Attracting Clients and Office Talent with Technology
By Distinct Advantage Partner
It’s 2020 and if you’re not up to speed with the cool tech needs your competing veterinary practices are using, you may be doing yourself and your practice a disservice. In this digital age, even a veterinary practice needs to be cutting edge and tech savvy, not only for patient care, but also from the perspective of both client and office staff needs as well. So, let’s look at some things you can do to make sure your veterinary practice is the one everyone wants to be at.
Digitizing your practice
We’ve spoken about this before—bringing your practice up and into the digital age. But what does that really mean? By looking at the demographics of your client base, you can determine their needs and the types of technology enhancements you should be making to your practice. For instance, if most of your client base is made up of Millennials, realize that these folks are very tech savvy. This generation values rewards and customized consumer experiences. When it comes to methods of payments, they are the generation that doesn’t have a favorite payment method. But whatever payment method they use, it must fulfill three fundamental requirements—faster, better and more intimate. Can your office accept payments made from mobile phones?
Leverage software for your practice that reduces paper forms and streamlines office tasks. You will not only gain efficiencies and savings in time and expense, you will more likely attract and retain a highly capable staff that appreciates and thrives working in a well-run business. Technology available today can capture signatures on electronic forms, as well as securely auto-post payments, right into the Practice Management System you probably already use. No one wants to spend their days pulling and filing paper and manually reconciling payments collected.
Digital communication
Let’s face it, even our grandparents are starting to get on the bandwagon of texting and emailing. It is becoming the preferred form of communication for many, and that goes for pet health-related matters too. So, it makes sense from a consumer perspective to expect your doctor and veterinary offices to be incorporating these technologies as well.
Think about how long it takes your staff to make appointment reminder calls. Is that the best use of their time? What else could your staff do to better serve your practice? By setting up automatic text message and email reminders about upcoming appointments and charges due, you are freeing up your staff to be more efficient with their workday. In the 2019 TSYS Annual Health Survey Executive Report, we found that 54 percent of clients make online payments within just 48 hours of receiving a reminder. Simple changes like an email reminder for a balance due will help bring more revenue into your practice.
On the flip side, a veterinary practice that is seen offering innovative ways to communicate with their clients, say, through social media, text message updates and blogs, will be more enticing to potential employees, looking to work in an environment boasting these latest upgrades. So, while incorporating these new technologies may help your practice keep its attrition rate low, you’ll also be benefiting from increased office efficiency, which will have a direct effect on your office morale and the types of staff you are able to attract. And you can get back to focusing on the most important aspect of your practice, helping your clients and patients.
