'That was easy:' Veterinary clients want to hit the Easy Button

A new trend seems to be catching on in veterinary practices, one popularized in 2005 by office supply store Staples: the Easy Button.

Remember when Staples advertised that shopping there was as simple as hitting the now-iconic red button, which was a culture shift from their previous marketing message, “Yeah, We've Got That.” The button became a gag gift across America, and in retrospect, “That was easy” was more than a commercial's punch line. And many of us missed it.

Expect easy, not more

Practice managers, practice owners and practice management consultants often preach about the importance of “wow!” service and instill in team members a burning desire to exceed client expectations. And that's a good thing, but, really, how's that working out for us? I don't think we're doing as well as we think.

Consider what we're asking of our staff when we say, “Go exceed expectations.” Do we as clinic leaders understand client expectations? For the few who've surveyed clients, how does a client or a team member determine whether expectations have been exceeded? If managers and leaders struggle to answer, imagine the poor receptionist who constantly hears “go exceed expectations.” That's stressful, especially if his/her next pay raise depends on meeting that vague goal.

Yes, I still believe in incredible client service and exceeding expectations-but I've realized that this guiding principle is subjective. Since 2011, my teams have focused on making it easy for clients and pets at my hospital by listing how we can make things simpler for clients. See the difference between that and “exceeding expectations”?

In 2010, Harvard Business Review published results from a study that surveyed more than 75,000 consumers to learn about the difference between exceeding expectations and making business easier for clients. More than 80 percent said their expectations hadn't even been met in one of their most recent service interactions.

Among consumers who indicated their effort at the business was low, 94 percent said they'd come back again for the product or service and 88 percent said they'd spend more next time. Only 1 percent of those respondents said they'd speak negatively of the company compared to 81 percent of clients who spent a lot of effort.

The new (easier) normal

You can see it in data: A 2012 report found that three of the five reasons consumers chose one grocery store over another were about reducing effort: convenient location, ease of shopping and speed of shopping visits.

You can also see the emphasis on convenience in products. Here are a few examples:

> Chrysler's auto-slider door on mini-vans was born after it sent a development team to the parking lots of grocery stores across the country and found moms and dads leaving with arms full of groceries.

> Lowe's launched “My Lowe's” as a website to organize your personal preferences for home and garden projects. It tracks your room's paint colors, knows the annual plants you buy and sends reminders to replace your air filter. Lowe's repurchase revenue increased.

> Hasbro-the makers of many of your favorite board games-saw this trend. They developed new, 15-minute versions of such classic games as Monopoly, Sorry and Scrabble.

Two of the study's critical findings suggest that delighting customers doesn't build loyalty the way convenience does. First, businesses that did more work for customers saw higher loyalty in year-over-year sales. Second, managers and employees who acted on this insight improved service, reduced customer service costs and decreased customer agitation and defection.

What does this mean for you? Making small changes for client convenience-such as reminding clients seven days before they run out of a pet's long-term medication-may show immediate dividends for your practice.

We know convenience is important. Think of weight loss. Losing weight is an easy concept to understand. If caloric input is less than energy burnt, you lose weight. If we know that this easy equation of eating and exercising equals a healthy lifestyle, why do Americans spend $35 billion a year on weight loss products, pills, powders, additives, etc?

Think of photos. Kodak makes incredible cameras that produce crystal-clear lasting memories, yet the company went bankrupt. We don't use those bulky Kodak cameras and opt for convenient but less beautiful photos with our smartphones. With a tap on the screen, we can post them on social media and text them to family and friends. We give up quality for ease.

Be harder on yourself

Relate this back to your veterinary hospital. Do some of your systems and processes make clients work too hard? For example, participants in a recent lecture about phone systems in veterinary clinics said one of the top five reasons their phones ring is that clients call to get updates on their pets. Imagine if we texted clients that patients are headed into surgery, texted again as they exited and again as the patient woke up safely from anesthesia. That's three fewer times that worried clients need to call to see how their baby is doing from a simple spay or neuter procedure. Tracking phone calls at your practice can reveal areas where you can improve communication and save time.

Don't assume you and your team are doing all of the work. We have an automated survey program that asks clients to answer a question based on a “Customer Effort Score”:

"On a scale of 1 to 5-1 being very little, 5 being a lot-how much effort did you need to put forth to have you and your pet's needs and requests taken care of?"

If clients answer 3 or higher, I get a text message from our survey platform and call the client as soon as possible to find out where we went wrong. It can be a real eye-opener, so make sure you're sharing the results with staff and making the necessary changes. When I show them 4s and 5s, it means we didn't work for our clients.

In these surveys, I don't share which doctors had the experiences. They'll want to tell their side of the story, and I'll hear their take on it. But what's really important is the client's perception. For example, a client brought in a cat with severe injuries from a coyote attack. The client goes home and explains the treatment to her husband, but he doesn't get it and calls me for an explanation.

I told the doctor we missed an opportunity because all the client heard was the cost. Frame it so it's not the doctor's fault-he or she just didn't communicate effectively with the client. I let the doctor or team member know that validating client concerns is key. Clients may have done a lot of research through Google, and they want you to acknowledge that they've done what's best for their pet.

Download a sample survey here or customize your own.

Time is fleeting

We often fail to appreciate our clients' time pressures. In 1950, less than 5 percent of households had two wage earners. Today, that number is greater than 80 percent-meaning our pet lovers have less time to spare for our appointments.

I encourage you to sit down with your team and make a list of reasons that clients come through your doors. Make a “road map” for each reason by listing the necessary steps to make a visit happen and brainstorm ways your team can work more for the client. Start surveying your clients for their Customer Effort Score and make sure clients recognize your efforts. If clients don't notice, it's back to the drawing board to evaluate where your team is failing.

Brian Conrad, CVPM, has been the practice manager for Meadow Hills Veterinary Center in Kennewick, Wash., since 1999.