3 veterinary client challenges-and solutions

There are many client barriers to veterinary care-why not address some of those challenges right now? Study these common setbacks and help clients visit your practice as much as possible.

Client challenge: Forget to schedule appointments.

Solution: Help out clients by taking the lead on this one. When current and potential clients call asking about services, always offer to schedule an appointment—don’t wait for pet owners to ask or let them hang up before you at least offer to put them on the books. You want to send the following message to clients: Your pet’s health is important to us. We want to make sure Suki receives the proper care she needs to live a long and healthy life.

At the conclusion of each pet’s visit, suggest that the client schedule the next appointment for recommended care. Call clients to remind them about upcoming appointments, especially when they don’t respond to written reminders.

Client challenge: Have a lot of pets.

Solution: Ask whether the client prefers to bring more than one pet to each visit or would rather make individual appointments. Every practice probably has a story (or two or three!) about the pluses and minuses of multiple pet visits, but you can customize the visits for each client by asking his or her preference. Consider offering pet transport services. This service could be especially attractive if you’ve got a significant number of clients who have limited transportation options, such as elderly or disabled clients.

Client challenge: Spend significant amounts of money on veterinary bills.

Solution: Providing an option like a wellness package may be attractive to clients with limited funds and help all clients budget for their pet’s care. The added bonus for the pets and practice is that clients enrolled in the wellness plan visit the practice more frequently and often get additional, necessary care for their pet that’s not covered—care the pet may not have received without being enrolled in a plan.