Are you struggling to establish and communicate realistic veterinary practice goals? Have you never set formal goals for your veterinary practice? If so, you’re not alone. Learn the best ways to set goals in the post below.

Many veterinarians find it challenging to establish short and long-term goals for their practice. Those that do set effective goals struggle to communicate those goals to their team and staff members. 

That is why it is important to set S.M.A.R.T. goals for your practice. They’re easy to set and communicate with others.

What Are S.M.A.R.T. Goals?

For any veterinary practice, setting realistic goals is an important part of engaging employees, encouraging motivation, increasing productivity, and utilizing effective resource management. 

When each team member knows exactly what they’re working towards and how it contributes to your practice’s goals, it becomes easier to accomplish those goals.

S.M.A.R.T. stands for:

• S – Specific: 

  • The goal you set should be specific and clearly definable, not a general statement.

• M – Measurable: 

  • Instead of saying, “I want to talk to more potential clients,” you should say, “I want to add 3 new clients per week.”

• A – Attainable: 

  • Nobody wins when you set goals that you and your staff simply can’t achieve. 

  • For example, you’re not going to improve your collection rate by 80% in three days.

• R – Realistic: 

  • The “realistic” factor also goes hand-in-hand with “attainable.” 

  • The goals you set for your practice must be realistic and possible for people to accomplish.

• T – Timely: 

  • “A goal without a deadline is just a dream”

  • You need a precise timeline for goals. 

  • We recommend setting weekly, monthly, yearly, and if you can, daily goals.

Common Obstacles to Avoid When Goal-Setting in a Veterinary Practice

When you’re finally sitting down and brainstorming the goals you want to achieve for your practice, there are a few common pitfalls to avoid. 

Here are some great tips on what not to do when working with your team on goal setting:

• Don’t be so laser-focused on goals that you miss “the forest for the trees.”

• Be reasonable when setting goals for employees so as not to overwhelm them. Make the goals a challenge, but not something unachievable

• Don’t create situations where ethics, morals, or safety could be in jeopardy to achieve goals.

• Don’t focus too intensely on goals that you forget to build a strong relationship with clients.

How to Measure and Evaluate Your Goals

Setting goals is only half the battle. 

Once you’ve got goals set for your practice and assigned to staff members, it’s time to consider how you’ll track and evaluate your progress. 

Here are a few tips and suggestions to streamline the process.

Consider Upgrading to More Efficient Communication

How strong is the internal communication in your veterinary practice? By upgrading to technology like Slack or Discord for Team Chat, you can improve internal communication between you and your staff, making it easier for them to collaborate and connect throughout the workday.

It’s just like texting, except you can choose between group chats and personal messaging. 

Both of these solutions offer mobile apps, making this easier for those not at their desk.

Use Analytics and Reporting

Remember, S.M.A.R.T. goals must be measurable. And as renowned management consultant, Peter Drucker often touted, “If You Can’t Measure It, You Can’t Improve It.”

So one effective way to evaluate and benchmark progress is by using advanced analytics and data reporting. With Chckup’s cutting-edge daily huddle and analytics software, we take the unique goals of your veterinary practice and use that to provide you with data-driven results. 

We use practice management data and transform that into opportunities for your veterinary practice, helping you boost productivity and streamline your workday.

Reward Initiative and Achievements

Once your staff begins accomplishing their goals, it’s important for you to reward their contributions. Keep your eye out for members who show extra initiative or productivity. While it’s vital to encourage your staff along the way, once they finally achieve their goals, it’s time to celebrate their accomplishments and hard work.

Showing your staff appreciation and how much their contributions provide value to the practice is an excellent way to improve team-building skills, foster stronger team bonding, and increase employee engagement levels. 

When people feel their hard work is recognized, they’re more likely to put in extra effort and become more productive.  

Let Chckup Help You Reach Your Goals

Don’t forget setting veterinary practice goals requires you to be S.M.A.R.T.: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. 

If you’d like to learn more about how Chckup can help your veterinary practice reach its goals, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. 

Schedule a demo today to see how our software can help you set and take action toward your goals and shape the future of your practice.