E. John Knapp, AIA

Do veterinarians and staff members constantly trip over each other's feet at your practice? Or maybe you round corners with caution to avoid taking out unsuspecting clients. Even remodeling or expanding your facility may not fix the problem if you don't develop an efficient floor plan.

Have you ever based an important decision on one person's opinion? Imagine not selling pet food because one client prefers buying it from a superstore. You won't benefit from retail sales--or any service--until you ask many clients. Consider a client survey before expanding or building a new facility. If you own a practice, give the survey to clients on arrival. If you're starting a practice from scratch, consider a mail or phone survey. Include these topics: