DrAndyRoark.com

Articles, Videos, & Training on Pets & Veterinary Medicine

Jessica Vogelsang DVM

You Get Knocked Down, But You Get Up Again

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“That’s life and as funny as it may seem, some people get their kicks, stomping on a dream.”

                  ~ Frank Sinatra

It was the summer before vet school. Like any good, future vet, I had taken a summer job as an assistant at a local animal hospital. It was a small hospital in a strip mall. The owner, let’s call him Dr. O for short, was currently the only vet working there as his associate had recently left; not that two vets were needed. The case load was small, some days only seeing three or four patients. Dr. O spent much of his day doing Shutzhund training with his German Shepard.

In between the few appointments that we did see, I would sweep, organize cabinets, stock shelves and sweep some more. After sweeping for the third or fourth time in a single morning, I would get bored and go up front to chat with the lovely ladies at the front desk, much to Dr. O’s chagrin.

“I don’t pay you to socialize” he would say. Honestly, I wasn’t sure what he paid me for, since there was hardly any work to be done. Not that I was there for the pay check; I was there for the experience working with animals.

Of course, neither of us were getting what we wanted out of this gig. With such a small case load you’d think perhaps Dr. O might be able to take some time to teach me a thing or two, but you’d be wrong.  He seemed eternally vexed by my restraining technique. He would complain every time I held an animal for him, but never once did he show me a preferred way to restrain.

One time, after having me wrangle a particularly frightened and understandably uncooperative dog down to the exam table, I must have let up for a second. I can’t remember if it was because I just couldn’t physically hold the dog, or because I felt bad for torturing the poor creature. Either way, the dog got his head free. No one got bit, or hurt in any way. Dr. O went off on me.

“Never let go of a dog when you’re holding for me. I don’t know where they taught you how to restrain a dog, but you have no idea what you’re doing. This is a dangerous job and you’re not cut out for it. You should seriously consider doing something else.”

I was devastated. I was already enrolled at Ross. My deposit was paid. This was my dream; one I was ready to leave my family, friends and country to achieve.  And here was someone telling me I wasn’t cut out for it.

Of course, it was ridiculous to let this man get to me like that.  There wasn’t one thing about him I respected. He didn’t show respect for his clients or his patients, he treated his staff like crap.  I knew that in my head, but my heart still hurt.  My nagging voice of self-doubt was suddenly manifest out of someone else’s mouth.

I kept the job, knowing that it was only for a couple of months and all the other summer jobs at vet clinics had undoubtedly been filled. Dr. O’s words stuck with me as he continued to berate by performance, but I soldiered on; determined not to let a small, unhappy man and a toxic work environment dull my excitement for my dream.

I survived the toxicity and went on to succeed in vet school.  After a very short stint in another toxic work environment after I graduated, I found my place at first one, then another supportive clinic where I found mentors who helped me grow into the vet I am today—one who strives to offer not just excellent medical care to her patients, but kindness, compassion and empathy to her clients and who tries to always remember to respect and support others that she works with.

A few years ago, when a new graduate joined our practice, we got to talking about our experiences and low and behold, I learned that he too had spent a few months working for Dr. O. He too had been told by Dr. O that he shouldn’t be a veterinarian.

Mr. Sinatra was right—some people will always get their kicks, stomping on a dream.  If they try to stomp on yours, pick it up, dust it off and dream on.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

About the Author

Dr. Lauren Smith graduated in 2008 from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and completed her clinical year at Cornell University. Her professional interests include internal medicine, preventative medicine and client education. Dr. Smith lives and practices on Long Island with her cat, Charlie and dog, Frankie and loves to read write and run in her free time. You can check out more of her writing at laurensmithdvm.com

5 Things This Tech Wants Clients to Know

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JadeVelasquez
Guest Author JADE VELASQUEZ LVT

Many of us on the veterinary team got into veterinary medicine to promote the human/animal bond, and to keep our clients pets happy, healthy, and living a long life with their family. Many of us don’t really get the chance in our daily interactions to tell our clients how they have helped us grow and build relationships with not just pets, but the people associated with them as well.

Here are some things that we never really get to say in the exam room, but we want you to hear today.

We really do love your pets.

