build.

68 / 100

ChairFill · 17 October 2026 · 24 sources checked

SMS reminders with a refundable deposit that cut no-shows for dental clinics in Poland

Real pain, real buyers, one fragile workflow.

In short

Medium confidence. The interviews and two full-price letters of intent are meaningful, but no live patient deposit, fiscal workflow, API integration or paid renewal has yet been completed.

Why: The end-to-end deposit and calendar workflow may create more patient and receptionist friction than the recovered slots justify.
Keep: You found real buyers
Do first: Turn both letters of intent into controlled paid pilots.Days 1-14

The judge's statement

You do not yet have a software business.

You have two credible buyers and a workflow hypothesis that can still collapse between the booking, the PLN 50 payment, the fiscal receipt and the receptionist’s calendar. That is enough to build a pilot, not enough to build broadly. Your strongest evidence is unusually useful: 6 of 8 owners named the problem, and 2 signed full-price pilot letters. The panel is right about platform dependence and patient friction, but premature in prescribing card pre-authorisation before your current deposit flow has been tested. Launch only on Medfile, handle onboarding manually and make the waitlist recovery engine the product. Paid pilots with clean fiscal handling and no material booking loss change this from promising to proven.

The Judge, after hearing all four jurors

Scorecard

Problem8/10

Six of eight interviewed owners called no-shows their top administrative problem, and an empty slot is reportedly worth PLN 300-600.

Market6/10

Poland has a plausible niche for a lifestyle business, but the number of target clinics and the share using accessible systems remain unverified.

Competition5/10

Established practice platforms already own scheduling and reminders, so ChairFill must win through superior deposit targeting and automatic waitlist recovery.

Business model7/10

PLN 399 can be repaid by roughly one recovered appointment, although the separate PLN 1 SMS charge creates avoidable pricing friction.

Founder fit8/10

Your three years at a Warsaw dental reception and your co-founder’s payment-integration experience directly match the workflow and technical work.

Execution risk5/10

Medfile access is only partly verified, Kamsoft is unapproved, and the payment and fiscal workflow has not been run with real patients.

What decides it

Biggest risk

The end-to-end deposit and calendar workflow may create more patient and receptionist friction than the recovered slots justify.

ChairFill touches patients, payments, refunds, fiscal records, the main appointment calendar and the waitlist. If any handoff requires repeated manual reconciliation or causes meaningful booking abandonment, clinics will disable the deposit or cancel the subscription.

For this to work, all of this must be true

1At least one Medfile clinic can run two-way appointment and waitlist updates without maintaining a second calendar.
2The clinic and its accountant can process payment, deduction, cancellation, refund and forfeiture cases with acceptable front-desk effort.
3Targeted PLN 50 deposits materially reduce no-shows without causing enough booking abandonment to erase the recovered revenue.
4A clinic can complete Przelewy24 merchant setup and ChairFill onboarding without prolonged founder intervention.
5At least 20% of qualified demos convert at or near PLN 399 per month, or another channel produces equivalent acquisition economics.
6The automated waitlist fills enough cancelled appointments for clinics to attribute at least PLN 399 per month of value to ChairFill.

How the jury voted

Their votes are evidence, not the verdict. The judge weighs them below.

The Investor

Early-stage investor

6/10build

“The ROI proposition is crystal clear, but you are charging software-suite prices for a feature that your integration partners could build in a month.”

For your ambition of building a sustainable lifestyle business, this makes economic sense: acquiring just 25 to 40 clinics yields PLN 10,000 to PLN 16,000 in monthly recurring revenue with high gross margins. Your immediate risk is not market size, but distribution friction and integration lock-out: confirm you have stable, cheap API access to Kamsoft and Medfile before you build anything else.

