SP
SimplePractice SimplePractice

Reason for Visit
Unlocking Growth Through Trial-to-Activation

Led a high-stakes product initiative that increased trial-to-activation by 19% while navigating clinician trust crisis and regulatory concerns.

Healthcare SaaS User Research Crisis Management

The Context

Trial users at SimplePractice—especially new or solo clinicians—struggled to reach the "Aha! moment": creating their first client appointment. Internal analytics revealed that fewer than 42% of trialers scheduled a session in their first 7 days, a major barrier to activation and conversion.

Our hypothesis: clinicians weren't ready to create appointments because they were missing key intake context—specifically, understanding why a client was reaching out.

Trial User Funnel (Before Implementation)

Trial Start
100%
Account Setup
78%
First Appointment
42%
58% drop-off at activation
Major barrier to conversion

Research & Insights

We launched a user research initiative focused on early-stage private practice clinicians. Our research combined quantitative surveys (N = 734), qualitative interviews (12 in-depth sessions), and funnel analysis from sign-up to first appointment.

Survey Results

"Which pieces of information do you need before you can confidently schedule an appointment with a new client?"

Reason for Visit
97%
Insurance Info
82%
Availability
78%
Previous Therapy History
61%
Emergency Contact
44%

"If I don't know what they're coming in for, I won't book them. It's a liability risk and a therapeutic mismatch."

— Solo Therapist, CA

The Solution

Introduce "Reason for Visit" During Client Intake

We scoped and released a lightweight "Reason for Visit" field in the initial client intake form.

Let clients share their therapy goals or concerns
Gave clinicians immediate context before booking
Was legally reviewed and included clear disclaimers
Included toggles for clinician control

Technical Approach

1
Implemented as a canary release across ~5% of new accounts
2
Monitored for performance, abandonment, and CS tickets
3
Rolled out in stages over 4 weeks

Unexpected Backlash

Clinician Trust Crisis

After release, we saw a spike in social media posts, tickets, and feedback citing serious concerns:

Clinicians were uncomfortable with liability exposure (e.g. client mentions suicidal ideation pre-screening)
Others were upset this was enabled by default
Several called out lack of communication and settings control

Crisis Timeline

Volume of negative social posts + CS tickets per day

50
40
30
20
10
Peak Crisis
Response Actions
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7
Negative Sentiment Volume

Response & Resolution

We moved fast:

Spoke to clinicians 1:1 and on public threads
Partnered with legal to clarify disclaimers and update copy
Released Vacation Mode so clinicians could pause intake
Made "Reason for Visit" fully opt-in, with onboarding prompts
Enabled the feature retroactively as a recommended setting for new signups

Outcomes

Adoption

Active Base (Opt-in) 70%+
New Clinicians (60 days) 93%

Impact

First appointment scheduled (7 days) +19%
Trial-to-paid conversion +14%
First-contact no-shows -11%

Trial Funnel: Before vs After

Before

Trial Start
100%
Setup
78%
First Appt
42%

After

Trial Start
100%
Setup
81%
First Appt
61%
19% improvement in activation
First appointment scheduled within 7 days

Why It Mattered

This project forced us to make real tradeoffs under pressure. We rolled out fast, hit resistance, and had to decide what to fix, what to stand by, and how to respond without panicking. We focused on what mattered: fixing the experience, owning the outcome, and rebuilding trust through swift & meaningful changes.

Validated a real user need with data and empathy
Handled backlash without blaming users
Balanced legal, user trust, and product goals
Shipped, learned, adapted fast

"The Reason for Visit field has been a game-changer. I can now prepare for sessions properly and my clients feel heard from the start. Thank you for listening to our concerns and making it optional."

— Licensed Therapist, TX (Post-resolution feedback)

Ready to Transform Your Product Growth?

I specialize in product-led growth strategies that drive real conversion improvements. Let's discuss how systematic experimentation and user-focused design can unlock your product's potential.

Let's Build Something Great
SP
SimplePractice
Practice management software for health & wellness professionals
Learn more at simplepractice.com
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