We want to take pictures of them. We want to snuggle with them during the exam, treatments, and while they recover from surgery. We think about them when we are at home. If we haven’t seen your pet in the clinic in a while, we wonder if they are okay. We also are superstitious enough not to ask coworkers if they’ve seen your pet recently. Because when we ask that question, we fear that you will come and visit under emergent circumstances.

We appreciate all the gifts.

Food related or not, I can’t imagine any other profession where the clients are so grateful. Do car mechanics, bank tellers and hair dressers get the thank you cards? Do they get the endless holiday cookies and goodies? Or the surprise pizza delivery for lunch? Is that a thing? If not, maybe it should be. Every card, present and edible item you send to the clinic is appreciated so much more than you know.

We know that the finances of owning a pet are difficult.

Many of us don’t really make all that much money. And we have a lot of pets. You are very unlikely to meet a vet tech who has less than three animals. Oh-and the animals we have, well, they are usually medical nightmares. Like, “has to eat a very expensive prescription diet all the time” pets. Or “has some weird, little known medical conditions” pets.  We get why you almost pass out when we hand you an estimate in the exam rooms.  And believe me when I tell you that I am not getting a personal cut of that estimate. But we scrape up funds where we can, like you do.

When you euthanize your pet, we are truly sad.

A lot of times we drive home from work sobbing after euthanasia. Our job doesn’t allow us a lot of time to recover from the brutal feelings we have watching your pet slip away. It hurts our souls to hear you and your family cry. So many times we have to walk around with a big lump in our chests until the end of our shift. But we are honored to be there for you while you grieve.

This isn’t just a job for us.

We care about you, your family and your pets. For many of us helping our clients and patients is the reason we get out of bed in the morning. You and your pet bring a smile to our faces on a daily basis. We do this because it means so much to be able to help you in routine and not so routine situations. We get to become a part of your family and that is a very special thing. We love watching you come in year after year and watching your children (furry and not-so-furry) grow up.

Thank you for caring about your pets. Thank you for caring about us. One of the best things in vet med is feeling trusted and appreciated. When you tell us a joke or story and make us smile, it matters to us! Because yes, we love your pets- but when you treat us with respect, dignity, and share your sense of humor with us, we are pretty fond of you too!

JadeVelasquezABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jade is a licensed technician of 9 years who lives in Port Orchard, Washington. She enjoys emergency and critical cases, dentistry and creating a bond with her clients and team. During her off time she is busy keeping up with her two crazy Basenjis!

Vet On the Street: What Do You Think of the Mars Acquisition?

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Earlier this month the veterinary industry was surprised with the news that Mars, the ubiquitous candy maker, acquired VCA in a deal valued at over seven billion dollars. With this news, pet care will become the largest portfolio in Mars- whose current pet brand portfolio already includes Banfield, BluePearl, Pedigree, Whiskas, Iams, Eukanuba, and Royal Canin.

 

 

The reaction in the veterinary community is mixed- varying from apprehension to optimism to cynicism. Is it one more step in the end of mom-and-pop small business ownership, or an opportunity that may drive improvement in the industry? We asked several veterinarians out in the trenches what they thought of the growth of corporate veterinary medicine. Here’s what they said: (Note- Names have been changed.)

A current VCA veterinarian’s thoughts:

“Years ago, when I found out that the hospital I was working for was being bought by VCA I was very concerned, as were most of the people I worked with.  I’d heard a lot of stories about corporate hospitals telling doctors how to practice medicine, and I did not want to work that way.  As VCA started the take-over, I was pleasantly surprised at how they did not interfere in my practice.  They had some preferred products of course, and we occasionally got told that we should be running more of this or that—but minor things, and nothing more than when I had worked for a private veterinarian who wanted to only carry one or two heartworm preventatives or always reminded me to run more fecals.

Overall, they were very hands off.  In fact, I was disappointed that VCA did not do more to establish SOPs and train staff, etc. So this time around, I am not concerned, at least in the foreseeable future, about me or my hospital.  I fully believe that very little if anything will change where I work.

What I am concerned about is what this will mean for the veterinary industry as a whole.  I am worried for the veterinarians who work for or own private animal hospitals.  There was enough concern when the two major corporations were owned separately.  With that set up, there was more room for competition for other smaller veterinary groups and even individual hospitals.  I am concerned that a merger like this will monopolize the industry accelerating the decline of the privately owned animal hospitals.