Concerns

majorHigh platform vulnerability and low defensibility against PMS incumbents
You rely on read/write API access to Medfile and Kamsoft. Medfile already offers SMS reminders and scheduling, while ZnanyLekarz provides online payments. If practice management software copies SMS deposit links, your integration becomes redundant.
Fix: Build proprietary clinic workflows around the waitlist engine that are painful to migrate away from, rather than just acting as a notification layer.
majorLabor-intensive outbound sales relative to a low PLN 399 monthly ARPU
Targeting 10 demos a week via cold calls and Facebook groups on a 15-30 hours/week budget is hard when dentist-owners spend their working hours chairside and are notoriously hard to reach.
Fix: Focus initial customer acquisition strictly on warm introductions from your former clinic network and partner directory listings inside Medfile's app marketplace.
minorPricing friction on the PLN 1 per SMS markup
You charge PLN 1 per SMS on top of PLN 399/month. Polish SMS gateways typically charge under PLN 0.20 per message; clinics sending 500+ reminders monthly may balk at paying a 400% markup on top of a SaaS subscription.
Fix: Bundle a baseline allowance of SMS messages into the PLN 399 tier, or allow clinics to plug in their own SMS gateway credentials.

Strengths

Immediate, quantifiable ROI for the buyer - With single appointment slots valued at PLN 300-600, preventing just one no-show per month covers your entire PLN 399 monthly fee. This makes the economic justification straightforward for clinic owners.
Clean pass-through financial model - Routing PLN 50 deposits directly via Przelewy24 to the clinic's own merchant account eliminates the massive legal, licensing, and fiscalization overhead of acting as a payment intermediary.

Assumptions to test

Medfile and Kamsoft will grant and maintain affordable, read/write API access without classifying you as a competitor. - Obtain signed partner API agreements and functional sandbox credentials from both Medfile and Kamsoft within the next 14 days.
Dentist-owners will pay PLN 399/month for an add-on tool when full practice management software like SmartDental starts around PLN 500. - Convert your 2 LOI signatories into paid pre-orders with upfront deposit collection before writing production integration code.

Confidence: medium

The Customer

Your target customer, simulated

6/10pivot

“I lose thousands of zlotys every month to empty chairs, but if your deposit creates receptionist chaos or scares off new patients, I will cancel after two weeks.”

I want this problem solved yesterday because empty chairs bleed my margins, and PLN 399 is pocket change if it works. However, you are underestimating the administrative headache of Polish fiscal receipts for advance deposits and the risk of turning away new patients. Pivot your initial rollout to frictionless pre-authorizations or strict repeat-offender deposits before asking every patient to pull out their BLIK app.

Concerns

majorFront-desk accounting and fiscal receipt friction when handling PLN 50 deposits.
You stated: 'if a patient no-shows, it stays as the clinic's revenue and the clinic issues the receipt in its own fiscal system as it does today.' In Polish tax practice, taking an advance payment (zaliczka) or forfeiting it requires fiscal receipts (paragon fiskalny) and deduction from the final bill at checkout. If my receptionist has to cross-reference Przelewy24 payouts, adjust POS bills by 50 PLN, and manually print fiscal receipts, they will refuse to use your tool within a week.
Fix: Provide a crystal-clear operational playbook for front desks showing exactly how the 50 PLN deduction or forfeiture is recorded in Polish fiscal printers without extra manual steps.
majorFear of patient attrition to competing local practices over upfront payment.
Three of the eight clinic owners you spoke with raised this exact concern. Private dental care in Polish cities is competitive; if a first-time patient with a toothache gets hit with a 50 PLN payment link before they've even met me, they might just click on the next clinic on ZnanyLekarz.
Fix: Start with a card-preauthorization hold or simple SMS confirmation with strict penalties, or apply the deposit strictly to repeat no-show offenders rather than new inquiries.
majorTwo-way integration risk turning into manual double-entry.
You admitted Kamsoft partner access isn't approved yet, and your fallback is 'the receptionist confirms the waitlist offer in our dashboard with one click.' If it doesn't automatically update my main schedule, my staff won't keep a second browser tab open all day.
Fix: Only launch in clinics using practice management software where you have verified, two-way automated calendar sync (like Medfile).

Strengths

The pricing is an absolute no-brainer against my lost chair time. - At PLN 399/month, saving just one or two 60-minute appointments (worth PLN 300-600 each) pays for the tool completely. The financial ROI is obvious immediately.
The automated waitlist fill targets my real bottleneck. - When someone cancels last minute, my receptionist has to scramble through notes to call back-up patients while managing people standing at the desk. Automating that gap-fill is where the actual relief happens.

Assumptions to test

Patients will actually click an SMS link and pay PLN 50 via BLIK without dropping off or booking elsewhere. - Send test confirmation links with a PLN 50 BLIK request to 30 booked patients across your pilot clinics and measure drop-off rate versus normal confirmations.
Receptionists can handle the deposit settlement at the terminal/fiscal printer in under 30 seconds during checkout. - Shadow a front desk for one full day running 10 simulated deposit-deducted checkouts using their existing fiscal setup.

