A client service representative movement is building—here’s why you should pay attention

The face of the veterinary clinic is evolving, and it’s time we recognize the powerhouse behind the front desk. On this episode of The Vet Blast Podcast, host Adam Christman, DVM, MBA, is joined by Jill Clark, DVM, chief visionary officer for IGNITE and founder of the North American Association for Veterinary Receptionists, to discuss the vital role of the modern client service representative (CSR).

Throughout the episode, the duo explores how proper training is transforming CSRs from receptionists into essential revenue generators, client loyalty architects, patient advocates, and more!

Below is a partial transcript, edited lightly for clarity.

Adam Christman, DVM, MBA: What are the areas of the practice that CSRs can take on successfully that are maybe not thought of by some practice leaders?

Jill Clark, DVM: One of my missions—and we're talking about the IGNITE side right now—we did a Veterinary Reception Certificate of Excellence. And now we have people saying, “We want more. We want more. We can do more.” So the ‘super CSR,’ as I call it…we're really looking at them as revenue generators, fee-capture champions, client loyalty architects, [and] client experience gurus. They should own that process—[adherence] advocates, culture stabilizers, and fearless financial experts.

[Take] the notion of the CSR—answering the phone, greeting clients—and move them into a revenue-generating role that also guides the client experience, because there's really no one else in the practice dedicated to making sure the client gets from researching your practice all the way to a follow-up phone call with any sort of strategy. And I think that will shine in that regard.

Christman: I love that. When you think of the human side, you're usually like a patient advocate…. I see this a lot in the veterinary setting, too, that it tends to be a CSR [who's] the advocate for the patient and the client. Are you seeing that a little bit more, too, in certain practices?

Clark: I think we will if we let them do that. And what it takes, I think, is this shift, which is what we're talking about, this kind of movement. It takes the CSR saying, “I want to do that,” [or] “Practice manager, I'm ready for that.” And That's where we know what's going to happen vs a practice necessarily telling her, “That's [the CSR’s] job.” They're starting to demand more, right? That's when it'll happen.

Christman: What are the phases that you hear from practices about the CSR role or CSR education?

Clark: This is the first and last person to see my clients. I want to invest in them. They're really the face of the practice. Clients come here as much for the CSRs as the DVM. When I was practicing, I heard that all the time, because I had this wonderful CSR named Bobi. She'd capture clients, and then I'd treat their pets. She was really an amazing person. We all have a Bobi, I think. Without them, there would be no hospital visits. There'd be no revenue without someone to book those appointments.

Then sadly, on the flip side, I hear, “If we invest in training, they'll just leave us,” which is actually not the truth. If you don't invest in them, they will leave you, because development is really the No. 1 reason why people stay or go. “They're just here until they get a job in dentistry or some other place.” [That’s] also not necessarily accurate. And then back to that entry-level position. It's anything but entry-level if we treat it with the respect that it needs.