VetCoach

Lesson 4: Need More Clients? Part 3

TIPS - The Ideal Practice System

Do You Really Need More Clients?

...Or do you need better Client Compliance?

The average veterinarian is missing over $500,000 in potential services per year—just in the 3 areas of Senior Screenings, Therapeutic Diets and Dental Prophylaxis due to low client compliance. –AAHA Client Compliance Study.

Client Non-Compliance

The data shows that using the traditional veterinary model of practice produces about a 33% Client Compliance rate. For every 3 patients, 1 patient receives the care the veterinarian feels is best.

The Client Compliance Program

To change your rate of success with pet owners, you must develop your practice around a new veterinary model.

Part 3 - Focus on the upper end of the leash.

The traditional veterinary model focuses on the lower end of the leash—the animal. Using this model has produced only a 33% compliance rate. Focus on the upper end of the leash—the pet owner—and increase your success with animals.

Think back to the last 5 new clients you saw. Pick just one of them and see how many of the following questions you can answer:

• Client’s name (Yes, you can start remembering people’s names and faces.)

• What kind of work does the client (and spouse) do?

• How did the client come to own the animal?

• Are there children in the home?

• Are there other animals in the home?

• How do the client and pet like to spend their time together?

• If the pet owner has been going to another veterinary clinic, what did they like best about going there? What would they have liked to change? (Very important!)

If you’re like most veterinarians, you may not remember much about the pet owner. It’s more likely that you remember the animal and its condition.

However, no cat has ever whipped out its wallet to pay you. And no dog has ever called up to schedule a neuter.

To improve your success with animals, improve your success with people by focusing on the upper end of the leash.

It's an Inside Job.

Focusing on people is not just something you DO or SAY, it’s something that comes from inside you. Words and actions aren’t enough. It’s being interested in people. It’s caring about what is important to people.

When you answer the phone, it’s not just the words you use, it’s the feeling behind those words. You can answer the phone with an upbeat greeting like, “It’s a great day at ABC Veterinary Clinic, how may I help you today?”—but, if you’re just giving it lip-service, people can tell.

Take that same greeting and really mean it—really care about how you can help the caller—and people will sense you care about them.

When you develop your practice around caring about people, your focus will shift from how to “sell” your services to how you can help transform people’s lives by helping them with their animals. Clients’ trust will go up and their follow-through will increase.

Examples of focusing on the upper end of the leash.

For front desk staff, give your name when you answer the phone. When you give your name, it’s easier for pet owners to connect to you as a “real” person than just a voice over the phone.
No matter how busy you are, greet people with a smile, a handshake, a wave or a nod as soon as they come in. People need to know that you’re not too busy for them.
You (the Doctor) give a clear, specific recommendation, including when you want to see the animal next.
You (the staff) back up the Doctor’s recommendation. “I see you’ve chosen our Senior Wellness Program for Buffy. The dogs in our senior program do really well. You’ve made a good decision.”
Schedule the next appointment before the client leaves the office. When your focus is on improving people’s lives, you won’t feel as if you’re twisting their arms to make an appointment. You’ll realize that you’re helping busy pet owners better manage their pet’s health care by putting them in the appointment book. Then, the reminders you send will be to remind them about their appointment, not remind them that they need to call.

How will you and your staff focus on the upper end of the leash?

When you focus on clients, you will naturally be open to how you can meet their needs, wants and desires. You will listen more thoroughly, relate better and communicate more successfully. Client Compliance will become the norm for you—not the exception.

Fill in your email address below to receive our
FREE Practice Tips Newsletter.

Drs. Vickie & Bryan

Know a friend or colleague who would like to "Stop Being a Slave" to veterinary practice? If so, click here and send them an email message letting them know about our Free Practice Tips e-newsletter.