The purpose of keeping a business up-to-date is to offer an edge for receiving products and services over the competition.  The following tips will give insight on some methods for keeping a practice current in the eyes of the client.

Tip #1. Communication and Feedback

Good communication between a practice and its clients is critical to assuring that the needs of both are being met. Keeping staff and clients happy is key to maintaining a business that stays up-to-date. Communication is found by:

• Listening to what the client has to say about staff, services and products.
• Help to improve and maintain a good client relationship.
• Client surveys on products, staff and services.
• Provide solid information for a practice to use to improve.
• Discussion with clients.
• Provide tips on patient needs and product requests.
• Communicating through websites and online blogs.
• Opens a dialogue that is valuable for providing and receiving feedback and ideas regarding current trends and practices.
• Staff members often prove invaluable for being a sounding board to clients for both positive and negative feedback.
• Information can be used to support or modify current office policies and procedures, make recommendations and better product inventory.

Tip #2  Automation

An efficient and organized office is vital to maintaining repeated customer business. For the most part clients want to walk in, complete their appointment and then get out as quickly as possible. An up-to-date automated office that enables this to happen will reap great rewards in customer satisfaction.  Ways to provide modern automation of your practice may include: 

• Training so all staff members are knowledgeable in every area of automation within the business.
• Employees trained in areas of the office different than what they are assigned to will be able to help fill gaps in times when the office is short on staff or when the office becomes very busy.
• Staff trained and filling-in will be more comfortable and confident, and situations that could turn stressful may be handled more efficiently.

Tip #3 Education

It is vital to have staff current on all aspects of their role in the business. Having knowledgeable personnel will ensure the feeling that the business, its services and its staff, are professionals. Staff should be able to answer questions about their position, and they should also know when to defer to another staff member with more expertise. 
Education opportunities that can help keep a practice in-the-know can be encouraged through:

• Continuing education opportunities that relate to the practice needs
• Seminars and clinic training
• In-house training

Tip #4 Sales Representatives

Having a dependable sales representative is important to your business. This individual is crucial to keeping a practice supplied with some of the most current products and information on the market. 

• In order to offer a product, all staff should understand and be fully knowledgeable of the item and its use, and a good sales representative will provide this information.
• Depending on the type of practice, sales representatives can make suggestions of products to carry that may spark an interest with clientele.
• Sales representatives can offer:
• Product reviews
• New product lines
• Sample products
• Free internal use of the product by staff

Tip #5 Product Information

Providing staff and clients with up-to-date information direct from the manufacturers will help provide a better understanding of products that are currently trending. Obtaining information for new products that could benefit your practice can be found through:

• Animal goods manufacturers
• Internet research
• Animal Expo
• Facebook account
• Web listing of manufacturers
• Client testimonials

Keeping a practice modern and up-to-date in the way it is run, the way it views its clients and staff, and in the products it carries can help sell a business to new clients and keep the old clients returning.  Need tips to keep your practice current to the industry trends? Contact your Covetrus  representative today at 855.724.3461 1 today!