Equine discounts: A real-life case study
Sometimes discounts can do wonders for veterinary practices. Other times, they fail miserably. One equine practitioner has experienced both scenarios.
A discount that worked for me
Our equine clinic offers a wellness program with a 10 percent discount for clients who prepay. The program includes vaccines, a wellness exam, a dental float, a fecal exam, and a customized deworming program for each horse. Clients can enroll from November to February, and we schedule services throughout the rest of year. We advertise the service on our Web site, as well as send letters to clients. In addition to encouraging quality treatment for these horses, this program means our clinic receives all the money ahead of time. This is especially nice because we receive these payments during what is typically a slow time.
A discount that flopped
I occasionally offer volume discounts, such as a reduced rate on multiple castrations. Every time I do, I regret it. It seems like I should be able to go to the farm, set everything up, and perform routine equine surgeries without problems. It almost never works out, as there's usually some type of problem or extra care needed. Revenue from the extra time and effort spent on these surgeries comes directly out of my pocket, and I rarely get extra visits out of these services. In other words, I don't get back what I discounted.
Dr. Erica Lacher is an associate at Springhill Equine in Gainesville, Fla.
