Mark Opperman, BS, CVPM

How to deal with difficult salary issues.

Feeling a little uninformed about your veterinary practice's finances? A regular peek at daily, monthly, and annual reports can change all that.

Put your monthly numbers on a single sheet with this Excel document.

Bonuses give team members a strong incentive to succeed.

No one likes to fire people. But if you don't get rid of that problem employee, you're putting the good ones at risk. Take this approach to make this necessary evil as painless as possible.

Q. I've been at my first job for just over a year. I earn a base salary plus production and benefits. What percentage of my revenue is fair compensation?

I often get calls from managers who feel like owners don't respect or listen to them.

Let your manager know what you expect him or her to do.

A self-serving team member may be pulling the strings at your practice. Why are you letting it happen?

Use this Excel spreadsheet to show associates and team members how much you spend to employ them.

Let's say you're casually googling your practice one day when you find a review that makes your eyes pop out of your head ...

Evaluate the phone skills of receptionists at your clinic and others with these downloadable Excel documents.

I'm a house call veterinarian who'd like to continue to perform surgeries and take radiographs in order to maintain my skills. What's the appropriate amount of compensation for a veterinarian who allows me to use his or her hospital for these purposes?

Don't despair at few new clients. Just follow the feet!

Hurricanes. Embezzlers. Lawsuits. If you put the proper safeguards in place, you can stay out of trouble.

Q. My associate earns 22.5 percent of her total production. Of that, about 17 percent is wages and the remainder is fringe benefits. She also receives a bonus. How can I switch her to ProSal without giving away the farm?

You show consistency as a boss and respect for your top employees when you terminate someone who needs to go.

I work at a walk-in clinic. Some clients ask for me, but if it's a 40-minute wait, they'll see another doctor. My boss wants to pay me a percentage of my production. Is this fair at a walk-in clinic?

I'm an expert witness for a practice owner who is being sued by two former associate doctors. What caused this litigation? Poor communication and a contract written on a napkin.

Videotaping in the exam room may make everyone nervous at first. But strong communication skills get clients on board with the best care. And this tool can help.

My associate is receiving about $90,000 a year in compensation. She has requested a salary of $100,000 because she's been with me for eight years and she says her longevity is worth something. Is there a formula for a longevity bonus?

Customize this sample Word document to start engaging your own team of consultants today.

Even if your practice doesn't need to be rescued, wouldn't it be nice to have these three management angels in your corner?

Customize this Word document and put it in your employee manual.

Does your team manual look like an ancient relic? Get it up to date with the latest labor laws and team policies.

The details you need to update your employee manual are just a click away.

Opening your door to new profit centers can help take the bite out of remodeling and building expenses.

Customizable Word document of a sample letter to send clients about the pet food recall.

A simple letter is all you need to help keep your clients up to date on the pet food recall.

It's a natural progression to move from associate to practice owner, but you need to know what you're getting into. (And sellers, you need to make sure your buyer is positioned for success.)