As someone who hopes to one day own their own hospital I fear I will never be able to compete with these guys on a offer to buy a hospital.  I fear that If I try to start a new practice they will be able to run me out of business.  I do believe corporate medicine can have its place in the industry, but I do not believe that one huge corporation should own so much and have so much control over the entire field.”  –Debbie, veterinarian at a VCA hospital

From a practice owner:

As a practice owner of a small clinic, the acquisition of VCA by Mars concerns me. Although corporate clinics have not moved into my region yet, I am sure it will happen soon. Once they do, I am concerned they may have an impact on my business. Mars will now own the two largest veterinary chains in the country, a group of specialty practices, two food companies, and a veterinary laboratory. Will this allow them to be able to acquire supplies, medications, and food at a lower price than the privately owned practice? I am not sure if this will happen, but if it does, small clinics will not be able to compete. We may be choked out of business, like the neighborhood bike shop in my town that was forced to close when Walmart opened and people found they could purchase the same bike for significantly less.

“Living in an area with a lower population density, finding veterinarians to employ can be challenging. This is made even more challenging by corporations. A VCA representative told me they have one of the largest internship programs in the country and have a large pool of candidates to fill their practices.  The small clinic private practice pool of applicants is significantly diminished by the internal mobilization of veterinarians within corporate practices. Now that VCA will be joined with Banfield and Blue Pearl, there will be even more veterinarians in their system.  As the corporations become bigger and acquire more and more, we have a harder time finding veterinarians to work for us.

A lot of small animal practice owners consider their practice as a significant part of their retirement. However, many younger veterinarians have no interest in practice ownership and retiring veterinarians only option is to sell to a corporation. Many of the corporations have specific requirements before they will consider acquisition and a small clinic like mine does not meet their criteria. Will I be able to find a buyer interested in my practice when I want to retire or will I be forced to just sell my assets and close my doors? It makes me sad to think that small, family owned neighborhood veterinary clinics may become a thing of the past.” –Sarah, owns a two doctor small animal practice in a semi-rural area in the midwest.

An associate vet weighs in:

“I’ve been in both private and corporate practice.  Private practice has lots of perks in the sense of freedom to practice and a sense of individuality but also has a degree of restriction in terms of room to grow as a vet.  My time in private practice was variable, with some bosses telling me they didn’t want me to get CE in certain areas where others encouraged me to grow.  One corporate practice I spent some time with was so restrictive that only specific drugs were allowed to be used and a book was given saying THE way to treat everything.

The other corporate practice was a lot different.  They encouraged growth and expansion of skills and didn’t make a lot of changes after buying the practice.  Ultimately, everything feels driven by money though and there’s a lot of red tape to get changes made or new equipment.  There are pros & cons to both types of practice and while things may or may not change with a corporate buyout there is always uncertainty amongst the staff.  Additionally, it makes me wonder about the future of private practice.  My former boss bypassed even asking me about buying the practice because it was thought that I couldn’t afford it.  Money talks and that’s all some people care about; legacy be damned. ” –Jason, associate veterinarian in private practice

“When I started at Banfield, I was just leaving a high stress emergency hospital job when the demands of being a mom with two young kids no longer jibed with overnights. They offered me a salary 25% higher than any other clinic in the area, with no on-call and stable hours.

A former Banfield veterinarian’s perspective:

There are limitations when you work in that environment, both for you and for the clients. The standardization of protocols meant you weren’t able to take a lot of risks or try out the newest and coolest techniques and meds, but it also meant a lot of the sketchier things I saw in some places also wouldn’t fly (you know, the old pred and penicillin for everything approach.) I really hate seeing my colleagues who still work there demonized; we were all compassionate, dedicated to our clients, and just as determined to do right by them as any other vet I know.

I feel like I spent my time there in a solid and steady middle ground, practicing good solid medicine that was neither over the top cutting edge, nor bottom of the barrel. It has its place for sure, and I am so grateful to have spent that time in my life there, but I want it to be one part of a bigger puzzle- not the only piece. We thrive on options.” -Tara, associate veterinarian in a big city

From a former VCA vet:

“I started interviewing with VCA when my then-boyfriend got a job in central PA and asked me to move with him from upstate NY. I had a couple of friends from school who were fairly happy with their VCA jobs and I had only been out a year – I was happy to find so many open positions.

