Pet owners want to connect with you, but jammed phone lines and a crowded email inbox can make it challenging. How can you and your staff manage front desk communications and create great experiences for clients at the same time? With text messaging.
Texting enables your veterinary clinic to connect with pet owners faster. In fact, most texts are opened and responded to on the spot, bridging the gap for urgent matters, quick questions and fun updates. It’s also how many pet owners prefer to connect.
Here are five ways your veterinary practice can start texting today.
1. Schedule more appointments through texting.
Appointment scheduling is easier when pet owners can text your practice and book on the spot. Plus, it’s an excellent option for first-time clients. With SMS Chat enabled on your website, visitors can start a conversation with you there, and then continue the same conversation through text.
Text reminders also help secure appointments and decrease no-shows. With a 99% open rate, your messages will be seen, and more importantly, you’ll have more patients to take care of, which means increased revenue.
Rescheduling an appointment is just as simple. Pet owners can text your staff to report that the time and day they agreed to no longer works, and from there, your staff can give available times and dates.
2. Texting for general communication and follow-ups.
After booking an appointment, pet owners can text you with questions or concerns, and vice versa. If their pets are undergoing surgery or overnight stays, text updates go a long way in easing worries. The updates can cover things like:
- When the surgery starts and ends.
- Photos of the pet during the procedure and their stay.
- How their pet is doing.
- When the pet is ready for pickup.
When it’s time for patients to go home, send follow-up texts to check in with their owners. Remind them of their pet’s aftercare regimen and medications.
A major part of customer retention is ensuring that your clients and their pets feel comfortable. Texting plays an important role in that.
3. Boost retail and service sales with SMS promotions.
Pet owners want only the best for their furry companions, and text promotions help get more of your products and services in front of them. Increase sales by texting pet owners the latest updates and offers on your products and highlighting overlooked items. For example, “Mrs. Chandler, we received more of Skippy’s therapeutic food. Would you like me to save a bag of dry food for you?”
Build exclusivity around products such as:
- Prescription food
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Brushes and combs
- Pet carriers
- Leashes
- Harnesses
And let customers know if you offer services like:
- Grooming
- Dental care
- Heartworm testing
- Chemotherapy
- Pain management
- Pet boarding
- Emergency services
Be the one-stop shop for your patients. Clients will love you for it, and their pets will, too. You’ll also make more money per patient, so everyone wins.
4. Get paid faster with text-to-pay.
Text-to-pay helps your practice collect payments through text messages and reminds customers of upcoming payments or overdue bills.
To collect payments in real time, you’ll need to connect your texting service to your payment processor.
This service is helpful, especially with the rise of contactless care. Text payments can be done curbside while pets are being treated inside, when clients are on the go and for:
- Down payments on surgeries and procedures.
- Before a pet is picked up.
- Appointment reservation fees.
5. Text to earn more positive online reviews.
A steady stream of online reviews helps your practice rank high in local search results. That’s important for bringing in new patients because many people simply Google “vets near me” and pick the one with the most reviews.
Texting after an appointment encourages additional reviews. All you’ll have to do is thank the client, ask for feedback and direct the pet owner to your Facebook or Google review page.
Pet owners gain ease of mind knowing they can contact your practice quickly and effortlessly. Meanwhile, you’ll improve operations, increase revenue and save time. It’s a win-win-win.