Today pet owners are looking for more visibility and options related to their pet’s health. Are these the first things that come to your mind when you read “online scheduling” for your practice?

• Pet owners don’t know what they need

• Pet owners don’t know how to schedule

• Pet owners would never use it

• Pet owners wouldn't go somewhere else, they are loyal

• The schedule is way too complex for someone outside our practice to figure out

They were the first things that came to mind for the CEOs of airline companies 15 years ago. 

But, when was the last time you called an airline to schedule a flight? How loyal are you to an airline carrier? Do you say, “I’m only going to fly Delta”? Or do you look at all the options and decide based on convenience, availability, and price? With the quality of veterinary medicine at an all-time high, now busy consumers are choosing a veterinary practice based on the convenience clinics provide.

The tendency to see the hurdles instead of the opportunities is not unique to veterinary medicine. Some might even say veterinary medicine has been known for this behavior. "Things are just fine the way they are" or "I have always done it this way" is no longer acceptable in the rapidly changing, fast-paced world we now live in.

Today, pet owners are looking for more visibility and options for their pets’ health. For existing clients, scheduling them for an appointment six months in advance is great for your practice, but it may not fit their schedule when the time comes. Then they must call your office and reschedule once they receive the reminder for their upcoming appointment. This causes two issues for your office:

1. Someone has to take that phone call with you

2. Now you have a hole in your schedule.

New clients have more information available to them today than ever before. Not only can they be proactive about searching for information, but pet owners looking for a new vet clinic will be targeted through both online and offline methods to solicit their business. This gives the pet owner choices and in order to differentiate yourself you have to not only show your credentials and reviews, but you also have to make it convenient for that pet owner to schedule their appointment. Pet owners don’t always search for a vet clinic during the 35 hours a week you are open and they aren’t likely to carry around your number with them until you can answer the phone. They will find the most convenient practice for them to schedule with.

Does online scheduling mean that you have to convert all your scheduling to online only and fire your staff? Does it mean that you cannot have personal contact with your clients? No and no.

What it does mean is that you can now offer a way for pet owners to find and schedule an appointment that works for both your practice and pet owners. They can do this even when your staff is not available to answer the phone. It complements your existing scheduling practices, offers a cutting-edge solution, and shows you are working to provide the convenient services that your clients want and are used to in almost every other facet of life.

Locating and taking advantage of opportunities to help your clients will give you the edge needed to stay ahead of your competition. Giving your clients the ability to schedule online with your practice will give your clients one more reason to keep choosing your practice to care for their fur babies.

Want to learn more about using online scheduling to grow your practice? Contact our sales team today to schedule a demo of Chckup, the best real-time scheduling platform for veterinary practices.