Veterinary practices can implement several digital avenues allowing their clients to reach them on the go. The first tool to consider is a branded veterinary app, such as VitusVet, where clients can do business with you from their phones. Through an app, whether your clients are on the go or not, they can contact you for routine pet medical needs like vaccines needed by groomers or labs needed by an emergency hospital. An app extends your excellent customer service beyond the walls of your practice and can keep your clients returning to do business with you. So what exactly can an app designed for veterinary practices do? Here are some features clients find to be useful and helpful.

As a consultant I tend to join and participate in multiple veterinary management social media groups. Often, I read rants or questions from practice leaders sharing staff or client dilemmas. Many times, I read and admire the replies from the seasoned practice managers and think – what excellent insight! Other times I (and those seasoned managers) read the harsh “write ‘em up or “fire them!” responses and cringe. Why? – Because these replies indicate that these managers would rather punish than listen.

Nowadays, most people prefer to be contacted on their cell phones and avoid actually speaking on the phone whenever they can. When contacting a business to inquire about services or appointments, 89% of consumers say they would prefer texting to calling1. Veterinary practices miss a significant opportunity to serve most clients because they aren't communicating in a preferred way with the vast majority of clients. As a result, the clinic loses the chance to bring in revenue. So, how can we better reach clients and have it benefit the practice? With digital reminders!

I spend a lot of my speaking and training time working with managers and practice owners teaching them how to be a good leader. This is certainly important. It struck me that even with good leaders, veterinary practices end up with some less than stellar staff members. Some come from poor hiring with little preparation and unclear expectations. But others have all the pieces in place and still get they get duds. It is easy to blame the business. Maybe the training wasn’t up to par. Maybe the systems were nonexistent. But maybe some people just don’t know how to be a good employee.

One of my favorite books on marketing and branding is Seth Godin’s Purple Cow. The book is about creating marketing stories that show the public how you are “remarkable” i.e. the purple cow in a field of brown cows. Not only do you show you are different, but you also reach only the people interested in purchasing purple cows.