If you find yourself establishing a new vet clinic or revamping an existing one, you know the importance of referrals. Becoming one of the most trustworthy veterinary clinics and hospitals around means client referrals. Getting those referrals requires a level of customer service you and your staff must prepare for diligently through a commitment to client and patient needs. You must create the reputation of providing the best care for the animals and emphasize showing compassion to the patient’s owners to the extent that you surpass all other vet hospitals in the area you serve.
Before you start comparing your establishment to other animal clinics, however, answer the following questions to prioritize your clients' animal health care needs:
1. Demographics: are your potential clients well-educated and affluent, working-class or middle-to-low-income consumers?
2. What do they value most in vet hospitals: experience, or cutting-edge technology and techniques?
3. Do you forsee a need for discounted or free services in your area?
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Earn AAHA and APHIS accreditation to get listed on each veterinary search engine
Veterinary hospitals must meet stringent professional regulations and are subject to regular inspections of their property and records. Vet clinics that go one step further will also maintain professional accreditations that are not legally required, but give clients a greater sense of the clinic's commitment to excellent patient care.
I recommend: Pet people can visit
HealthyPet.com to find vet clinics accredited by the
American Animal Hospital Association. Veterinary hospitals aligned with the
USDA Animal Health Inspection Service are listed with the
Animal Health Channel. Just a little extra work from the start can earn you positive results and referrals for the life of your business.
Join a local animal emergency clinic cooperative
Your potential clients won't think about needing a 24-hour animal hospital until that dog fight or poisoning incident at 2.00 a.m. You may offer emergency service, but most vets are either going to regional emergency service cooperatives staffed by local vets, or they're leaving the emergencies to 24-hour emergency clinics. If you do offer emergency service, buy a listing in both the print and online versions of the local yellow pages under "Veterinary Hospitals - Emergency."
I recommend: Make your clinic easy to find for the sleep-deprived, frightened pet owner. Register with the
Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Society's clinic search engine, and with
VetLocator.com.
Partner with free pet clinics and offer pet insurance information to clients
Most veterinarians will offer low-cost or free pet clinics at least once a year in conjunction with a local animal shelter or other worthy cause. While these clinics are usually just small-animal vaccination opportunities, take it one step further as staffing allows and offer free spay and neuter clinics and programs for low-income families or victims of disaster. If animal rescue groups ask you for a discount program, do it. Most of the rescue group's members will also come to you with their own pets. Accept others experiencing financial hardship on a case-by-case basis, or enlist the help of an outside firm to handle insurance or credit issues.
I recommend: Provide brochures in your lobby and link your website to (VPI)
Veterinary Pet Insurance. Enroll your practice in
CareCredit and avoid the hassle of allowing client charge accounts, while still providing the convenience of payment options.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Offer a discount to CareCredit members to encourage participation and avoid client nonpayment.
- Most shelters require and provide free sterilization, vaccination and flea treatment and prevention, with the aid of volunteer animal hospitals. Contact your local shelters and city officials to volunteer your veterinary clinic services and get on the city's provider list.
The official source of Starting Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals is
the Veterinary Clinics and Hospitals page at Business.com
Related Resources from Business.com
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