At the American Animal Hospital Association Conference this year, we had the chance to meet many of you in person – and to talk about what gets your goat at your veterinary practices.
At the AAHA 2017 Conference, we learned some of your biggest veterinary frustrations, and brainstormed a few solutions. Here are the top 5 common problems we heard about – and how we can help you fix them!
#5: Clients who don’t necessarily show good etiquette in the clinic.
You might think that proper etiquette is common courtesy, but unfortunately some exceptions are inevitable.
Some pet owners fail to exercise good manners by using their cell phones in the exam room. It can be frustrating to try and communicate with these clients, and it’s pretty distracting too. Your time and expertise are valuable, so a client’s lack of attention tends to feel like a lack of respect – especially from those who turn up late to an appointment.
Try not to take it personally – if they act this way with you, they likely do it elsewhere too. And while there’s not much you can do to change a person outright, there are small ways you can encourage clients to extend more courtesy at their next visit.
- Get ahead of late-comers by offering appointment cards or phone and email reminders for their next appointment.
- For the preoccupied folks, you can put up a sign at the front desk or in the exam room requesting everyone to give the veterinarian their full attention.
- What about customers who are only on their phones to keep other family members in the loop? Consider providing them an informational document to share at home instead.
Like most veterinarians, you probably don’t have the time to write up an informational leaflet for every patient. Using a resource like ClientEd Online lets you quickly print out or email educational resources to clients for home use. With something tangible to refer to later, pet owners can give you their full attention in the exam room.
#4: Clients who don’t contain their pets in the waiting room.
Not all problems are contained to the exam room, especially when it comes to unconfined pets in the waiting room. Maybe their cat is well-behaved outside the carrier, or their dog is gentle and obedient – but that doesn’t account for other pets who may not be so friendly.
It can help to establish a code of conduct from the moment a client enters by putting up a sign on the door asking pet owners to leash their pets. It could also help to post a checklist on your website reminding clients to bring carriers and/or leashes to appointments.
Clients still insisting on free-range waiting rooms? Consider dedicating a few hours one evening per week for friendly, social pets only. This has worked in some clinics who dedicate certain time-slots for cat-only visits, and may help you minimize scuffles amongst pets with conflicting personalities.
#3: Clients who don’t want to pay for veterinary services – or expect that they’re free.
Sound familiar? We heard this one at NAVC 2017 too, where it also ranked at #3 on the vet peeves list. So what can you do?
Nobody likes surprise fees, so try to limit the shock factor as much as possible by offering quotes during the consultation. This way, clients can budget accordingly.
In today’s mobile-first world, discount-savvy clients may see a vet bill and think they could find the service cheaper elsewhere. When it comes to pet health, cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better. It can be helpful to inform customers of industry standards to dissolve any conflict over pricing.
Clients want to know that their pets are receiving the best possible care, so it can also help to show where their dollar is going by providing a detailed care plan print-out that emphasizes the ways through which they are investing in superior care. For example, having a pet spayed or neutered can be expensive for pet owners, but there are risks involved. If you can demonstrate all the steps you’ll take to ensure the best outcome, the client might be more understanding of the cost.
#2: When clients don’t listen to our advice.
With all the costs associated with a trip to the veterinary clinic, it’s exasperating when information goes in one ear and out the other. Why pay for veterinary advice if you’re not going to listen?
Since it might not be productive to confess how disturbing you find their lack of compliance, try a more subtle approach. It may help to emphasize the importance of what you’re telling them.
While you don’t want to scare clients into compliance, people don’t like learning just for the sake of learning. Studies show adults learn better when they understand why it’s essential for advice to be followed. So instead of just telling your client to trim their pet’s claws, for example, explain that a well-manicured pet means less scratches for the owner and less damage to their belongings.
#1: Dr. Google.
Unsurprisingly, this vet peeve reigns supreme yet again!
The Internet can be a great place to find information, but not all resources are created equal. When clients follow inaccurate information online, it can be a big problem for pet health.
Since you can’t be available 24/7 to answer pet owner questions, how can you avoid the Dr. Google gamble? A WebDVM website can help bridge the gap between your clients and trusted pet health resources by providing easy access to ClientEd Online. You can narrow their web search by directing pet owners to accurate, qualified veterinary articles right on your website.
By meeting clients where they are (most likely, surfing the net on their phones), you can build your veterinary practice as their trusted resource for pet health. Take your advice online via social media, your veterinary blog or your website and just watch how it can improve client compliance!
Honorable Mention: When a client brings an extra pet to an appointment, without giving any notice.
It happens all too often – you’re already looking at a busy day, and someone decides to bring an extra pet to their appointment.
It may seem like no big deal to the client, but bringing an extra pet to an appointment can slow down the practice significantly. If you have time, there’s no harm done! But if you’re swamped and the extra pet needs a full appointment, you have to consider your other clients.
Sure, there’s a chance the client might get upset if their surprise pet needs to wait until your other appointments are finished, but is it worth it to inconvenience the other clients you have lined up? Unfortunately, it’s a lesser-of-two-evils scenario and you can’t always please everyone.
While it might be tempting to tell clients off for bringing extra pets, try to offer them the next available appointment or invite them to reschedule for another day. Most pet owners understand they need to book separate visits for each pet and will be sure to give notice in future.So there you have it, the top 5 vet peeves from the AAHA 2017 Conference. It was great to meet so many of you there – and thank you for sharing your #vetpeeves with us!
Do you have any #vetpeeves that weren’t featured here? Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter to see how we can help!
