CDMV is more than a reliable supplier of veterinary products. We define ourselves as an innovative contributor to the ani- mal health industry, offering solutions in technology and retail to compliment our distribution services. Our objective is to be a reliable, trusted business partner in assisting practices to be successful. The veterinary industry in Canada has faced many challenges over the past decade slowing our growth as a whole. This com- pliance report is just one of the many tools CDMV provides to highlight those specific areas of your practice that offer poten- tial opportunities to overcome these challenges. COMPLIANCE REPORT JANUARY 29, 2014 Sampleton Veterinary Clinic 123 Sample Road, Sampleton (Ontario) A1A 1A1 Prepared for:
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CDMV is more than a reliable supplier of veterinary products. We define ourselves as an innovative contributor to the ani-mal health industry, offering solutions in technology and retail to compliment our distribution services. Our objective is to be a reliable, trusted business partner in assisting practices to be successful.The veterinary industry in Canada has faced many challenges over the past decade slowing our growth as a whole. This com-pliance report is just one of the many tools CDMV provides to highlight those specific areas of your practice that offer poten-tial opportunities to overcome these challenges.
Many prominent veterinary organizations and manufacturers have completed studies over the last 8 to 10 years, demonstrating that feline visits are progressively declining. On average, feline patients tend to visit veterinarians half as much as canine patients, resulting in a false perception within practices that their patient profile is skewed towards dogs. This potential lack of focus on cat care may result in the establishment of fewer care protocols for cat patients and present a risk that overlooked cat patients may not receive the full care and attention they require. As a result, there is a greater need for specific feline protocols to enable practices to increase their contact with these equally important patients. Many of these protocols involve educating clients and facilitating their cat’s care.
By increasing the number of cat visits and cat patient follow ups, by developing and sustaining more feline care protocols and by enabling cat owners with more resources and services, practices may more favorably distribute pet care and maximize their growth potential.
It is evident that growth opportunities are enhanced when practices maintain a balanced distribution of services and pet care in terms of age. Puppies and kittens represent a steady stream of revenue, but this opportunity declines when they reach an age between 18 months and 7 years. Older pets tend to represent a greater opportunity for medical services; however, there is limited potential for business growth as these patients eventually pass away. Practices run the risk of inactivity if they fail to con-sider opportunities to provide care and services throughout the full life cycle of the pet. Diversifying and offering services such as: dentistry, grooming, rehabilitation, retail, behavioral training, etc., is an effective way of fostering strong client relationships and of more evenly distributing pet care services throughout these susceptible years.
Distribution of pets by species – Profile of Practice
The number of households with multiple pets is increasing, however, not all pets within the household visit the practice on an equitable basis. This presents a risk that one or more pet(s) do not access or benefit from a practice’s full range of services. In this case, practices that are proactive in maintaining strong relationships with all pets in a multi-pet household ensure that each pet is appropriately cared for. Following up with pet owners and educating them on the value of annual check-ups, and on good diet and nutrition, for every pet in a household offers a constructive and supportive means of building and maintaining strong client relationships, encouraging compliance, and maximizing practice growth.
Efficient and current methods of communication are key to establishing and maintaining strong rela-tionships with new and existing clients. There is a tendency for practices to rely heavily on traditional methods of communication such as the telephone and physical mail, methods which are becoming increasingly obsolete, ineffective, costly, and time consuming for practices. As clients move, change phone numbers or even disconnect their land line, it becomes by increasing difficult for practices to reach clients in the manner that is most relevant to them.
As such, it is important for practices to ask clients what method of communication they prefer to use, and to keep current with new contact information by collecting email addresses, gathering text permis-sions or accepting new ‘friends’ requests on Facebook. Engaging in electronic communication and social media, such as email, text and Facebook, are efficient, cost effective, stable and significantly more interactive ways of reaching clients.
Effective marketing activities are essential to the growth and viability of any business. Today, veterinary practices are faced with many challenges that affect business development and sustainability. Veterinar-ians are experiencing increased competition with the number of practices on the rise and the number of pet visits declining. Moreover, alternative ways for pet owners to gather information on pet health care, not the least of which is the Internet, is proving to be a source of business threats to practices. The multi-generational and multi-cultural characteristic of many client profiles, today, also makes it more difficult for practices to attract new clients and to sustain business growth.
Diversified marketing strategies through a variety of channels can offer practices an opportunity to over-come these challenges. With a broad range of services and a unique, inviting and diverse image or ap-pearance of the practice in both the physical and virtual worlds, (i.e., Facebook, hospital website, etc.), veterinarians can take a more proactive approach to attracting new clients and to successfully maintain-ing existing ones.
Compliance is considered a widespread issue within the veterinary world and is directly related to prac-tice growth. While every animal needs protection, too many do not benefit from preventative medicine, an area in which compliance can certainly be impactful. In fact, the timing of a patient’s visit within the year has a direct effect on compliance and the resulting preventative care received. For example, the likelihood of pets receiving preventative treatments is threefold in the spring months, as conversations surrounding this topic surface more frequently around this time of year. A patient seen in the fall for an annual checkup, on the other hand, will most likely not return in the spring and, as a result, forego the opportunity of receiving proper treatment or preventative care.
Executing properly timed client follow-ups and patient treatments, while still encouraging annual checkups, are effective ways to increase compliance and to ensure that preventative care is effectively provided.
Maintenance diet sales are directly linked to the growth and success of a practice. The more frequent visits to the practice of a patient on a maintenance diet increases the likelihood of the patient’s compli-ance and results in healthier patients and a steadier stream of revenue growth. Pet owners are open and eager to receiving recommendations regarding their pet’s diet but, as veterinarians are generally concerned about the loss of credibility if they are perceived as being a “salesperson”, or as “pushing the product”, there is a tendency for practices to shy away from discussions on diet. Even if a recommenda-tion is made, all too often, the lack of follow-up leads to a one-time sale.
By offering a choice in maintenance diet products, by supporting the client in the decision-making pro-cess with the assistance of practice resources and by properly following up with the patient’s reaction to their choice of diet, practices enhance their clients’ perception of their value as a health partner rather than a commercial enterprise.
It is conclusive that diet sales drive practice growth. On average, pet owners who are convinced of the benefits of a maintenance diet for their pets will frequent the practice 10 times per year. Opportunities to support, educate, and follow up with pet owners in their choices as well as to ensure pets’ overall health through better nutrition and compliance are consequently increased with these additional visits.
Developing and sustaining strong and supportive pet owner relationships, often a challenge for prac-tices, can be overcome by leveraging diet sales to the benefit of all.
Diet Sales
Parasiticide Penetration in Relation to Diet Sales
Through VetRx, CDMV offers practices the annual checkup questionnaire which goes out to pet owners approximately 3 weeks prior to their annual exam. This questionnaire encourages the pet owner to think about any is-sues of concern and highlights possible points for discussion with the vet-erinarian. Pet owners love the detail and veterinarians and clinic staff find the questionnaire helps them customize the wellness exam.
Automatic application reminders can be offered to easily help improve com-pliance. Pet owners select how they prefer to be reminded: text, sms or email. Pet owners love the flexibility and the pet and practice benefits from improved compliance.
Additional reports are available from Vet RX. Contact xxxxx to find out more.
