Technicians

Next time you walk into an exam room, look down. Are there curious little faces looking back? They may be small in stature, but children are an important ingredient in pets' health, says Cindy Adams, MSW, PhD, associate professor of communication and epidemiology at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada.

When you say apple, do others hear orange? Use these tips to give helpful feedback that others will understand and appreciate.

Do you struggle to remember all of the mountains you've climbed when it's time for your performance review? Use this simple solution from Katherine Dobbs, RVT, the director of client services at Gulf Coast Veterinary Internists and Critical Care in Houston: Track your goals and accomplishments with a weekly activity report.

The way you talk to clients about what you charge and why can help your practice provide good care- or block your progress. Do you need to rethink your role?

Are you ready to rekindle your love affair with your job? Do you need tips to work more effectively as a team, offer out-of-this world client service, or deal with your biggest frustrations in practice? We'd love to help. And that's why we're jazzed about Firstline Live, a team training event designed to give you the same kind of high-energy advice and inspiration we deliver in Firstline—except in person.

Tough issues call for tough talks. Using the right approach and communicating effectively will help you get on the same page-and get on with work and life.

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

After researching your customers, you'll be ready to set a marketing plan that fits your practice's needs

One doctor talks about the patient that was hardest to lose.

Use these tips to utter praise that makes your co-workers feel great.

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.

Looking for a new team member? Asking the right questions during an interview will help you pick the right fit for your practice. Review these five questions to get started:

Ask yourself this: Did the Veterinary Technician National Examination (VTNE) test the skills you needed for your job in practice?

Visiting exotic locales, helping animals and people in need. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? It can be - or you can find yourself frustrated, disillusioned, and disappointed, as I did.

I work for a veterinarian who's nice to clients-but she yells and criticizes her team in public. She doesn't even say hello or goodbye to us half of the time. What can we do?

Q. Many of our clients don't seem to recognize the signs that their pets are in pain. What can we do?

What do you like best about your job?

Do chatty clients drive you batty? Does a dusty counter or paw prints on a newly washed floor raise your hackles? A 2005 AVHC Veterinary Team Study shows difficult clients, lack of recognition, and co-workers with bad attitudes top the list of your colleagues' frustrations.

Tired of reseeding with new hires every year? It's time to cultivate perennials.

2006-2007 Firstline MVP Nomination Form

Difficult clients do your practice more harm than good by damaging team morale and causing conflict. Figure out who they are, and let them go.

In a recent survey, 54 percent of team members felt cross-training was beneficial.

This doctor learned communication is a two-way street. And meeting this small dog in the middle made all the difference in the world.

Dust off those manuals, warm up those keyboards, and prepare to make your software sing. Rickee Miller, a veterinary assistant at Lockwillow Avenue Animal Clinic in Harrisburg, Pa., found that learning to maximize her practice's software was a great way to grow in her job.

Take one team, add some training, and mix in a little fun. It's a recipe for success!

Use a newsletter to make sure staff members never feel left out in the cold.

Meet Paige Phillips, RVT, Firstline's 2006 MVP winner.

We have a sign out front that we put messages and sayings on. But we struggle to come up with something to put on it. Any suggestions?

Discussing money with clients can be downright scary. Learning to present an estimate with poise takes the fear out of this critical task?and improves the odds that clients will say yes to your treatment plan.

About 55 percent of team members say that their medical records are audited to ensure complete invoicing of all charges for all services performed, according to a recent VetMedTeam.com survey.