From Missed Enquiries to Booked Patients: How AI Is Transforming the Patient Journey with Ramey Shehata of Podium What happens to your clinic when a potential patient sends an enquiry at 8pm, messages you on Instagram, or calls while your reception team is already busy? In this episode of The Aesthetic Business Masters Podcast, we sit down with Ramey Shehata, Head of Partnerships at Podium, to explore how AI and smarter communication technology are changing the way aesthetic and healthcare businesses attract, communicate with and convert patients. Ramey has been part of Podium’s Australian journey for more than six years, working closely with local businesses to modernise the way they communicate with customers. During that time, Podium has evolved from a platform known for online reviews, lead capture and messaging into a comprehensive AI-powered communication platform. For aesthetic clinics, the opportunity is particularly exciting. Today’s patients expect convenience, speed and personalised communication — whether they’re discovering a clinic online, asking a question after hours, responding to a social media post or deciding whether to book a consultation. And when a clinic is slow to respond, that potential patient may simply move on. Ramey joins us to unpack what this shift means for aesthetic business owners and how AI can support the patient journey without losing the personal experience that is so important in healthcare and aesthetics. In This Episode We explore: Why speed-to-lead has become such an important part of patient conversion. Where aesthetic clinics may be unintentionally losing valuable enquiries. How AI can help clinics respond to potential patients outside normal business hours. The role automation can play in reducing repetitive front-desk administration. How businesses can bring conversations from channels such as SMS, website chat and social messaging into a more streamlined workflow. Why collecting and managing online reviews remains an important part of building trust and reputation. How AI-powered communication can help support appointment scheduling and patient follow-up. The potential for technology to help reduce missed opportunities and no-shows. Why implementing AI isn't necessarily about replacing your reception team — but giving your team better tools to manage growing patient expectations. How the patient experience is evolving and what aesthetic businesses should be thinking about now. From Reviews to an AI-Powered Patient Journey Podium originally became known for helping local businesses generate and manage online reviews and communicate with customers through messaging. The platform has since expanded significantly. Today, Podium brings together tools including reviews, SMS messaging, website chat, social messaging, phone calls, payments, automations and customer conversations within one platform, alongside AI-powered tools designed to help businesses respond to and convert leads. For busy aesthetic practices, that creates an interesting opportunity: allowing technology to handle more of the repetitive communication while the clinic team focuses its time and attention on the interactions where the human relationship matters most. About Ramey Shehata Ramey Shehata is Head of Partnerships at Podium and was one of the early team members involved in bringing the platform to Australia. Over the past 6.5 years, he has worked closely with Australian businesses, including healthcare providers, helping them improve customer communication, lead conversion and digital engagement. Having seen Podium evolve from its early focus on reviews, lead capture and messaging into an AI-powered communication platform, Ramey brings a practical perspective on how technology is changing the way businesses communicate with their customers. His focus today includes helping businesses understand how AI and automation can support better customer experiences, greater operational efficiency and stronger commercial outcomes. About Podium Podium is an AI-powered lead conversion and customer communication platform designed to help businesses attract leads, respond faster and turn more conversations into customers. Its platform brings customer interactions together across channels including SMS, phone calls, website chat, social messaging and online reviews, alongside tools for payments, automation, integrations and AI-powered communication. For healthcare and aesthetic businesses, these tools can help create a more responsive patient journey — from the first enquiry through to booking, communication and ongoing engagement. Connect with Podium Want to learn more about how Podium is helping businesses improve customer communication, lead conversion and the overall customer experience through AI and automation? Website: https://www.podium.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Podium/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/podium/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/podiumhq/ X: https://x.com/podiumhq Explore Podium to learn more about its AI-powered communication tools, reviews, messaging, lead management and customer engagement solutions. Key Takeaway AI in an aesthetic clinic doesn't have to mean making the patient experience less personal. Used strategically, it can mean responding faster, removing repetitive administration, keeping conversations moving and giving your team more time to focus on the moments that genuinely require human connection. For clinic owners asking how AI could realistically fit into their business, this episode offers a practical place to start. 🎧 Listen to The Aesthetic Business Masters Podcast Website: https://aestheticbusinessmasters.com.au/podcast/ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/aesthetic-business-masters/id1798895878 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2C3d0EdqX2hewcuQ6ntjeS YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLANJ2L1Fh4mCvebJS0Vl805KyNBPhA8yz Podbean: https://aestheticbusinessmasters.podbean.com/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/Aesthetic-Business-Masters/dp/B0DYNG36V1 Follow Aesthetic Business Masters on Instagram and Facebook for more conversations, insights and practical strategies for building a successful aesthetic business. 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