Client Relations & Marketing

A Pennsylvania veterinarian's public reprimand by the State Board of Veterinary Medicine was overturned by a Commonwealth Court panel, according to the Associated Press.

One hospital and its clients help a family stunned by tragedy pick up the pieces and begin a new life.

I tried to explain that six years and 60 pounds alters a lot of things. He was not in agreement.

What message does the appearance of your clinic send? And what message do the doctors, technicians, and support staff members send when they interact with clients? For a real eye opener, ask your clients these questions, using surveys, focus groups, and casual conversations during appointments. And don't forget to ask new clients and staff members why they chose your clinic. Their fresh eyes can offer valuable insights into the first impressions your practice makes.

Sure, Brownie's not as spry as she used to be," says your slightly indignant client, petting her basset hound's bowling ball stomach. "But that doesn't mean that she's not a healthy, happy dog, Doctor."

Pets that passed away during the year get their wings during the holiday season at Companion Animal Hospital of Selinsgrove in Selinsgrove, Penn. Assistant office manager Laura Bickhart suggested making angel wings to hang on the hospital's Christmas tree in the reception area to honor patients who had passed away.

I have an elderly client who I don't think can properly care for her pet any longer. How should I approach her?

A patient complained that my office manager quoted a fee of $250 for a procedure, but he was billed $300. It turns out the procedure was done a few days after our new fees went into effect. Should we refund the difference?

Is it reasonable to charge a holiday surcharge for boarding pets? Hotels charge more during holidays. I want to be fair to my clients, but I also want my clients to be fair to us!

Your white coat holds timeless symbolism that reinforces your medical authority and recommendations to your clients.

A three-ring binder in your lobby can be a valuable client-education tool, suggests Dr. Melisa Hicks of Blue Cross Veterinary Hospital in Long Beach, Calif.

What should I say when clients answer their cell phones during their pets' exams? I think they'd be irritated if I stopped exams to take personal calls.

In their new book, Trading Up: The New American Luxury (Portfolio, 2003), Michael Silverstein and Neil Fiske found that today's consumer is willing to spend more, or trade up, for goods and services with higher perceived quality levels.

Value statements are tools you can use to communicate the value of your services to clients and to their pets.

Colorado forces owners to implant identification chips as New York lawmakers consider a similar measure for companion animals

Veterinarians should chart the progression a cat may experience while on the diet.

How do we reconcile that financial limitations are a significant burden to our patients?

Our society is losing the war on obesity. And bad eating habits have spilled into the pet population. No matter how hard you preach, many clients don't seem to heed the warnings. In fact, client compliance with nutritional recommendations for therapeutic foods ranks at a dismal 12 percent compliance rate out of the the 59 percent of all dogs and cats that have visited a veterinarian and would benefit from treatment with a therapeutic diet, according to last year's American Animal Hospital Association's (AAHA) study. It was the worst compliance category. The survey estimates lost revenue in excess of $110,000 per veterinarian per year for therapeutic pet foods alone.

Alex Martin was raised in a dog-friendly home. As a child, he shared a bedroom with his brother and a 60-lb Labrador retriever. Most of his family photos include various dogs the family owned over the years, but no cats are in the portraits. "Cats hung around the house, but were never considered part of the family," Martin says.

Last year our purchased feed costs ran over $6 per hundredweight of milk. That number is just killing us. You've got to find a way to get that down, or we're going to be out of business."

This doctor's scheduling strategy minimizes problems caused by late and no-show clients

To get pets eating appropriate diets quickly, this doctor offers clients a sampler pack of the therapeutic diets he recommends for cats with kidney disease.

Client surveys are limited to the extent that they only provide information on past performance.

The examination room can be a horridly stressful place. The stomach butterflies often begin before the veterinarian even walks in the door.

When a pet's physical exam is completed, the findings are recorded in the pet's record. Now, another person reading the record can see the findings.

Pastures that were dry and thin last year are now lush and green, thanks to a generally wet spring this year.

A client comes into the office with a printout of some Internet article claiming that veterinarians are recommending vaccines that are simply unnecessary. What do you tell this client? More importantly, how do you train your staff to handle this?

Risk Factor Questionnaire for Client

Dr. Jim Irwin schools you on how to provide clients with a thorough understanding on recommendations to increase the level of acceptance for care.

Dr. Thomas E. Catanzaro sifts through the misconceptions about compliance issues in practice.