Use care when you leave money messages for veterinary clients

If you're responsible for calling pet owners about their overdue bills, use this checklist to stay courteous and professional. It's also a good idea to check with your practice's legal counsel about safety measures you need to take to protect clients' financial information and privacy.

Don't use rude or abusive language.

Don't call at inappropriate times of day--early morning or late evening, for example.

Don't leave messages on voice mail or answering machine about the debt. Only ask them to call you back at the practice's number.

Don't talk to anyone who's not the person responsible for the account.

Don't call the pet owner at work.