Everyone knows the phrase “You get what you pay for,” and nothing is more enticing than something free; especially when that “free thing” is a TV for your business. Trying to get the most while spending the least is a sound business tactic. It makes sense to think that spending $0 for a service that you want in your business is a win-win.

But what’s the catch?

This article tackles the top 5 issues that come with free TV services and the ways it impacts your practice. If you’re already aware of the risks and you’re looking for a better alternative for your TV, then check out a custom television service we recommend that’s made for medical practices.

1. Who’s Paying For Your Free TV?

Contrary to what Sam Cooke was singing about in the 1920’s, the best things in life aren’t free. If someone approaches your business offering you a free TV service, it isn’t out of the goodness of their heart. It’s about business. You might not be paying any money for the service, but it does come at a cost. If the service provided isn’t getting their money from you, they’re getting it from someone else. That someone else is the one who ends up having the most control over what’s on your TV.

Advertisers pay for the messaging, so most of the content is there to benefit them – you have a lack of control over what your patients are seeing. If you’re not paying for your TV in money, you’re paying for it in other ways. The prospect of a free TV can be enticing, but don’t fall for it. There are better alternatives out there.

2. Free TV = A Bad Patient Experience

In a hospital, clinic, or medical office, a medical TV service that costs very little, or nothing at all, might seem like a great idea because it’s health-related and compliments the medical setting. But how does it make patients feel? Visitors might be there for health-related reasons, but that doesn’t mean it’s the sort of thing they want to watch while they wait. Graphic cross-sections of the human body, gross videos about clogged hearts or debilitating diseases, or even pharmaceutical ads for pills patients can purchase – however informative or well-intended these pieces are, it can make patients anxious or lead to an overall bad experience. The visit starts in the waiting room and you owe it to your patients to put something on the TV they will enjoy.

3. Poor/Limited Content

The content that comes with free services are often outdated, uninteresting, unsettling, or of poor quality. The providers of your free service pay as little as they can to procure cheap content that they can play over and over again forever. In the end you’re left with the bottom of the barrel, or the least amount of effort your provider has to put forward in order to hold up their end of the bargain. Don’t settle for this kind of service.

4. Updating Content…

If you’ve ever used a free TV service in your business or clinic, you might have experienced the frustration of waiting for the system to update. If you haven’t, then based on the previous sentence you could probably guess that it can take a very long time. Sad but true; in most cases, providers of free medical TV services are busy serving the clients that pay them, a.k.a. pharmaceutical companies that are advertising through their platform. As a free user, you rank lower on their list of priorities, and therefore updating your individual TV is often something they’ll “get around to doing,”… eventually.

5. Stolen Potential

Free TV services rob the potential your TV has to improve your practice, patient experience, and your bottom line. When you settle for a free service  you’re sacrificing the most effective tool for communicating with your visitors. A free TV and several hours of dry, looping content isn’t worth the expense of your patients’ comfort. It also isn’t worth the lost potential that your own controlled TV network can provide you with. Don’t short-change yourself.

A Service That Works For You & Your Practice

Instead of settling for one of these “free” services, utilize It’s Relevant TV – and for a small monthly fee you’ll have access to interesting content visitors will enjoy. You’ll have control over what’s on your TV, and you’ll see a real return on your investment. With It’s Relevant you control what messages patients see; getting them to come back for other reasons, ultimately raising your per-patient-revenue. Outside companies shouldn’t be the ones getting the most out of your business. Schedule a call or demo with It’s Relevant TV to learn more: http://www.itsrelevant.com/medical.