I don’t need to tell you how massive the Internet is, or that it’s here to stay.  Like it or not, our clients are looking online for pet information and that’s not going to change.  Although we all know “Dr. Google” is a quack, there are a lot of websites that are really helpful.  Rather than fighting this, smart veterinarians and practice owners are embracing this new reality.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the the benefits of volunteering and the social good that comes from giving your time and experience to a good cause.  I’m fortunate to serve on the AVMA’s Veterinary Economic Strategy Committee, and have done so for the last year or so.  This committee is tasked with developing specific recommendations for the Executive Board with respect to the economic health and well being of both individual veterinarians and the profession as a whole.  Our profession is facing some interesting economic challenges, but we are a strong group of people united by a common love for veterinary medicine.  There’s no doubt our best days are ahead of us! 

 

 

Face it:   your clients are online.  15 years ago, when a pet owner had a medical question they’d go to their veterinarian first then go home and research what they heard.   What do they do now?

 

Right.   When people have a sick pet, most go online first THEN call the veterinarian if they think their problem is worth an office visit.   With the explosion of smart phones, I’ve had clients literally researching what I’m telling them WHILE I’m talking to them!   I didn’t find it threatening….as a licensed veterinarian, I should know what I’m talking about….but it was an indicator of a new reality.   After all, people do the same thing for their children!   I was recently on a family trip and one of our kids came down with a rash that defied description.   What did I do first?   I didn’t call a dermatologist….I searched the internet for information about what this might be.   I didn’t mean for that to REPLACE a dermatologist, but information is everywhere and I wanted instant gratification.   Can you honestly say you’re any different?

Let’s take an example of someone who needs to find a new veterinarian.   If this person has a choice between going to two different animal hospitals that seem to be equal in all other ways (i.e. proximity to her home, quality of the website, recommendations from friends, etc.) but one practice has 150 “Likes” on Facebook and the other one has 2,000 “Likes”, who do you think she’s going to call first?   She rightly assumes that in order to get 2,000 “Likes”, a practice must be doing several things right, including providing great value and client service.