Communication

Modern-day pet owners, whether millennials or baby boomers, often have different needs and expectations. One thing they share is a desire for outstanding service.

After years of consulting with dozens of veterinary practices nationwide, I’ve become very familiar with the threads that tie us together. No matter where we’re born, our political preferences, age or gender, we love and adore pets from the bottom of our hearts. This singular thread allows people from every place and imaginable background to […]

A consistent message, outstanding education and the latest technology solutions can help bond a client to the practice.

For as long as I can remember, our profession has stressed the importance of communicating the value of our services and products to pet owners. Dad and I talked about it when I was growing up and working at his veterinary hospital. Practice management speakers discussed it with my senior veterinary class. In 2011, the […]

Clients can turn their dog or cat into a well-adjusted travel companion with a little help from you.

Many variables play a role in the formation of anxious or fearful behavior in traveling pets, but when clients receive good information about preparation, desensitization and stress-reducing products, our patients can have a safer and more comfortable experience. It Starts at Home For both dogs and cats, the key to reducing fear, anxiety and stress […]

An editorial calendar covering a full year and linked to seasonal events will provide ideas for fresh, relevant website content.

Blogging is a helpful way for veterinary practices to add fresh content to their websites and move up in internet search results. That’s because search engines value quality content, and for veterinary practices, this means helpful content for local pet owners. Need proof that blogging is worth it? Here’s one statistic reported by HubSpot: Business […]

Easy-to-implement changes can take odontophobia out of your veterinary practice and your clients.

Odontophobia: the fear of going to the dentist. Millions of people have it and the human dental industry has spent years trying to overcome it, from allowing patients to customize music choices and sit in a massage chair to using less-painful nerve blocks and providing faster, more comfortable cosmetic choices. Still, a significant number of […]

Millennials are the largest pet-owning demographic and — listen here, practice owner — they value the latest communication tools.

To help more pets get the care they deserve, veterinary teams need to respond to trends in pet ownership. One of the biggest involves millennial pet owners. Check out these statistics: The millennial generation, also known as Generation Y, makes up about 29 percent of the U.S. population, having surpassed baby boomers, who are about […]

Use technology to make a quick first impression with potential clients and win them over.

Veterinary practices of all types have more choices than ever when it comes to implementing technology solutions that are right for them. New apps and online services spring up each day. Finding the ones that are best for your practice can provide a huge competitive advantage. Veterinary professionals ask me all the time, “How can […]

Clients who become brand advocates, especially through online reviews, deserve a heartfelt thank you.

It’s no longer just younger pet owners who are emailing, texting and using social media to connect online. Now, all generations of pet owners are adapting to digital technology in new and unprecedented ways. In fact, according to The Nielsen Co., the fastest-growing demographic using social media is adults ages 55 or older. I’ve met […]

A few easy changes will go a long way in reducing fear, anxiety and stress in a canine or feline patient.

The heartbeat of every general veterinary practice is the exam room. This is where worried new clients sit with their dogs and cats, and sadly, where end-of-life discussions take place and the hardest decisions have to be made. The exam room is where the human-animal bond can shine, trust is created, and veterinarians, clients and patients become […]

Delivering exceptional phone service can make the difference between a pet owner who agrees to book an appointment and one who gets a quick answer and hangs up.

Callers begin to make assessments about a veterinary hospital based on the telephone interaction with team members. These conversations can easily influence the decision to book an appointment. This is especially true when pet owners who aren’t established clients call to inquire about services and fees. Since the prices of routine services are likely to […]