Think back to the last time you went to see your physician. My hope is that they didn’t scratch your butt and call you a good boy or good girl before you left…

Did they do anything to make you feel special? Was it memorable in any way? Did you run home to tell your significant other how well you were treated?

ANSWER: Probably not…

With that in mind, we should strive to make sure our patients and our clients have a memorable experience when they come into your veterinary hospital.

Here are 5 tips to make your client’s experience a memorable one.

5) Time is money and money is time. Your clients have carved time out of their work day to be there. Provide Wi-Fi internet to your clients. This can keep them occupied and prevent further frustration if their appointment gets delayed and allow them to continue to work or even contact family and friends while in your hospital.

4) Food is love. Not just for pets, but clients as well. Provide your clients a snack station with coffee, water, and snacks. You don’t even need to mess with the coffee grounds! A simple Keurig machine with coffee, tee, and hot chocolate pods will makes a great impression and a happy client!

3) Make sure each client and each pet feels special. If there is a milestone, for example finishing treatment for a specific condition…or following a surgery, send the client and pet home with something special. Examples include a toy, a snack, or even the popular hospital bandana! Happy client, happy pet, thriving practice!

2) If the client can’t be there with their pet, make every effort to make them FEEL like they are with their pet. Examples include text message photos of their pet or even a short FaceTime or Skype session so they can video chat. Clients love the opportunity to see and feel like they are with their pets, even if just a visual experience.

1) Lastly, but most importantly, make every client and every patient feel like they are the most important and only patient. Think outside the box for simple, yet unique ways to show the clients that YOU care about their pets. My wife and VSEC ophthalmologist, Dr. Shelby Reinstein, DACVO provides every patient (that requires one) a unique E-Collar. We know the E-Collar is the dreaded cone-of-shame…but families love the personalized E-Collars for their pets. Maybe…they will then even follow your instructions and keep them on their pet!

Knowledge is power!
Garret Pachtinger, VMD, DACVECC
Board Certified Emergency and Critical Care Specialist
Co-Founder, VETgirl