Mary Ann Vande Linde, DVM

Q When the phone is ringing, there's a client to be checked out, and a technician has a question, how do I prioritize?

These three types of questions help you start the discussion-and keep it going.

When you, your team, and your clients are reading from the same set of directions, you make it to your end goal-better pet care-with fewer detours.

If you were going to spend $100 on a new set of tires, wouldn't you want to know why? Were the old ones worn out, or do the new ones work better in snow? Knowing why you should care makes it easier to make the decision to spend. And the same is true for clients and their pets. Clients expect a recommendation each time they visit your hospital, and they want to know how your recommendations benefit them and their pets. Once they know why they should care, they're more likely to comply.

The doctor won't fire a problem employee. What can I do?

How do I convince the doctor that we're understaffed?

When a prospective client calls to ask how much I charge for a standard visit, my receptionist explains that my fees vary depending on the nature of the visit. I suspect this answer is driving away clients who are comparing fees as they search for a new veterinarian. Should my receptionist be more specific?

The best way to educate clients is by combining dialogue with visual aids.