Communication

Learn to reclaim your patients (and their owners) in three easy steps.

The U.S. cat population has risen by several million over the past five years, according to several studies. However, the number of feline veterinary visits is declining and nearly three times as many cats, as compared to dogs, did not receive any veterinary care in the past year. This is an incredibly disturbing trend that […]

Your reputation and credibility are on the line in today's world, so know how to request online reviews and respond to less-than-stellar comments.

I was wet, cold and slouched beside my broken-down car. Desperate for a tow truck, I pulled out my iPhone and Googled. In less than a second, I had three nearby tow services plotted on a map. Each was heralded by a string of stars. The first business boasted a 4.9-star rating from 56 reviews. […]

Clients will remember three key front-office interactions.

When pet owners visit a veterinary practice, their first and last interactions are typically with the front office team. Consequently, client service representatives (CSRs) need to be well-trained to create positive impressions. A pet owner’s service experience is a major factor in determining how bonded she is to the practice and how likely she is […]

Technology and automation can help a veterinary practice communicate better with pet owners and deliver a top-notch in-clinic experience.

Have you ever visited a business and thought, “Wow, what a great experience!”? If so, were you inclined to tell people about this business, maybe even write a review? How does your veterinary practice compare? Do pet owners leave your practice thrilled by the experience? Do you keep in touch with them when they’re not […]

Market your stress-free clinical approach by capitalizing on social media options and optimizing your practice website.

When I went to veterinary school many years ago, there were no marketing classes, no search engine optimization lectures, no discussion about social media or Twitter followers, and not a single hour on how a website can “make or break” your practice. In fact, I don’t think these topics were even a glimmer in my […]

Accommodating a client’s preferred learning style can lead to a more educated pet owner and better compliance.

Several years ago, I took my Papillon, Chloe, to a veterinary dentist for removal of an oral tumor and any necessary dental care. In addition to reviewing details of the surgical procedure, he showed digital radiographs to explain which teeth needed to be removed. The dentist’s combination of auditory and visual client education built trust […]

Focused marketing efforts can cure the ups and downs of seasonality.

Not too long ago, small animal veterinary medicine had a predictable seasonality. From a revenue and transactional standpoint, it looked like a bell-shaped curve — the peak usually in midsummer, the valley in winter and the curve heading up in spring and down in fall. That is no longer the case. Today, the curve looks […]

Is your clinic website optimized for mobile users? Do you populate the website with videos? Now add more.

You evaluate patient wellness using a checklist: physical exam, presenting signs, test results, age, weight and so forth. And from there you know how to advise clients and address health issues. It’s part of your daily protocol, right? But what about the wellness of your hospital’s online marketing efforts? Do you have a daily protocol […]

The most important mobile app — you must have one — is the one with your veterinary clinic’s name on it.

We all know that technology is accelerating, but do we also know how to take advantage of these breakneck speeds? While veterinary practices may have learned to leverage the digital sphere by creating a stunning website loaded with compelling veterinary information, alongside a Facebook page offering great client engagement, the next frontier of technology has […]

Soothe angry pet owners and raise the level of service by training the team to listen carefully and respond the right way.

When faced with an angry client, veterinary team members tend to have two default responses: They either become defensive or suffer in silence. Unfortunately, neither response makes an unhappy client feel any better. While no one likes to be confronted by a livid pet owner, team members who are trained to respond with compassion will […]