Confidence: high

The Operator

Serial founder

6/10build

“A viable lifestyle business if you avoid the legacy integration trap and narrow your launch to Medfile users.”

You have the right domain background and a sensible unit economics model to replace a salary with 30 to 40 clinics. The main operational danger is getting stuck trying to integrate Kamsoft while bogging clinics down in payment gateway paperwork. Launch exclusively on Medfile first, handle the Przelewy24 setup manually for your pilots, and prove the math.

Concerns

majorIntegrating with Kamsoft is notoriously slow and politically gated.
You stated: 'Kamsoft runs a partner integration programme; we've applied but aren't approved yet.' Legacy medical systems in Poland take months or years to approve external API access, or charge steep partner fees.
Fix: Build and launch exclusively for Medfile-powered clinics first to get to your 2 LOIs and initial 10 paying customers before spending energy on Kamsoft.
majorPayment gateway onboarding friction will kill self-serve activation.
You require the deposit to go through Przelewy24 straight to the clinic's merchant account. Every new clinic must complete KYC/AML verification, contract signing, and API key setup with Przelewy24 before your tool works.
Fix: Provide a white-glove setup service during onboarding or offer pre-built merchant onboarding flows tailored to dental sole proprietorships.
minorSales throughput expectations clash with part-time availability.
You work 15-30 hours per week split between two founders, but target '10 demos a week' via cold-calling dental clinics, where owners are performing procedures during business hours.
Fix: Focus outbound exclusively on direct WhatsApp/SMS outreach to owners found via trade registers, or use your receptionist network to bypass front-desk screening.

Strengths

Exceptional founder-problem fit for workflow nuances. - Having worked 3 years as a dental receptionist, you know exactly how the front desk operates, how gatekeepers screen software pitches, and where receptionist work hours are actually lost.
Clean pass-through payment architecture. - Routing payments directly to the clinic's Przelewy24 account avoids holding escrow funds, sidestepping Polish KNF payment intermediary licensing and complex fiscal cash register (kasa fiskalna) compliance on your end.
High software and SMS unit margins. - At PLN 399 monthly plus PLN 1 per SMS, your delivery cost is very low (wholesale transactional SMS in Poland via providers like SMSAPI or SerwerSMS costs around PLN 0.10-0.14), yielding roughly 85% gross margin on messaging.

Assumptions to test

Dental clinics are willing to undergo merchant account verification (KYC/AML) with Przelewy24 solely to use this tool. - Walk both LOI clinics through the Przelewy24 merchant registration process manually and measure how many days it takes them to complete it.
Medfile's public API supports real-time appointment cancellation webhooks and calendar slot updates without lag. - Have your co-founder build a minimal script reading and writing a test slot against Medfile's sandbox or an active account within 3 days.
Requiring a PLN 50 deposit does not measurably increase patient churn for private clinics. - Run a 14-day manual test with your former employer using SMS payment links for 50 appointments and track drop-off rate.

Confidence: medium

The Skeptic

Devil's advocate

5/10pivot

“You are selling a feature that existing dental software can copy overnight, while underestimating the fiscal and payment setup headache of collecting PLN 50 in Poland.”

You have identified an undeniable, expensive pain point and already found 2 clinic owners willing to pay full price to fix it. However, collecting upfront cash deposits triggers Polish fiscalization and merchant-account nightmares that will frustrate clinic accountants and receptionists. Pivot from upfront cash collection to card pre-authorization (holds) and stick to clinics with open APIs like Medfile before trying to battle Kamsoft.