The practice at which I ended up was a tiny offshoot of a bigger AAHA practice about ten mins away. In the big hospital, they had a surgeon and a dentist and 24 hour care when needed, along with clients who wanted that and could pay for it. We had the rabies-only, financially strapped clients who wanted Depo injections.

I worked most days with a 2010 grad (this was in 2010 – making us a vet staff with a total of one year experience) and a support staff of two techs along with one receptionist and possibly, sometimes, if the kennel was full, a kennel tech. The hospital was old and the layout was horrible. We were suddenly operating with the same prices as the big clinic, which none of our clients could or would pay. Because we never could bring in enough money to make payroll, we kept getting scolded for low ACTs and had visits by the regional medical director who would tell us it was all in the delivery (“best medicine is, every limping dog gets radiographs – make that your mission this week” when most of our clients would not even pay for Rimadyl).

They would not let me send certain tests out because they were Idexx tests. There were no special prices on Antech testing, even though they owned it, to sweeten the deal since we literally were trapped into using them. We were told we HAD to give a written estimate to every client, including vaccine appointments, before doing anything to the pet. So in a building where you literally had to walk through the waiting room to get from the exam rooms to the treatment area, we were constantly running 30-60 minutes behind and carrying pets back and forth in front of enraged clients who were sick of waiting.

A lot of the problems we faced were due to a corporation taking over a tiny practice that had one big thing going for it – the mom and pop feeling that is so hard to find now. That’s what the clients were used to and what they kept on wanting. The company raised prices, told us how to practice, gave us a skeleton staff and speeches about how the money follows the medicine, and essentially wrote a recipe for failure.

I know this has not been everyone’s experience. I did get great, cheap insurance and good free CE. My salary was fair for the amount I was working and my lack of experience, but I was pro-sal and couldn’t make my base. I was there 55-60 hours a week a lot of the time and when I left I was about 7 grand “in the hole,” which luckily for them they did not try to get back.

Big practices in upper middle class areas and specialty practices which select for a certain clientele can probably do pretty well under corporate ownership. But my situation was a “what not to do” and the best parts about it were my amazing fellow associate, who was the smartest and most capable new grad EVER, and the fact that when I left I knew exactly what I did not want ever again.” –Elizabeth, associate veterinarian in private practice

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

When it Comes to Critics, Are You Listening to the Wrong People?

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You’ve probably read that veterinary medicine is one of the professions at most risk for suffering from depression and burnout and yes, suicide.

Dr. Patty Khuly wrote about this in an article back in 2010 for USA Today. That article and her findings are still relevant to our profession today. The reasons vary from internal reasons to external influences.

Veterinarians tend to be high achievers who put a lot of pressure and high expectations on ourselves, we sometimes care more about our patients than their owners, we have to make more life and death decisions than the average joe public, and then there is ever increasing animosity towards our profession, both in real life, and on social media platforms.

It’s no wonder we are a depressed bunch- having to defend our profession, trying to help clients and patients, only to be told that we are “greedy bastards” that only “care about money”.

Where does that public opinion of veterinarians come from?

If you are like me (old) , and graduated before the internet was around, you probably know- it comes from two places. Online via pharmacies, e-commerce platforms like eBay or Amazon; or rescue organizations. The general public is very quick to regard the prices they find online as the “true value” of a particular product, and if a veterinary clinic happens to charge more, then they must be “greedy and heartless” . Many rescue organizations blame veterinarians for the pet overpopulation problem. Because all pets would be spayed and neutered if the service was free, right? Right? *insert sarcasm here*

If you identify with this and find yourself in a negative state of mind- we all have from time to time . . . you are paying attention to the wrong things and being influenced in a negative way.

Back in February 2016, I posted a video of a good samaritan case that went viral. I inadvertently became the poster child for compassionate veterinary care. Clients couldn’t get through on my one clinic phone line. My email inbox was flooded as was my messages folder on Facebook. My Facebook followers increased 100 fold. That’s ten times more than the actual population of my small town.

Here’s what I learned and why I say you might be paying attention to the wrong things.

