The Valuable GeniusVets Takeaway From the Viticus Veterinary Summit

 

One of our favorite things at GeniusVets is to get out there and meet new people to tell them about our mission to put DVMs back into the online conversation to maximize pet wellness. As you can imagine, 2020 put a damper on our many plans to hit up conferences, in-person meetings, and more. Thankfully, we’ve had some recent opportunities to “meet” people through virtual conferences, and we learned a ton by being an exhibitor at the most recent Viticus Veterinary Summit.

 

Getting Employees to Come to Work During COVID Times

On top of some of the premier veterinary leaders presenting on some pressing medical issues in the field, we learned about how to entice people to come to work (and to want to come to work!) during this pandemic.

Some of the tips for getting veterinary workers to show up during challenging times like these were as follows:

  • Use languages of appreciation
  • Perform acts of service for those you work with
  • Offer incentives
  • Remember the importance of quality time
  • Understand the difference between work-life balance and work-life integration
  • Be flexible in letting people switch shifts as long as the clinic is covered
  • Use the motivational tools that you think will work for your specific employees

 

How to Attract and Retain Veterinary Talent

Turnover among veterinary staff is notoriously high, which is obviously a real problem facing the industry. This session was based on an “ARM” research study conducted by Merck Animal Health. “ARM” stands for Attract, Retain and Motivate in regards to staffing. Turnover is not only inconvenient but it’s also quite costly, so this was an extremely valuable session. And something that was said during this session that is thought-provoking is that it’s well known that current veterinarians often don’t recommend this field to younger employees considering it, and that needs to change.

Some tips to attract, retain, and motivate employees are as follows

  • Make sure your social media presence is well established and aesthetically pleasing
  • Remember that vets love toys, so to speak, so make sure you have cutting-edge technology
  • Provide opportunities for growth, personal development, and continuing education
  • Have a clear career path with a bonus structure that’s tied to this
  • Always be improving the aesthetics of your clinic or hospital
  • Give employees regular feedback
  • Offer regular performance-based pay increases that employees can rely on
  • Pay your employees based on the cost of living in that area
  • Offer cultural and mental health outlets
  • Ease the stress of their heavy debt burden if possible
  • Invest time and money in your training

 

Making Connections With Clients During a Time With No Contact

We undoubtedly underestimated the value of shaking our clients’ hands, explaining pet care while giving them eye contact, and even the occasional hug before the pandemic struck. But does that mean we just give up trying to connect with our clients? Not at all! We just have to think outside the box a bit. Dr. DeWilde offered some valuable tips for going above and beyond in a time when our clients need it the most.

Here are some tips on how to connect with clients when nearly everything is online:

  • Start small
  • Set expectations upfront so clients know what’s going on during this confusing time
  • Use phone confirmations to explain procedures
  • Use email templates to get feedback from clients on how to make their lives easier
  • Consider setting up a window for clients to watch their pets
  • If a window is not an option, consider doing FaceTime or Zoom calls
  • Personalize your email about the next steps with a cute photo of their pet being examined
  • Ask if you can use the photo you took to share on social media
  • Introduce team members along the way to make the experience more personal
  • Consider sending new client gift baskets with simple things like pet toys and hypoallergenic treats
  • Embed your link for reviews in your email signature
  • Consider a loyalty app where clients receive push notifications, team updates, and rewards and loyalty offerings

 

We hope that any attendees that stopped by our booth learned how to claim your profile on GeniusVets to broaden your reach within the veterinary community. Also, make sure to download a copy of our latest study in which we found that our clients' websites attract more monthly visitors than the top 10 client websites of our competitors combined—by more than 30 percent! Lastly, if you need help with establishing and adhering to a set culture within your practice, take advantage of our free culture workshop put on by The Drake Center Owner and GeniusVets Co-Founder Dr. Michele Drake.

Want to find out how we can help extend your reach within the veterinary community, make expert hires, and improve profitability? Schedule a GeniusVets Demo!