The cost of messages, video and payment in the psychological counseling system

These are the costs that surprise centers after three months of operation. Not because it is necessarily large, but because no one explained it in the presentation: it does not track your contract with the system provider, but rather the volume of your activity, and is often paid to other parties with separate contracts.

When these items are hidden in a packaged price, the offer appears cheaper and your actual bill becomes a surprise. So order it as a standalone item with an estimate based on your own numbers.

The short answer is cost

Messaging, video and payment functions Part of the system: reminder templates and rules for sending them, waiting room and video session management, receiving payment and matching it to the invoice. As for the actual consumption — the message sent, the minute spent, the payment executed — the cost of external providers grows with your activity.

This chapter is in your interest: you contract directly with the providers, negotiate with them, and transfer your account between them without it being linked to the system. Linkage details and classification in Integrations page.

Items included in the estimate

First: Messages and reminders

Estimate the number of messages per month, not the number of recipients: Each appointment typically generates a confirmation message and one or two reminders, and may include a change notice or form request. Multiply that by the number of monthly appointments you have. I ask: Does the cost vary according to the channel? Do failed messages count? Who provides the balance and monitors its depletion?

Second: Video minutes

Usually charged per minute and per participant. A forty-five-minute session between two parties takes up twice its duration. In family or group sessions, consumption multiplies by the number of attendees. Estimate: Number of remote sessions per month x Average duration x Average number of participants.

Third: Payments

Payment gateways usually charge a fee for each transaction, which may vary depending on the payment method. Calculate the number of payments expected per month — not the number of invoices, as one package is one transaction while a session payment is multiple transactions. Ask about redemption fees, if any.

Fourth: Storage

Grows slowly in normal use because the content is text. But it jumps in immediately if you enable session recording — all the more reason to carefully review your recording decision. See Remote Sessions page.

Fifth: Who bears what?

Build a four-column log for each outsourced service: the name of the provider, who contracts with them, how fees are calculated, and who keeps track of credit and renewal. This record prevents months of confusion after operation, and clarifies each party’s responsibility when service is interrupted.

How do suppliers’ offers compare?

Give each provider the same numbers — the number of appointments, remote sessions, and reimbursements per month — and ask for an estimate of expected consumption. Differences in estimates on the same inputs reveal who understands the operating reality and who is guessing.

And ask two questions that differentiate the offers: Can we use our current provider for payment or messaging? What happens if our usage exceeds the estimated range — does transmission stop, or does service continue and the excess is charged?

What do you require clarification before contracting?

• List of external services required to run your selected functions.
• Who contracts with each provider: your facility or the system provider?
• How to calculate each fee, and estimate the monthly consumption using your center’s numbers.
• Can we use contracted providers, or is a specific provider required?
• What stops us operating if we run out of credit or an external service is interrupted?
• Is there a minimum subscription requirement for any of these services?

The next step is to define your range

Have only three numbers ready: the number of appointments per month, the number of expected remote sessions, and the number of electronic payments. These three are enough to estimate your consumption with reasonable accuracy before contracting.

If you are starting out and do not have numbers, turn on messages first and monitor their bill for two months, then turn on video and payment gradually. The progression here is not slow, but rather cost control.