It turns out that there are lots of people out there who appreciate veterinarians and veterinary care professionals. They appreciate what we do for their pets, even when the outcome isn’t always what we hope for. They appreciate what we do for pets of our community. Many of them grew up and considered a career in veterinary medicine, but didn’t for one reason or another.

The overarching comment in those messages was, “We need more vets like you.” Messages of gratitude and appreciation.

Which left me scratching my head and wondering about so many things. Why did this particular video affect them in such a way? Why now? Why do they think I’m different than other veterinarians?

Honestly, I am no different than any other veterinarian out there. Some days, I’m trying to save “All The Things”, and other days, I’m trying to pay the bills and cover people’s salary. Those two are usually polar opposites of each other. I didn’t go to veterinary school to get rich. Neither did any veterinarian I know. To constantly be called greedy gets old after awhile.

This particular video of Graycie struck such an emotional chord with people that they couldn’t help but notice and pay attention. What is fairly routine and normal to any veterinary care professional- the taking care of a patient- seemed unusual to the general public. So unusual, that they had to write or call. This group was previously silent and lost amongst the noise of social media.

About those online critics, I like what Elizabeth Gilbert the author says and thinks. When asked at a book signing event, how does she feel, and/or do about online book reviews? This is what she replied. She doesn’t. She doesn’t read them. No one mentions them. Her close friends may pass along a really favorable one from time to time, but she intentionally avoids them. The reason? It’s not that she isn’t grateful that people buy and read her books, it’s because she doesn’t want her future writing to be influenced by reviews- either good or bad. The book is finished and published, she can’t change it, so no reason to spend any energy worrying about how it is received.

Her value and self-worth as a person and an author aren’t influenced by the opinions of others. I think there is a valuable lesson for veterinarians there too. Do what you can in service of those who appreciate what you do.

As If you are one of our profession who is dealing with issues of depression and burnout, please reach out to someone, perhaps a colleague you know, for help. Also remember, that people appreciate what you do for their pet and the pets of your community, even when you don’t hear from them directly. If you want to see more of these ideal people as clients, though, make an effort to reflect your “why and purpose” into their office visits, your website, social media pages, and outreach programs.

 

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Andy Mathis is a small animal veterinarian in Elberton, Ga. He is also a signature member of the Georgia Watercolor Society. So he can spay your cat and paint its portrait, two very MacGyver like skills to have.  Find him on Facebook – @GraniteHillsVet and Instagram – @andymathisdvm.

What Keeps Techs In the Field?

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Some of you may have read a recent article I wrote “Four Reasons Techs Are Leaving the Field.” If you haven’t, I’ll give you the cliff notes version: Underutilization, low pay, compassion fatigue and toxic teammates and work environment are huge contributors to technicians deciding to find another field to work in. That article seemed to resonate with so many people in veterinary medicine. The comments showed example after example of how these factors had forced them to change clinics or leave the field.

I run a Facebook group called Veterinary Support Staff Unleashed. We are rapidly approaching 4,000 members, and I thought that this group which is comprised of veterinary technicians, veterinary assistants, receptionists and kennel staff would be a good forum to frame my next question. What makes you stay in veterinary medicine? We heard why technicians are leaving. Now I want to know what makes us stay:

“Everyone matters at our clinic and our doctors make that known. They also work hard to make sure that our practice is judgment free. That means not judging clients or each other. We truly work to give clients the best care and service. As well as building each other up. They are also great about educating staff and helping guide us in the best patient care. We really have a family atmosphere which really emphasizes our commitment to being a team and working together,”-Carly Raquel Hughes

“I have been lucky enough to have been at my hospital for 18 years. That is not just work. It is family. We have ups and downs but at the end of the day are always there for each other. The animals and patient care are a bonus because the foundation is where it all starts.” – Becca Willard Wilson

techs“I stay because my employer values and utilizes my skills. He provides reasonable work hours, adequate time off and he is very generous. He enjoys discussing new methods, research/studies and is comfortable reassessing standard operating procedures. He is 100% continuing education.”- Tiana Hibpshman

“I have great benefits and phenomenal opportunities. That’s why I stayed.”- Jamie Holms

“I stay because this is my passion, in my heart I know that this is what I am supposed to be doing! Being the voice of those who cannot speak for themselves, nursing them back to health, making them feel comfortable when they are scared and sick. I can’t imagine ever wanting to do anything else. It’s not just what I do, it’s who I am.”– Sydney Faith Legg

