How automation can improve client retention
Many pet owners continue to miss routine examinations or postpone treatment for their pets, for a variety of reasons. This can place the health of the animal in jeopardy, as health issues may not be detected in time for effective treatment.
This behavior also places pressure on veterinary clinics. Revenue may be lost if clients don’t turn up for booked appointments, and significant time and money can be spent trying to acquire new ones.
The impact on the health of your patients
Reminding pet owners of an upcoming appointment is a key part of the veterinary-client relationship. Clients may know they need to bring their pet in for their yearly check-up, but may have forgotten when their appointment was, or that they even had one scheduled. Reminding them about their upcoming appointment will not only ensure they turn up for the scheduled appointment; it will also keep their pet’s health – and the veterinarian’s role in maintaining it – top of mind.
The impact on the health of your clinic
Research shows that upwards of 20% of patients in the average veterinary practice haven’t attended an appointment in the past 18 months. And Covetrus research has also revealed that losing a single appointment each day could cost your clinic $66,000 in revenue annually.
On top of this, it can cost five times as much to acquire a new client as it does to encourage a lapsed one to return. So, if you’re focusing only on client acquisition, and not on retention, and failing to prompt clients about their appointments, you could be losing out on significant revenue.
How automation helps
Automating appointment reminders will not only help reinforce the vet-client relationship and the importance of regular health care for their pets, it also helps ensure your clinic isn’t missing out on revenue opportunities.
Automating reminders means you don’t have to rely on your staff using their valuable time to make multiple phone calls, or your clients’ memory that it’s time to bring in their pet for an appointment.
You can easily set up a series of reminders to be sent via multiple channels, like email, text or postcards, and link these to an online booking system. This way, your client is more likely to receive the reminder notification, and if they can’t make the scheduled time, they can re-book it quickly and easily for one that suits them better.
Not only will your team be freed up to focus on the pets and clients currently in your clinic, the number of animals seen during the day will more closely match the full availability in your appointment diary.