Designate team member champions to drive practice initiatives

It takes a village to run a veterinary practice. According to the 2017-2018 National Pet Owners Survey conducted by the American Pets Products Association, 68 percent of U.S. households, or about 85 million families, own a pet. The veterinary industry is booming and practices need to differentiate their services and offerings from the proverbial pack. One of the best ways to do so is by designating team member champions to drive practice initiatives and keep a large portion of pet patients consistently coming back.

Who are team member champions?

Simply put, a champion is a team member responsible for driving the success of a particular area of the practice. This can relate to a number of initiatives, from keeping the retail area clean and the shelves stocked to maintaining a well designed and enticing loyalty program. Each team member takes ownership of their unique area to create a well-rounded and successful practice.

The dream team

Assembling your champion team can be easy if you first assess the strength of each staff member and designate him or her to an appropriate area of the business. Here are some of the champions you can have on your dream team:

Retail champion

Retail champions are in charge of inventory, ensuring that shelves are stocked with the most highly sought-after products in the market. They keep the retail area clean and tidy, making a good first impression to all clients who walk through the practice doors.

Forward booking champion

Designating a team member to schedule each patient’s next visit, while they’re still at your practice, not only increases repeat business, it increases your bottom line. Veterinary Practice News found that when veterinary practices increased forward booking by 10 percent, their annual revenue increased by $40,000.

Compliance champion

A compliance champion ensures a practice has clear, concise written protocols that all staff members understand and follow. This can include recommending care, providing at-home instructions, sending reminders for all services and products recommended and making follow-up phone calls to help clients understand the importance of following through and to answer any questions they may have.

Loyalty program champion

A client loyalty program is a great incentive for, well, loyalty. When after a set number of client visits the pet patient receives a free grooming or a night of boarding while their owners are out of town, it can not only increase loyalty but also strengthen the bond between veterinarian, client and patient.

Education champion

A great way to regularly engage with your clients is through continuing education opportunities. Holding classes or events surrounding a variety of topics gives clients greater confidence to take care of their animals and builds trust in their veterinarian to provide the highest quality care for their pets.

Wellness champion

Wellness plans give clients options beyond pet insurance policies. They vary from practice to practice but can consist of annual exams, grooming, vaccinations, dental work and much more. Having these plans in place make client visits a regular occurrence.

Covetrus has a comprehensive set of integrated services and technology solutions for veterinary practices, including Vets First Choice, an online pharmacy, prescription management and analytics business. Contact your sales representative at 855-724-3461 learn more.

Sources:

https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-pet-statistics

https://www.veterinarypracticenews.com/four-ways-to-use-forward-booking/

https://www.petinsurancereview.com/how-it-works/pet-insurance-pet-wellness

https://www.caninejournal.com/pet-wellness-plans/