Viruses do not discriminate. They don’t care that your veterinary hospital is coming off of its best year yet, or that you were finally starting to see the growth you’ve been expecting in your new business. We’re all in the same boat when we say, “you can’t control your situation, only your reaction.” We’re here to help you react and get ready for the what’s currently happening.
PIVOT! Embrace technology.
Two out of every three American households have a pet, according to the American Pet Products Association (APPA). Why is this important? It solidifies that the pet and veterinary industries are safe and essential. Now, let’s talk about how to pivot your business model to ensure there is not a loss of revenue.
If there is less of an opportunity for people to come into the hospital, you must pivot your business to bring your services to them. Work with your team, and find a way to balance the current in-hospital visits with a mix of telemedicine visits. In fact, some of WhiskerCloud’s clients are offering telemedicine before and after normal hours and on weekends. The new offering of telemedicine consults outside of working hours mixed with socially-distanced appointments in the hospital has led to growth during the COVID era. Not sure where to start? There is a guide for that!
READ: Everything Veterinary Hospitals Need to Know About Telemedicine
If you have any questions, we can assist in finding the right tool for your business. Most importantly, be sure to share what you’re doing with your clients! Create a banner or pop-up on the website letting clients know how to sign up and request telemedicine appointments with messaging that clearly explains how to join these sessions with your team.
Open up your playbook.
Okay, so you cannot book as many in-person visits as usual, and perhaps you’ve cut back hours. Time to get creative with how we bring revenue into the hospital. As we said above, telemedicine is quite popular and a way to bring in revenue without having to have the hospital open.
If you sell medication, food, and other products, remind people to stock up! Whether you sell them in the hospital or use an online pharmacy, remind all clients to make sure their pets have everything they need or will be needing soon. In fact, this could be a good time to sell more items than you typically sell to each client.
If you offer wellness plans, make sure your clients understand everything they get from these plans to ensure their pet gets year-round care while saving money. If you don’t currently offer wellness plans, you may want to implement puppy and kitten plans! Did you know that during the COVID crisis, there has been a massive uptick in pet fostering and adoptions? Entice these new pet owners with specials and information that they need to know throughout their pet’s life!
Strengthen relationships with your current client base.
This is affecting your clients just as this is affecting you. This is the time to be real, authentic, and give them a look at what your team is going through to take care of their pets. The truth is, you’re working overtime to continue to care for their pets as essential workers, and it does not go unnoticed. This is a time to deepen and strengthen your bond with your clients, and hopefully, that will lead to them becoming brand champions for you.
It’s not just about what you do during their visits that help strengthen the bond between you. Pets are family, and your team providing information and updates via the website and social media pages will build trust and loyalty between you and your clients. This is your chance to be a true resource for clients, and as one of the only businesses they can visit with a touch of normalcy, you can provide some of the comforts they are used to pre-COVID.
Be sure to ask the right questions. How can I best engage and communicate with my clients? What can I do to encourage my current clients to support my business? Do not nickel and dime or sweat the small stuff. Be a true resource and your clients will remember how you treated them during a difficult time.
Let us help!
WhiskerCloud is with you every step of the way. We’re helping our clients get everything ready for our current circumstances, and we’ll be there to help create anything and everything you need. Here are some guides to get the juices flowing:
Need help getting started?
We're with you every step of the way. Email us directly and let us know how we can help, we'll be there to help you find the perfect solution.
