Technicians

Use this sample form to track your accomplishments.

What's your biggest challenge in practice?

Step back-so you can put your best foot forward

I'm frustrated with my team members' bad attitudes, and it's really bringing me down. What should I do?

Looking for some art to fill those empty walls? Check your mailbox! You probably receive a wealth of great artwork from clients every month, says Cheryl Dyer, practice manager at Noah's Ark Animal Clinic in Kansas City, Mo. When patients recover from a serious illness, their pet parents often send a note of thanks with a picture to the practice. Dyer says they frame these photos and hang them in the practice's front lobby.

I've worked at the same practice for eight years and I still only get 10 days of either paid vacation or sick leave. Is this fair?

Elimination of pain is an effective focus and client motivator.

Give the last clients of the day the same warm reception the 40 clients in front of them enjoyed.

Next time you walk into an exam room, look down. Are there curious little faces looking back? They may be small in stature, but children are an important ingredient in pets' health, says Cindy Adams, MSW, PhD, associate professor of communication and epidemiology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

When you say apple, do others hear orange? Use these tips to give helpful feedback that others will understand and appreciate.

Do you struggle to remember all of the mountains you've climbed when it's time for your performance review? Use this simple solution from Katherine Dobbs, RVT, the director of client services at Gulf Coast Veterinary Internists and Critical Care in Houston: Track your goals and accomplishments with a weekly activity report.

The way you talk to clients about what you charge and why can help your practice provide good care- or block your progress. Do you need to rethink your role?

Are you ready to rekindle your love affair with your job? Do you need tips to work more effectively as a team, offer out-of-this world client service, or deal with your biggest frustrations in practice? We'd love to help. And that's why we're jazzed about Firstline Live, a team training event designed to give you the same kind of high-energy advice and inspiration we deliver in Firstline—except in person.

Tough issues call for tough talks. Using the right approach and communicating effectively will help you get on the same page-and get on with work and life.

These three types of questions help you start the discussion-and keep it going.

After researching your customers, you'll be ready to set a marketing plan that fits your practice's needs

One doctor talks about the patient that was hardest to lose.

Use these tips to utter praise that makes your co-workers feel great.

If you were going to spend $100 on a new set of tires, wouldn't you want to know why? Were the old ones worn out, or do the new ones work better in snow? Knowing why you should care makes it easier to make the decision to spend. And the same is true for clients and their pets. Clients expect a recommendation each time they visit your hospital, and they want to know how your recommendations benefit them and their pets. Once they know why they should care, they're more likely to comply.

Looking for a new team member? Asking the right questions during an interview will help you pick the right fit for your practice. Review these five questions to get started:

Ask yourself this: Did the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) test the skills you needed for your job in practice?

Visiting exotic locales, helping animals and people in need. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? It can be - or you can find yourself frustrated, disillusioned, and disappointed, as I did.

I work for a veterinarian who's nice to clients-but she yells and criticizes her team in public. She doesn't even say hello or goodbye to us half of the time. What can we do?

Q. Many of our clients don't seem to recognize the signs that their pets are in pain. What can we do?

What do you like best about your job?

Do chatty clients drive you batty? Does a dusty counter or paw prints on a newly washed floor raise your hackles? A 2005 AVHC Veterinary Team Study shows difficult clients, lack of recognition, and co-workers with bad attitudes top the list of your colleagues' frustrations.

Tired of reseeding with new hires every year? It's time to cultivate perennials.

2006-2007 Firstline MVP Nomination Form

Difficult clients do your practice more harm than good by damaging team morale and causing conflict. Figure out who they are, and let them go.

In a recent survey, 54 percent of team members felt cross-training was beneficial.