Flexible veterinary pet appointment scheduling

Strong scheduling protocols make all the difference in client satisfaction and loyalty. Follow these best practices in veterinary appointment scheduling to help your clinic find its flow.

On any given day, there can certainly be a lot going on at your vet clinic! One moment, a family arrives with a new pet for their very first exam. In the next, a regular client is frantically calling in need of urgent care for their beloved furry companion. The range of situations a vet clinic must face is far greater than that of the average physician’s office, and even small scheduling hiccups can quickly get out of hand. How can you avoid putting undue stress on your hardworking staff or disappointing your clients… or worse still, drive them away? Developing a carefully thought-out scheduling protocol – and taking advantage of the uniquely tailored veterinary scheduling software offered by Next In Line – can help you keep chaos at bay, enhance efficiency, and maximize the quality of your services.

Ask the Right Questions

When a client calls for an appointment, staff should ask a few strategic questions:

• “Why would you like to bring [pet’s name] to the clinic?”
• “Is there a certain doctor you’d like to see?”
• “What days/times work best for you?”

The first question lets staff evaluate how urgent the situation is – a sick pet should be seen as soon as possible, while a routine checkup or vaccine booster can be scheduled a few days out. The next question allows you to make sure the client is given the opportunity to book with the veterinarian they feel most comfortable with. Clients without a preference are a great opportunity for newer staff members to build relationships with the clinic’s clientele. The last question helps determine a window of time that works best for your client.

No matter how efficiently phone calls are answered, it can still be challenging for clients to find the time to call for an appointment. Next In Line can drastically streamline this process by providing your clients 24/7 access to appointment booking and automatically uploading pet information to your practice management system.

Stagger Appointments and Expect the Unexpected

Booking multiple sick pets back-to-back will most likely lead to staff running behind and long wait times for your clients. Instead, alternate between preventative exams and care for sick patients, and stagger the appointments between doctors so your technicians don’t get pulled into a tug-of-war. You should also reserve a number of same-day appointments for pets requiring urgent care. If those slots aren’t filled within an hour or so of their start time you can free them up to non-urgent cases, such as a new puppy exam, a client on the waitlist, or walk-ins. This is an excellent opportunity to capture new clients too! Today’s veterinary clients are savvy shoppers with little time to spare, and online booking for vets is in high demand. Next In Line’s virtual waitlist feature will send notifications of last minute openings to your clients, delighting busy pet parents and saving time for your staff. Veterinary appointment scheduling is a no brainer!

Combat No-Shows

Perhaps the only thing worse than overbooking is underbooking! No-shows aren’t just bad for your practice’s revenue, they disrupt the scheduling flow and result in fewer pets receiving needed care. Fortunately, it’s never been easier to keep clients on track! Automated veterinary appointment scheduling will revolutionize your staff’s ability to guide even the busiest patron through your door, right on time. Automatic text messages, emails, and phone calls reduce the burden on your associates while ensuring each and every client receives plenty of notice for their vet appointment.

The impact that taking control of veterinary appointment scheduling will have on your practice cannot be overstated. Do you want to see increases client satisfaction, improves patient care, grows your practice’s revenue, and lifts employee morale? Take your clinic to the next level today with Next In Line.

If you’re still keeping your staff busy with phone calls or mailing endless reminder postcards, there’s a better way! Managing a successful veterinary clinic means being constantly on the look-out for ways to improve services and simplify day-to-day tasks. Today’s consumers are going mobile, and savvy practice owners know that veterinary scheduling software is the key to keeping up. Read on to learn how automated reminders are revolutionizing veterinary services.

1. Automated Veterinary Appointment Reminders Save Time and Money

Hours can be spent each day on reminder phone calls, and the expense of mailing postcards adds up quickly. Here’s the kicker: many clients actually prefer digital reminders over being interrupted by a phone call. A text message lets your clients receive reminders without breaking their stride and respond when it’s convenient for them. Automated reminders are good news for your bottom-line too, freeing up hours of labor and letting staff spend their time and energy more effectively.

2. Emails Alone Aren’t Always Enough

Think emails are just as good as text messages? Think again. Many of us are overwhelmed by our overstuffed email inbox, and the last thing you want is for a pet to suffer because an important health reminder wound up in the spam folder by mistake. Even though most of your clients can be reached on the go through a handy device in their pocket – according to the Pew Research Center, 96% of Americans own a cellphone of some kind – not everyone has a smartphone with internet access. By utilizing a range of reminder options, including text messages, emails, and phone calls, you’ll keep the connection between clinic and client strong.

3. Build Trust and Encourage Client Engagement

Next In Line’s customizable veterinary scheduling software empowers clients to play an active role in their pet’s medical care. Keeping track of annual exams and vaccine boosters is tough, but it doesn’t have to be! Boost compliance by making it simple to book vet visits online, with consistent reminders to help your clients stay on top of their pet’s routine care. Clients will appreciate being able to easily fit access to quality veterinary care into their busy lives.

4. Reduce No-Shows and Increase Revenue

The number one reason pet parents fail to show up for vet appointments is pretty straightforward: they simply forget. Getting to know your clients and tailoring your reminder strategy to their needs will go a long way towards preventing no-shows, while automating your processes will prevent clients from falling through the cracks. It’s important to prioritize clear communication, and provide reminders that your clients will actually see.

Another common issue is last-minute cancellations, which sometimes happen when a pet’s condition suddenly improves. Next In Line lets you fill last-minute appointment cancellations in seconds – more pets get the care they need, and your practice avoids lost time and revenue. Good news for everyone!

5. Improve Care and Enhance Customer Experience

With the help of advanced veterinary appointment scheduling software, your clients will love the ease and simplicity of taking their furry family to your clinic. Next In Line understands that the needs of your clinic and clientele are unique, and will take the time to ensure you receive a platform that’s right for you. Even small details can pay big dividends in client satisfaction and loyalty – your customers will notice and appreciate your dedication to providing the best experience for them and their pets.

Schedule a demo today  and see how Next In Line can be tailored to meet the unique needs of your clients.