles and CSV export. Data hosted in the EU.
Individual quote, no long-term commitment: see Pricing and the ROI calculator. US clinics: Med spa CRM.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between aesthetics clinic software and an aesthetics clinic CRM?
Aesthetics clinic software usually means the diary, clinical notes, consent forms and payments for patients who are already booked. An aesthetics clinic CRM manages enquiries before that: capturing leads, replying, following up and tracking which ads produce consultations. Many clinics use both, with the CRM handing patients over to the booking system.
Does Palyri replace my booking or charting system?
No. Palyri covers the path from enquiry to booked consultation. Its funnels and messages end with your existing booking link or widget, so the diary, clinical notes and consent forms stay where they are today. Palyri adds lead capture, follow-up, messaging and ad cost tracking around the system you already use.
Which enquiry channels does Palyri handle?
Leads from Facebook and Instagram Lead Ads are imported automatically, and leads from Palyri's own funnels and quizzes arrive instantly. Conversations by SMS, WhatsApp Business, Messenger and email sit in one thread per patient. Google Ads and Google Business Profile modules, Make.com and webhooks cover other sources of enquiries.
How does Palyri help with aesthetic clinic marketing?
Palyri keeps the source, campaign and ad on every lead, records when that lead books, and shows cost per lead, cost per booking, cost per sale and ROAS per campaign, ad set and creative. It also sends booked visits back to Meta, so campaigns can optimise for consultations rather than form fills.
Can clinics advertise anti-wrinkle injections in the UK?
Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine, and UK rules restrict advertising it to the public. Many clinics promote a consultation rather than the medicine itself. Check MHRA guidance and the CAP code from the ASA before writing ads, funnels or message templates. This is general guidance, not legal advice for your clinic.
How much does Palyri cost?
Palyri has no public price list. Each quote is individual and depends on the number of locations, users, modules and message volume. There are no long-term commitments, and the demo is free. You see the product working on sample data first, then receive a quote prepared for your clinic.