16 Covetrus
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ph:
855.724.3461
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fx:
888.329.3861
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northamerica.covetrus.com
Worried about no-shows?
Confirm earlier and multiple times. Don't wait until the
day before appointments to remind clients. Send a series of
four confirmations, which helps avoid no-shows:
When to confirm Type of reminder
1. Immediately after appointment
is booked
Text, app, or email
2. 2 weeks before appointment Text, app, or email
3. 4 days before appointment Text, app, or email
4. 2 days before appointment
(only if client did not reply to
electronic notices)
Phone call
If clients have not responded to electronic notices, call
them two days before exams to confirm. Explain, "We have
reserved an appointment for Max at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. We
are experiencing increased appointment requests during
reopening phases and have other patients on a waiting
list. We need to get your confirmation today, or Max's
appointment will be cancelled. Please call/text/email us at
." The tone of your client care team should be kind
and polite. If the client reschedules or cancels, you have an
entire business day to fill the empty slot.
Gather new client information during scheduling calls.
Go beyond collecting a name and phone number. When
scheduling, invest two minutes to enter the client and
patient names, address, email, and cell number. You'll
avoid the negative experience of "clip-boarding" a new
client when you hand her a registration form at check-in as
she struggles with her Jack Russell on a retractable leash.
You'll also steal valuable exam time with busy paperwork.
If you're experiencing heavy call volume and don't have
time to gather contact information now, include a link to
your online new client form in your confirmation email. This
form should have a "submit" button that instantly emails
it to your clinic so you may set up the new client record
before the appointment. Gathering new clients' contact
information before exams will establish relationships and
let you get opt-ins for electronic communication.
Text driving directions to new clients. When you confirm
exams two days in advance, text this: "We're excited
to meet you and on Friday at 4 p.m. Bring
a stool sample that's fresh within 4 hours. Get driving
directions at ." When new clients click the link on their
smartphones, map apps will give them estimated travel
time along with turn-by-turn directions. You'll enjoy on-time
arrivals and create great first impressions.
Get more training in my free 20-minute course with
handout on How to Clear the Appointment Backlog.
Watch now at www.csvets.com.
1. Burke K. 107 texting statistics that answer all your questions. Text Request. Available at: www.textrequest.com/blog/texting-statistics-answer-questions/. Accessed September 25, 2020.
2. Push Notifications Statistics 2019. Business of Apps. Available at: https://www.businessofapps.com/marketplace/push-notifications/research/push-notifications-statistics/?source=post_
page. Accessed September 25, 2020.
3. Brudner E. Email Open Rates by Industry: See How You Stack Up. Available at: https://blog.hubspot.com/sales/average-email-open-rate-benchmark. Accessed September 25, 2020.
4. Inkit Team. 20+ Direct Mail Industry Statistics for your 2019-2020 Marketing Campaigns. Available at: https://www.inkit.com/2019/09/20-direct-mail-industry-statistics-for-your-2019-
2020-marketing-campaigns/. Accessed September 25, 2020.
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.
