Veterinary client communication solutions help teams disconnect from time-consuming phone calls and enjoy increased efficiency, productivity, and client satisfaction. With 97% of US adults owning a mobile phone—and checking their phone roughly 96 times per day—omni-channel communication tools such as Covetrus^® Rapport^® allow your team to conveniently connect with clients where they are—at home, work, and on the go.¹

Here are three important ways that the right veterinary client communication solutions can help your team reduce administrative work and deliver a higher level of client service.

#1: Automatic service and appointment reminders

Automatic reminders free up practice staff from the endless list of reminder phone calls and gives staff time to perform other tasks, while providing clients with options for receiving veterinary service notices according to their preference, whether that be text, email, and/or postcard, increasing the likelihood that the client will see the reminder.

When used in conjunction with Covetrus practice management software, Rapport gives clients the option of confirming “Yes,” or “No” to appointment reminders via the method that is most convenient for them (e.g., email, text or voice). Their response is then displayed in real-time on the practice’s appointment calendar, giving the staff an accurate and updated understanding of their appointment schedule and reducing costly no-shows.

Automatic appointment reminders also save time and increase compliance by providing clear and consistent client messaging. When practices can customize their reminders with important client information (e.g., drop-off instructions for surgery appointments or stool sample reminders for wellness appointments), pet owners are prepared for their pet’s visit and team members spend less time explaining or repeating key information.

#2: Real-time online scheduling

Many veterinary client communication tools offer online booking, but still require the practice staff to review and approve or deny appointment requests and manually enter these appointments into their calendar. When fully integrated with Covetrus^® Pulse^™, Avimark^®, or Impromed^®, Rapport allows clients to view and book available appointments according to their pet’s needs (e.g., wellness visit, non-well visit). Booked appointments appear in real time on the practice’s schedule to keep the practice staff informed and prevent scheduling errors. Should a scheduling conflict arise, practice staff can quickly contact the client—or notify multiple clients at once—through integrated 2-way text messaging directly from the patient record, saving additional phone calls and minimizing miscommunication.

Real-time online scheduling promotes client engagement by eliminating the need to call the practice or wait for a follow-up call. This simple and seamless process makes it easy for clients to book their own appointments and become more proactive about their pet’s care.

Despite the potential benefits, opening your appointment book to clients can feel like opening your practice up to headaches. Rapport lets you stay in control by blocking off times, designating specific times for certain appointment types, and choosing which providers are available for online scheduling. Veterinarians can also review their schedule remotely and communicate with clients via the Rapport mobile app.

#3: Postcard service reminders

Despite digital communication’s popularity, postcard service reminders still play an important role in client compliance and appointment scheduling. In addition to providing an option for clients without email access or text-messaging capabilities, automated postcards ensure reminders reach clients with invalid email addresses and those who prefer to opt out of digital communications.

Practices can also use postcard reminders to grab a client’s attention after emails and text messaging have failed to inspire action. Covetrus Rapport provides users with various customization options, including appointment type, timing, frequency, and message to ensure maximum client engagement. A three-tiered approach leveraging email, text, and postcards—for clients who opt-in to all communications—allows practices to reach pet owners across various channels and increase visibility and client action.

Similar to email and text reminders, postcard service reminders save the veterinary team’s time by reducing phone call volume and length. Clients who might otherwise call to see if their pet is due for an appointment can simply view the information on the card and go online to schedule an appointment.

Veterinary client communication tools support a more efficient work flow by automating time-consuming tasks and reaching modern pet owners in convenient, customizable ways that drive engagement and compliance. By eliminating several phone calls every hour, veterinary teams can achieve more, experience greater client satisfaction, and stay focused on patient care.

Visit the Covetrus^® Rapport page to discover additional benefits and explore the entire suite of Covetrus veterinary solutions.

Source:
Mannheimer, Simon. “USA Text Message Statistics Updated for 2023.” SMS Comparison, 16 Apr. 2023, www.smscomparison.com/sms-statistics/.