Client Relations & Marketing

Dr. Melisa Hicks and her team at Blue Cross Veterinary Hospital in Long Beach, Calif., improve compliance by encouraging clients to prepay for fecal tests.

The six principles of adult learning provide a framework for building a protocol for ongoing client education.

Here in the Midwest, it's been a stormy season. Some states have seen record numbers of twisters, and we've had to kennel our dog during thunderstorms so many times this year we've stopped counting. If you've ever lived in an area where tornadoes are common, you know the chill the tornado siren sends when it starts to moan.

"The waiting area smelled of urine and pet odors." "The surroundings were dirty and depressing." Don't let these comments be from your clients.

Sandy scratches. A lot. When her leg gets going, it makes a sound against the floor like a hammer driving a nail. My mother-in-law, Jane, first noticed Sandy's behavior a few months ago. When Jane took Sandy, a mid-sized 13-year-old mixed-breed pooch, to the veterinarian, he suggested a diet change to curb the scratching that makes her so uncomfortable.

Q. What do you do when clients say at checkout they want to pay later?

A refurbished ambulance transfers referral patients between WestVet Emergency Center in Meridian, Idaho, and nearby practices.

Why do clients pretend they gave medication, swear their pup stays on a leash, or claim their cat never goes outside?

"Pet owners don't want their pets to suffer, so we rarely encounter resistance to our pain management recommendations," says Robin Downing, DVM, Dipl. AAPM, owner of Windsor Veterinary Clinic and The Downing Center for Animal Pain Management in Windsor, Colo.

Do you ever get frustrated or annoyed when clients come to your practice loaded with medical information they found on the Internet-especially when it's wrong? Do you find yourself grumbling about the misinformation the client is spewing? Who's the doctor here, anyway? Heck, if people can find instructions for building a bomb online, maybe your clients can just whip up some Otomax or Tresaderm too. Then they can buy themselves an ultrasound machine and a textbook. Who needs a veterinarian?

The tales clients tell can poison or profit your practice.

Clients just might feel spoiled with the attention they receive during Client Appreciation Week at VCA University Veterinary Clinic in Fairfax, Va.

Do you yearn to learn and enlighten clients with your know-how? If you're passionate about client education, consider hosting educational classes for clients.

He's watching you. You can't concentrate, you're afraid to be alone with him, and the comments won't stop. Sexual harassment can be relentless, consuming your work and your life. It happened to these women-and it could happen to you. Here's what every woman (and man) should know about sexual harassment.

Q. How should we handle a client who seems obsessed with repeating diagnostic tests?

"For everything there is an appointed time. ... A time to listen and a time to speak."

Use this form to answer clients' most common questions about the disease.

Communication is the key to working smarter, and not harder.

Your customer is the most important asset to your practice and likewise it is important for you to measure, manage and maximize the use of this asset.

In-clinic testing was cutting edge in the 1990's but today it is commonplace.

Step One: Know yourself.

Studies show the number of visits pet owners make to their veterinarian is declining.

Dr. Melisa Hicks got clients' attention about parasites by hanging a giant picture of a flea where it couldn't be missed.

The team at Countryside Veterinary Clinic in Carthage, N.Y., knows how to captivate their audience.

Happy clients stay with your practice and promote your services to others. Use these tips to please pet owners and build a good vibe on the grapevine.

Dr. James Brooks turned over in bed and looked at the clock. It was 8:05 a.m. He was a little late but thought he could make it to the clinic on time. He quickly headed to the bathroom to wash up and brush his teeth. He looked in the mirror - same face, different day. He laughed nervously because it really wasn't the same face. It was a suddenly aging facade marred by the daily stress of being a solo practitioner in a changing veterinary world. He had never married. His apartment usually was a mess - cleaned only when circumstances dictated.

Heartworms can sneak up on cats-and you. Prepare yourself, then use a handout to start talking prevention with clients.

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 ...

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. - The Florida Board of Veterinary Medicine clarified that DVMs must be present during microchipping, despite strong opposition from shelter representatives.

Patients and clients feel at home at Colorado Canine Orthopedics in Colorado Springs, Colo.