Concerns

majorPolish fiscal and merchant onboarding friction will overwhelm clinic receptionists
You stated: 'The deposit goes through Przelewy24 straight to the clinic's merchant account; if a patient no-shows, it stays as the clinic's revenue and the clinic issues the receipt in its own fiscal system as it does today.' Every clinic must go through commercial merchant verification (KYC/AML) with Przelewy24. More critically, in Poland, collecting an advance payment (zadatek or zaliczka) from consumers creates immediate fiscal obligations (paragon fiskalny / CRK). If a patient cancels and receives a refund, receptionists must process formal fiscal corrections and refunds for tiny PLN 50 transactions.
Fix: Pivot from collecting upfront deposits to card pre-authorization (a temporary hold/blokada na karcie). Pre-authorization does not move funds until captured upon a no-show, which eliminates the administrative burden of issuing and correcting fiscal receipts for every single patient.
majorExtreme platform dependency on closed PMS gatekeepers like Kamsoft
You admitted that you do not yet have approved Kamsoft API access, relying on a manual receptionist dashboard fallback. In Poland, Kamsoft's partner integration process is notoriously bureaucratic and restrictive. If API sync is not seamless, receptionists must maintain two calendars simultaneously. Your pitch notes receptionists already spend hours calling patients; asking them to duplicate appointment entries across two dashboards will cause rapid churn.
Fix: Build strictly for systems with public, stable REST APIs (like Medfile) first and verify customer retention there before attempting to sell to Kamsoft clinics with a manual fallback.
majorIncumbent squeeze and feature-risk from ZnanyLekarz and full-suite PMS
Market research shows comprehensive PMS tools like SmartDental cost around PLN 500 netto per month, while you are asking PLN 399/month plus PLN 1 per SMS solely for reminders and deposits. ZnanyLekarz already controls doctor discovery, automated reminders, and online payments. If ZnanyLekarz or Medfile simply adds a configurable deposit toggle to their native booking flows, your standalone tool becomes an overpriced, redundant layer.
Fix: Deepen the defensibility by focusing on the automated last-minute waitlist rebooking engine rather than the basic SMS reminder and payment link, which are easily commoditized.

Strengths

Direct economic pain point with proven precedent - Dental no-shows undeniably cost clinics thousands of zlotys each month, and international research shows deposits drop no-show rates below 3%. Clinic owners immediately grasp the financial value.
Verified willingness to pay from day one - Securing 2 signed letters of intent at PLN 399/month out of only 8 clinic owner interviews demonstrates that the problem is top-of-mind and clinics will allocate budget to solve it.

Assumptions to test

Dentists and their accountants will accept the bookkeeping overhead of dozens of PLN 50 Przelewy24 micro-deposits, refunds, and fiscal receipts each month. - Walk the 2 LOI clinics' accountants through the exact transaction flow of a PLN 50 deposit, refund, and forfeiture, and get written sign-off that their current accounting workflow can handle it without extra fees.
Kamsoft will grant your independent software read/write appointment access on commercial terms that preserve your margins. - Submit the technical integration brief to Kamsoft's partner program and obtain their official commercial terms and approval timeline before writing custom Kamsoft code.
Requiring an upfront PLN 50 transfer via BLIK/card will not cause prospective dental patients to abandon booking in favor of nearby competitors. - Run a 1-week manual SMS deposit trial with the 2 pilot clinics on 50 consecutive new patient bookings to measure patient drop-off and conversion rates.

Confidence: high

The judge's rulings

10 concerns ruled on

5 upheld4 downgraded1 overruled

upheld5

Incumbent practice-management systems can copy the deposit feature and restrict API access.
The Investor
ChairFill depends on systems that already control scheduling and patient communication. The waitlist recovery workflow offers a wedge, but it is not yet defensible and does not protect you from API restrictions.
Charging PLN 1 per SMS on top of the subscription will invite scrutiny.
The Investor
Customers can compare the usage charge with ordinary messaging costs, and high-volume clinics may feel penalised for adopting the product. Bundling an allowance would make the bill easier to approve.
Deposits create fiscal receipt, deduction, refund and reconciliation work for receptionists.
The Customer
Direct settlement to the clinic protects ChairFill from holding funds but does not automate the clinic’s fiscal workflow. This must be tested with the clinics’ accountants and actual front-desk systems before launch.
A manual dashboard fallback will become double-entry.
The Customer
The product promises less receptionist work, not another tab requiring calendar reconciliation. Production launch should be limited to systems where two-way synchronisation works.
Kamsoft integration will delay the launch.
The Operator
You have applied but are not approved, so Kamsoft is not a launch dependency you control. Start with Medfile and treat Kamsoft as later expansion.