“I stay because this is my calling. I stay because my team is amazing. I stay for the wins and I stay for the losses. I stay for the clients who need someone to talk them through or have a shoulder to cry on. I stay for the knowledge that I have affected someone’s life no matter the species or the outcome.”- Elise Ritter

“I have left this industry several times and have always come back. I love the challenge. I love testing myself every single day. I just straight up love medicine…..animal medicine in particular. It is in my bones and I have and will continue to endure any abuse, lack of pay, shitty hours and emotional turmoil to be a part of it!”-Holly Keesling

You may notice a consistent theme here. Most of these answers were based on how our profession made us feel. It wasn’t based on employee benefits, wages or a solid 401K plan. Although these things will definitely sweeten the deal, at the end of the day we want to feel good about what we do and where we work. One of the best reasons we stay was given by a student in a veterinary technology program. I believe that to move forward as a community we truly have to listen to the voices of our future to find our answers. So in closing this final comment sums up why so many of us, me included stay in this field. Thank you for all of you warriors who continue to make this profession better every single day!

“We are strong. Every person who holds every job in this field is STRONG. We feel every moment of sadness, each stab of grief, and we are strong for those who cannot be strong in that moment. We are the faces they remember in one of the worst moments of their lives, and we make those faces ones of compassion and strength, so they can allow themselves to break down, because they need to. We remember every moment of their grief and compare it to every moment of our own. We go home and hug our babies and fur babies closer because we know the horrors of tragedy. And we go back and do it the next day.”

“I’m going to school to be a vet tech because I don’t just want to be on the human side of this field, I want to be on all sides. I want to be the one who tries everything to save a life, and I want to work with the humans, too, to teach them and listen to them and help them make the most of their pet’s lives before that rainbow bridge. And I want to make the passage a little easier to bear, even if it’s just with my face and a kind word. It’s been a slow journey through school for me, trying to make time for my son, myself, work, and school. But to end it with a career in which even the worst days make me want to be even better? That’s priceless, and that makes me want to stay.”- Peggy Jean Douglas

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

JadeVelasquezABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jade is a licensed technician of 9 years who lives in Port Orchard, Washington. She enjoys emergency and critical cases, dentistry and creating a bond with her clients and team. During her off time she is busy keeping up with her two crazy Basenjis!

How Cell Phones Can Help You

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MarkOlcottSurreyPic
Guest Author MARK OLCOTT, DVM, MBA

One of the most interesting things I learned in business school was that consumer communication preferences are changing very fast. This can be intimidating for veterinarians who, to put it charitably, don’t have a history of being early adopters. The fact that the average veterinary clinic is a good ten years behind the times with respect to consumer technology isn’t cute anymore…it’s a threat for those practices that don’t adapt.  And a tremendous opportunity for those that do. One of the biggest areas where this is evident is in the changing preferences with respect to the almighty telephone.

According to Ian Bogost in his August 2015 article in The Atlantic entitled “Don’t hate the phone call; hate the phone.”

“The distaste for telephony is especially acute among Millennials, who have come of age in a world of AIM and texting, then gchat and iMessage, but it’s hardly limited to young people. When asked, people with a distaste for phone calls argue that they are presumptuous and intrusive, especially given alternative methods of contact that don’t make unbidden demands for someone’s undivided attention.”

According to Heidi Grant Halvorson, social psychologist and author of  “No One Understands You And What To Do About It,” millennials are right — there issomething intimidating about the telephone.

“If your dominant form of communication with people hasn’t been the phone,” she says, “then you’re going to naturally be more anxious using that form of communication.”

But it’s also true that telephone anxiety moves across the generational gap. “Whether you’ve talked on the phone a lot or not, you still have to respond in the moment,” she explains. Without the option of editing yourself, “you’re more vulnerable.” In other words, if the phone feels high-pressure, that’s because it ishigh-pressure. “You have to respond immediately, so there’s a greater likelihood you’ll choke.”

So how do we serve our clients who don’t want to call us? For too long we’ve overwhelmingly relied on the telephone as the primary means of communication with clients.  But with increased competition and changing consumer behaviors, modern veterinary practices who do not adapt and evolve will suffer the consequences.

