Unlike humans who can choose to book an appointment with a doctor whose services they were satisfied with, pets can’t let their owners know what vet they want to see. When it comes to veterinarians, it’s up to the owners to decide who provides the best treatments to their vets.
Even though you’re not treating the owners, still, a large part of retaining clients in the veterinarian industry involves developing good relationships with pet owners. It’s best if you care for the animal and simultaneously work on your interactions with the owners to retain clients.
Here’s how veterinary clinics can build strong relationships with their clients:
1. Same Vet Every Visit
A study carried out by a German pharmaceutical company, Bayer Animal Health, found that pet owners were more likely to visit the vet when they knew they were going to be assigned to the same vet every time.
The study looked at statistics from veterinary clinics and found that when the same vet was assigned to the client every visit, the number of visits increased. The same applies to parents who take their kids to pediatricians; parents prefer when the same doctor sees their child on every visit.
Despite studies showing that clients feel more comfortable taking their animals to a veterinary clinic when they know they will be assigned to a vet they’re familiar with, few clinic owners practice this.
Benefits of Seeing the Same Vet Every Time
There are three main benefits to being assigned the same vet. Firstly, because the vet has seen the pet before, they have a greater understanding of their medical history.
Secondly, each time a client visits their vet, the regular interactions establish a sense of familiarity that makes the client comfortable with their vet.
Lastly, the pet owner places more value on a vet that has been treating their pets for many years; they form a loyalty toward them.
2. Have A System In Place and Follow it
It’s not possible for clients to always be able to see the same vet, which is why clinics need to have a strict system in place that allows vets to share detailed medical records with their colleagues.
When a client does come in, they should be matched with a vet they’ve seen previously; however, when that can’t happen, the pet’s medical records should be passed onto a new vet.
The veterinary clinic should have an online system that carries detailed medical records of all pets. Clinics should have standard treatment protocols, and every staff member must be trained to communicate effectively with clients.
3. Educate Clients
As much as pet owners love their pets, rushing to the clinic for every little thing can be inconvenient. To establish long-term relationships with clients, veterinarians must make a point to educate their clients about looking after their pets.
Treating a pet goes far beyond providing immediate medical attention when needed; it also includes routine procedures and preventive care that can help prevent serious health conditions.
Veterinary clinics can educate clients by giving them educational brochures and handouts, providing access to quality resources on websites, and sending regular health care tips via emails and through social media.
Animal Intelligence Software, Inc. allows veterinary clinics to better serve their clients by offering advanced veterinary practice management software. Our cloud-based veterinary practice software improves internal communication amongst vets, streamlines manual processes, and lets clinics maintain detailed health records on every pet.
Contact us for more information.