downgraded4

Founder-led outbound sales is too labour-intensive for PLN 399 monthly revenue.
The Investor
This is a genuine efficiency risk, but your ambition is a 30-60 clinic lifestyle business rather than venture scale. Warm introductions and a tightly defined Medfile segment can test acquisition cheaply before you commit to fairs or broad cold calling.
A PLN 50 payment request will drive new patients elsewhere.
The Customer
Three of eight owners raised it, so it is real. Your configurable targeting reduces the exposure, and a controlled pilot can measure whether deposits should apply only to prior no-shows, selected procedures or other risk groups.
Przelewy24 onboarding will prevent self-service activation.
The Operator
Merchant onboarding may slow activation, but self-service is not required for the first few dozen lifestyle-business customers. White-glove setup is acceptable initially if measured and documented.
At PLN 399 plus SMS charges, ChairFill is redundant beside full practice-management suites.
The Skeptic
Comparing an add-on with a full suite ignores switching costs and the specific waitlist outcome. The risk remains because incumbents can add similar functions, but two full-price letters of intent show the offer is not automatically redundant.

overruled1

ChairFill must pivot from transferred deposits to card pre-authorisation.
The Skeptic
The panel established workflow concerns, not that pre-authorisation is technically available, accepted by patients or superior for your clinics. Test the proposed direct-to-clinic deposit flow first, then change the payment mechanism only if evidence shows it fails.

Your defenses

6 countermeasures weighed

2 falls short2 partly holds2 holds

falls short2

Unsupported booking systems could prevent automated waitlist filling.
“Let the receptionist confirm a waitlist offer in the ChairFill dashboard with one click.”
One click still creates a second source of truth if the main calendar is not updated automatically. A fallback is acceptable for a demonstration, not for a reliable production workflow.
Kamsoft access may be unavailable or delayed.
“Apply to its partner programme and use the manual dashboard fallback meanwhile.”
An application is not access, and the manual fallback undermines the automation being sold. Kamsoft should remain outside the initial launch until commercial terms and read/write access are confirmed.

partly holds2

A PLN 50 deposit may drive patients to competing clinics.
“Make deposits configurable, applying them by default only to new patients and previous no-shows, while exempting loyal patients.”
Segmentation is much better than charging everyone, especially for repeat no-show offenders. It does not resolve the risk for new patients, who may be both valuable and least willing to pay before their first visit.
The first clinics may be difficult to acquire part-time.
“Use introductions from your former employer, the Stomatolodzy Polska group, cold calls in Warsaw and Kraków, and Krakdent.”
Warm introductions are credible, and your receptionist background helps you navigate gatekeepers. Ten demos every week from cold outreach is still unproven at PLN 399 monthly revenue per account, while a trade fair may be expensive relative to your budget.

holds2

Holding patient money could create payment-intermediary and fiscal obligations for ChairFill.
“Route deposits through Przelewy24 directly to each clinic’s merchant account and invoice the clinic separately for ChairFill.”
This cleanly avoids ChairFill holding or settling patient funds. It does not remove the clinic’s own merchant onboarding, receipt, refund and reconciliation work.
Clinics may not see enough value at PLN 399 per month.
“Show filled slots and recovered revenue, with one PLN 300-600 appointment potentially covering the fee.”
The ROI argument is clear and two owners have signed letters of intent at full price. It only survives if ChairFill can credibly attribute recovered appointments rather than merely reporting confirmations.

Rough numbers with their assumptions shown. Treat them as a starting model, not a forecast.

PLN 399 per clinic per month

Pilot subscription

This is the founder’s stated full price and the price in both letters of intent.

PLN 50

Deposit

Configurable and initially targeted at new patients or people with a previous no-show.

About 1-2 recovered appointments monthly

Break-even value for clinic

Based on the founder’s PLN 300-600 slot value versus the PLN 399 subscription, before SMS charges.

PLN 11,970-23,940 MRR

Lifestyle revenue target

30-60 clinics paying the base PLN 399 monthly fee.

20%

Target demo conversion

This is the founder’s goal and must be demonstrated using qualified clinics rather than assumed.

How big it can get

Total market: PLN 19.2-47.9Mper year
Estimate: 4,000-10,000 suitable Polish clinics × PLN 399 per month × 12, excluding SMS revenue because no sourced clinic count was provided.
Reachable market: PLN 2.4-9.6Mper year
Estimate: 500-2,000 clinics using Medfile or another system with workable two-way access × PLN 399 × 12; the compatible-clinic count needs verification.
Realistic in 3 years: PLN 143,640-287,280per year
Estimate: 30-60 clinics within about three years × PLN 399 × 12, consistent with a part-time, founder-led lifestyle business and excluding SMS overages.