Here are five reasons why reliance on the telephone is slowly killing your practice:

  1. People are really busy and simplicity rules the day. The bar keeps rising for what clients expect. Consumers are spoiled when it comes to online access to both service and product providers. Amazon.com, Uber, Apple, AirBnB. They all have one thing in common that is a major contributor to their success: they are really easy to do business with. Increasingly, consumers just don’t want to talk on the phone unless they really have to. They’d rather not pick up the phone and call your hospital to request an appointment, get a copy of their vaccine record, get a drug refill, etc..  Why not? Read on.

  1. 40% of the US population are introverts and don’t like to talk on the phone.  These consumers have definite preferences for the ways they like to interact with people, with email & texting having a significant advantage over telephone or in-person. Why? The latter two ways of communicating are much more draining for introverts, and they avoid them if possible….especially for simple, transactional things like setting an appointment or requesting a medication refill. Make it easy for your clients to interact with you in any way they want. Is your email address just as visible on your website as your phone number is? Is your team paying just as much attention to your inbox as to the telephone?

  1. You don’t realize it, but you’re missing a LOT of appointments, refills, new clients, etc..  Does your practice have de facto requirement that clients call for appointments? I don’t mean CAN they email you or text you…..DO they ever do it?  Given the new realities of consumer technology, our clients expect to be able to reach you just as easily online as via telephone. Call it “The Amazon Effect”: the mental distance between impulse and purchase has never been shorter. If one of your clients is sitting in bed at 9:30 pm and remembers that her dog needs a vaccine booster and to have a lump checked out, can she request an appointment with you right then and there?  Or does she have to wait until the next day to search online for your phone number (she doesn’t have it memorized) then call and hope she doesn’t get put on hold by your overworked front desk team?  If she does get put on hold, is she one of the 33% of Americans who won’t wait on hold at all?

     Or do you hope that she’ll search for your website (remember, she doesn’t know your URL) then manage to avoid your local competitor’s ads and click on your site only to bounce around trying to find a way to request an appointment, (which is really tough because she’s on her smartphone and your site isn’t responsive) then click on a tiny link and….FAIL!  The patient suffers and you lost out on $200 in revenue because you made it too hard on her.  People have the attention span of a goldfish. If you don’t make it easy for clients to get WHAT they want WHEN they want it, you will miss out.

  1. Your clients have smartphones…even seniors. While there’s no doubt that millennial clients and other “digital natives” view their devicesas an extension of their body, but what about seniors? In 2014, one in four 65+ year-old US adults used a smartphone. In 2017, one in two will. This is also the fastest growing age group of smartphone users, in large part because many of them find that touchscreens are easier to use than a keyboard/mouse.  Bottom line: those of you who practice near retirement communities and say, “Well…our clients don’t use mobile technology,” are missing out on a huge opportunity.

  1. There’s a reason there are 1.6 million apps in the App store. Let’s face it: clients want apps. They’re familiar with them because they can be so much more powerful than even a fully responsive website. A recent article in Forbes documented some very interesting findings:

    1. 81% of consumers preferred an app to a website.

    2. 75% said an app was better for generating growth

    3. 86% said an app was better for customer retention

To be clear, I’m NOT saying you don’t need a website, as you most definitely do need a modern, responsive, well-designed site. You need a great Facebook page too.  But those are no longer enough. There’s something very powerful about occupying a piece of real estate on your clients’ smartphones, but it’s far easier said than done.

“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”

-Gen. E. Shinseki, US Army (Ret.)

Communication preferences are changing, and business owners need to adapt. Whether it’s Amazon.com or Main Street Veterinary Clinic, our clients expect to be able to do business with you online or via IM/text in addition to the telephone. Bottom line: forget you know anything about veterinary practice and simply ask yourself, “As a consumer myself, how do I like to interact with service providers?” That will give you the answer that’s right for your practice.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the DrAndyRoark.com editorial team.

telephoneAbout the Author

Mark Olcott, DVM, MBA is a veterinarian in the Washington, DC area. He has worked in both general and emergency practice, is a published author, and holds multiple patents. He’s also the CEO and co-founder of VitusVet, a software company that is redefining the way information is shared in veterinary medicine.