Compensation at a walk-in clinic

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?

Many walk-in practices use percentage-based compensation for associates, says Veterinary Economics Hospital Management Editor Mark Opperman, CVPM, owner of consulting firm VMC Inc. in Evergreen, Colo. No matter what type of practice you work at, with percentage-based compensation you're in charge of your own destiny. Consider these questions:

• What's your average per-client transaction charge?

• What can you do to increase it?

• Are you offering a full-service approach and educating your clients about everything they need to know, then following up with strong recommendations?

With your employer's consent, try setting aside a day or two a week for scheduled appointments; on these days you'll take walk-in clients only when you don't have an appointment scheduled. "This would be the best of both worlds—for the practice, for you, and for the clients who wish to see you," Opperman says.