How these numbers were worked out

Pricing: Keep the pilot at PLN 399 per clinic per month to honour the two letters of intent, but include an estimated 200-400 SMS messages and charge a transparent overage thereafter. Test a PLN 499 tier for larger clinics only after measuring message volume and recovered revenue.
Unit economics: Assuming base ARPU of PLN 399 and software gross margin of 80-90%, gross profit is roughly PLN 319-359 per clinic per month before founder labour. If founder-led acquisition takes 4-8 hours and that time is valued at an assumed PLN 75-125 per hour, implied CAC is PLN 300-1,000, producing an estimated gross-profit payback of about 1-3 months. At an assumed monthly churn of 2-5%, simple subscription LTV before support and development is roughly PLN 6,400-18,000. These remain planning assumptions until paid retention and support time are measured.
Path to first revenue: Convert the two LOI clinics into paid Medfile pilots at PLN 399, with founder-led Przelewy24 setup and a manual operational playbook. Charge only once a live end-to-end workflow is demonstrated, rather than hiding uncertainty behind another free month.

The competition

ZnanyLekarz
source
What they doProvides healthcare discovery, scheduling, reminders and online payments.
How you differChairFill is narrower and proposes targeted deposits plus automatic waitlist filling and recovered-revenue reporting. The overlap is still substantial.
Threathigh
Medfile
source
What they doProvides medical and dental scheduling, patient records and integrations with national health platforms.
How you differChairFill would sit on top of Medfile to add deposit targeting and waitlist recovery, making Medfile both an integration partner and a potential competitor.
Threathigh
Medyc
source
What they doOffers dental practice management, appointment scheduling and patient records.
How you differChairFill focuses on reducing no-shows and refilling cancellations rather than replacing the clinic’s practice-management system.
Threatmedium
IQ Dental
source
What they doProvides dental reporting, treatment planning and clinic-efficiency software.
How you differChairFill targets a specific appointment-recovery workflow, although both products sell operational improvement to clinic owners.
Threatmedium
SmartDental
source
What they doOffers dental scheduling, e-prescriptions and P1 connectivity as part of a broader suite.
How you differChairFill avoids a full-system migration and concentrates on deposits and waitlist filling, but its PLN 399 base price sits close to the researched starting price of PLN 500 netto for SmartDental.
Threatmedium

Market signals

Dental practices using deposits for high-value appointments see no-show rates drop below 3%. source
No-show appointments cause significant financial loss and idle resources for dental clinics. source
Polish dental clinics rely on integrated practice management software for scheduling and patient communication. source
Many dental practices implement no-show fees or policies to mitigate revenue loss. source

Your next 14 days

Steps run side by side. Each bar is how long that step takes.

HowRun the workflow manually or with a thin prototype in the two clinics on at least 50 eligible bookings. Record deposit requests, payments, exemptions, cancellations, no-shows, waitlist offers, accepted replacements and lost bookings. Invoice PLN 399 once the agreed live workflow begins.
Tests:Whether ChairFill recovers enough appointments without material booking abandonment.
Pass if
Both clinics start the paid pilot, at least 70% of targeted patients complete the requested action, and recovered appointment value exceeds PLN 399 per clinic without an increase in abandoned bookings large enough to erase that value.
HowMap four cases with each pilot’s accountant and receptionist: deposit deducted from treatment, timely cancellation and refund, no-show forfeiture, and disputed payment. Run ten simulated checkouts and time the work.
Tests:Whether deposit administration is acceptable to clinic staff and accountants.
Pass if
Both accountants approve the documented flow, and at least 9 of 10 simulated cases are completed correctly in under one minute of extra staff time each.
HowUse sandbox or authorised pilot credentials to read an appointment, detect a cancellation, write a replacement booking and recover from a failed update. Document unsupported events and API limits.
Tests:Whether a clinic can operate from one calendar with reliable two-way synchronisation.
Pass if
Complete the full sequence automatically with no manual duplicate entry, under one minute of sync delay, and a tested error alert for failed writes.
HowSit with one LOI clinic through application, KYC, credentials, test transaction and refund. Record every document, waiting period and support touch, then turn it into a checklist for the second clinic.
Tests:Merchant activation time and the amount of founder intervention required.
Pass if
The clinic processes and refunds a test PLN 50 transaction within seven calendar days, using a repeatable checklist requiring no more than two hours of founder support.
HowAsk your former employer for the two promised introductions, contact 30 qualified Medfile clinics, and post one pilot-specific offer in the named Facebook group. Track source, owner contact, demo, objection, close and founder time.
Tests:Whether 20% demo conversion and acceptable acquisition cost are realistic.
Pass if
Book at least six qualified demos and secure at least one additional paid pilot or signed full-price start date, while keeping founder sales time below eight hours per acquired clinic.
HowPresent pilot prospects with two equivalent choices: PLN 399 plus PLN 1 per SMS, or a bundled tier with an explicit allowance based on measured pilot volume. Ask for a binding selection, not a preference.
Tests:Whether the PLN 1 usage charge creates avoidable resistance.
Pass if
At least four qualified buyers choose a structure, no more than one rejects the product because of SMS pricing, and the selected plan retains an estimated gross margin above 80%.

