November 2019 | Product and Promotions Guide | 13
More at: northamerica.covetrus.com/publications
Chances are, you have dozens of practices
within miles of yours. Your service must match your
medicine for pet owners to choose and stick with
your hospital. Now the top pet-owning demographic,
millennials spend more
on veterinary care than any previous generations and
75% have pets.
1
Top drivers of millennial loyalty are:
• 66% fast, friendly help over the phone;
• 57% friendly staff; and
• 49% personalized service.
Regardless of generation, every pet owner expects a
trusted doctor-client relationship.
2
Author of Endless
Referrals and networking expert Bob Burg is famous for
his quote: "People do business with and refer business to
people they know, like, and trust."
3
Great service is how
you develop trust and build a great practice. Here are
simple service ideas that will have big impacts:
Offer baby gifts for puppy and
kitten owners.
Turn a puppy or kitten kit into something
special by calling it a "baby gift." After
explaining services and prices, tell price
shoppers, "As our baby gift to Alex, you'll receive a free
dose of Heartgard
®
for heartworm prevention, a free
dose of NexGard
®
for fleas and ticks, an educational
book, a sample of pet food, a vaccine record-keeper, a
pet food measuring cup, treats, and 30 days of pet
insurance. This gift is valued at $___. When can we meet
Alex? A doctor could see him Monday at 4 p.m. or
Tuesday at 10 a.m. Which fits your schedule?" When you
total the retail value of items, your baby gift may reach
$100 or more, which is an incentive for new clients to
book now.
Promote medication
and diet refills during check-in.
This gesture is good customer service
and improves compliance. Among dog
owners, 64% left the veterinary clinic
without heartworm preventives.
4
When a client arrives for her dog's checkup, review
history of product purchases in your practice-
management software. Say, "Good morning, and . I will let the doctor and nurse
know that you've arrived for checkup.
I see that needs refills on his preventatives
today. For a limited time when you buy 12 doses of
Heartgard
®
and 12 doses of NexGard
®
, you'll receive a
$60 rebate. Does or your other pets need
any medication or food refills while you're here today?"
Letting clients know about rebates at check-in will entice
them to refill now.
About the author Wendy S. Myers, CVJ, has been
training veterinary teams for more than 20 years as owner of
Communication Solutions for Veterinarians. She helps teams
improve their telephone and communication skills so more pet
owners say yes to medical care. Wendy shares her expertise
through conferences, online courses, and monthly CE credit
webinars. She is a certified veterinary journalist and author of
five books. Her passion is to help practices like yours thrive and
grow through effective communication skills. You may reach her
at wmyers@csvets.com or www.csvets.com
Have treat jars in your lobby.
Place the dog treat jar next to the
scale, where you can use treats to
lure patients onto the scale. Have
a second jar at the check-in and/or
checkout counters. Sampling also lets pets try Covetrus'
Lean Treats, which are seven calories each and only
available from your hospital, you can order them at
northamerica.covetrus.com/search?q=lean%20treats.
Send text or email
confirmations immediately
after clients book exams.
Let's say a client books her cat's
checkup for next week. Don't wait until
the day before to confirm the appointment. As soon as
you hang up from the scheduling call, your practice-
management software, texting service, or app should
send a text or email confirmation that the appointment
has been booked. Most of us have our calendars on
our smartphones. The client can add it to her calendar
and set an alert for when it's time to leave. Sending an
immediate confirmation shows your practice is high tech
and high touch. Use texting features in your practice-
management software or through third-party providers
such as AVImark Rapport (https://avimark.net/practice-
solutions/rapport/).
When you show appreciation and delight clients,
you'll foster loyal, long-term relationships. Want more
ways to wow your clients? My online CE class on
"60 Client Service Ideas in 60 Minutes" includes
unlimited playback of the one-hour webinar for your
entire team, handout, online test, and CE credit.
Enroll at https://shop.csvets.com/new-releases/
60-client-service-ideas-in-60-minutes/.
References:
1. McReynolds T. What Millennial Pet Owners Want. AAHA NEWStat. Published Oct.
2, 2019. Available at: https://www.aaha.org/publications/newstat/articles/2019-10/
what-millennial-pet-owners-want/. Accessed Nov. 3, 2019.
2. Gopal S. Rendia. Health care decisions by generation: How do patients differ?
Published November 6, 2014. Available at: https://blog.rendia.com/health-care-
decisions-generation-patients-differ/. Accessed Nov. 3, 2019.
3. Vermeiren J. The "Know, Like and Trust" Factor. ThinkAdvisor.com. Published March
9, 2012. Available at: www.thinkadvisor.com/2012/03/09/the-know-like-and-trust-
factor/?slreturn=20190219195230 Accessed March 19, 2019.
4. Data on file, 2015. Merial, Inc., Duluth, GA. HGD15TRTECHDETAILER (03/15).
