Communication

Improving client education and compliance requires proper training of the entire team. Accurate and consistent messaging is key.

Many of today’s veterinary practices are incredibly busy. Trying to see all the patients is one of their biggest problems, and yet a number of them aren’t as profitable as they would like. While many factors affect profitability, a major one is decreased revenue due to a lack of pet owner compliance. Seeing clients leave […]

Going without your phone, email and other technological connections for days or even weeks can transform your world.

This month, instead of convincing you about the benefits of technology, I’ll switch gears to an important topic in the world of constant connectivity. While we’re more plugged into technology than ever before — a chapter in human history that has inspired widespread social activism, provided a boon to developing economies and bonded us to […]

Actively listening and focusing on feelings are keys to building stronger client relationships and reducing the risk of compassion fatigue in yourself.

Much has been written about how caring the veterinary profession is and how the extent of our caring can lead to high levels of stress, burnout and compassion fatigue. People, companies and organizations that focus on ways to improve personal well-being are producing studies and surveys and leading seminars and discussions aimed at creating healthier […]

Client-led, no-charge tours familiarize anxious pets with the hospital environment. Don’t forget the treats.

Most consumers express increased satisfaction when they hear the magic word “free,” whether it’s a complimentary upgrade on an airplane flight or a no-cost vanilla latte at Starbucks. Business owners, however, often struggle to find value in giving away a product or service. Allow me to introduce you to the Happy Visit, a free service […]

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires equal access to online content. Poke around like a user to find problem areas, and work with your web developer to make fixes.

We all find a reason to log onto the web every day, whether to connect socially with friends and colleagues, pay bills, do research, or perform countless other tasks. (That is unless we’re #unplugged!) However, most people — and that includes veterinary practice owners — are unfamiliar with the fundamental guidelines created under the Americans […]

Persuading clients to purchase a 12-month supply of preventives gets easier if you explain the benefits well and price your products competitively.

Do you get frustrated when trying to convince clients that flea, tick and heartworm prevention is not just a seasonal issue? We know that pet owners need to give preventives year-round to maintain efficacy and ensure pet health. But clients still walk out the door without purchasing products. Or they buy one to six doses and […]

Reducing fear and stress in patients might require changing the workplace culture. Once you have the team’s attention and buy-in, your clients will take notice.

It’s a busy Monday morning at your practice, full of appointments and a few walk-ins spilling over from the weekend. And then, in the midst of controlled chaos, an anxious German shepherd is scheduled for a 20-minute appointment to “check hips.” A few years ago, just writing those words would have sent my shoulders hunching […]

The right mobile application can enhance your practice, your relationship with clients and, most importantly, pet health.

It’s all too easy to become overwhelmed by new offerings flooding the veterinary marketplace. While many of the shiny, new mobile apps are worth their weight in gold, cutting through the noise to determine the best fit for a veterinary practice isn’t so simple. As more companies promise to enhance engagement with the modern pet […]

If your procedures leave pets petrified, isn’t it time to try something else?

I vividly remember a Tuesday morning many years ago. I woke up incredibly sore and tired, and I had no recollection of why I felt that way. I hadn’t worked out recently and, although I had two heavy toddlers, the previous days were the same routine — no heavy lifting or theme park toting. And […]

Clients don’t respond well to lectures. Strive to partner with them for the good of the patient, and remember to ask open-ended questions to jump-start conversations.

Last summer a friend and I had a conversation about nutrition for her dogs. Well, at the time I thought it was a conversation. She was feeding a boutique brand of food because of the supposed benefits, which to me sounded like nifty marketing rather than real science. Of course, I jumped on the opportunity […]