Questions you'll be asked

The questions a sharp investor, partner or bank will ask - and what a strong answer looks like for you.

1
“What happened when real patients received the PLN 50 link?”
What they're testing
They need proof that reducing no-shows does not simply replace them with abandoned bookings.
A strong answer
Show results from at least 50 eligible bookings across the two pilots: payment completion, cancellations, no-shows, booking abandonment, exemptions and comparison with the clinics’ recent baseline.
2
“Can Medfile support the exact workflow without staff maintaining two calendars?”
What they're testing
A reminder product survives only if appointment changes and waitlist fills remain synchronised.
A strong answer
Demonstrate sandbox and live read/write operations for booking, cancellation and slot reassignment, including measured sync delay and the documented handling of failed updates.
3
“How does a clinic account for a paid, refunded and forfeited PLN 50 deposit?”
What they're testing
They are testing whether the product creates hidden labour or compliance costs that destroy retention.
A strong answer
Provide written workflow approval from both pilot clinics’ accountants plus timed front-desk tests for payment deduction, timely cancellation, refund and no-show forfeiture.
4
“Why will Medfile not add this itself?”
What they're testing
They want to know whether ChairFill is a durable product or a temporary integration feature.
A strong answer
Prove that the value is the full recovery loop: risk-based deposit rules, segmented waitlists, automatic offers, calendar updates and attributable recovered revenue. Then show usage or retention indicating clinics depend on that workflow.
5
“Can you acquire a clinic without spending most of its first-year revenue?”
What they're testing
At PLN 399 per month, expensive fairs or high-touch sales can turn attractive software margins into weak cash flow.
A strong answer
Track leads, conversations, demos, closes and founder hours separately for warm introductions, Facebook outreach and cold calls. A strong early answer is CAC below roughly PLN 1,000 with payback inside three months; this is a proposed bar, not current evidence.

What you got right

Not everything needs fixing. Keep these - they're why this is worth your time.

You found real buyers
Two of eight clinic owners signed letters of intent at the full PLN 399 price, which is materially stronger than polite interview interest.
Your background fits the desk
Three years as a dental receptionist gives you direct knowledge of confirmation calls, calendar gaps and the behaviour of clinic gatekeepers.
You separated the money cleanly
Sending deposits directly to the clinic’s Przelewy24 account avoids making ChairFill the holder of patient funds.
You listened to objections
You changed the deposit rule from universal collection to configurable targeting after three owners raised patient-loss concerns.

In short

why.

The judge's statement

Scorecard

What decides it

the hearing.

How the jury voted

The Investor

The Customer

The Operator

The Skeptic

The judge's rulings

Your defenses

the numbers.

How big it can get

The competition

Market signals

what now.

Your next 14 days

Questions you'll be asked

“What happened when real patients received the PLN 50 link?”

“Can Medfile support the exact workflow without staff maintaining two calendars?”

“How does a clinic account for a paid, refunded and forfeited PLN 50 deposit?”

“Why will Medfile not add this itself?”

“Can you acquire a clinic without spending most of its first-year revenue?”

What you got right

You found real buyers

Your background fits the desk

You separated the money cleanly

You listened to objections