Today’s Veterinary Business provides information and resources designed to help veterinarians and office management improve the financial performance of their practices, allowing them to increase the level of patient care and client service.
Issue link: https://todaysveterinarybusiness.epubxp.com/i/856474
57 August/September 2017 • TODAYSVETERINARYBUSINESS.COM are critical to staying relevant in today's economy. Save the stories of the good old days for campfires. A critical misstep is this: We often recommend retail or pharma- ceutical products that we know will improve a pet's overall health, but then we don't carry the products and we instead encourage a client to find them elsewhere. We have given in to the adage that we can't com- pete, we don't have the room, and we don't have the control or man- power. We simply have given up. While some of our strategies and tactics for product sales are outdated and no longer viable, we do have hope. Wake up, practice owners and hospital administra- tors. Done correctly, sales of food, products and pharmaceuticals can and will continue to bring positive cash flow to practices and, more importantly, will lead to happier clients and healthier pets. Cut the Fat Take a pledge today. If you and your associate veterinarians are going to continue to recommend specific products, you will carry them. Noth- ing is worse than the thought of a client wanting to do what is best for her beloved pet and we being unable to provide it. I find clinics do- ing the hard work — education and recommendation — and losing out on the easy part, the sale. Through minor changes and greater motiva- tion, we can get this turned around in short time. The first step is to evaluate our product lines. Now is the time to do a mental inventory and consolidate. Over the years, lunch and learns have brought us multiple lines that produce relatively similar results. You as the practice owner or leader need to work with your medical team in establishing product lines that are consistent and focused. The last thing you need is five associate veterinarians making five different recommendations. Carrying all five products of the same category confuses the staff. If the team is confused, I guarantee that your clientele is confused and frustrated about getting different answers to the same problem. Lunch and learns, when done correctly, are integral toward the success of product sales. Howev- er, over the years the veterinary industry has had a hard time saying "no" and ends up saying "yes" more times than not. After all, who can turn down an introductory offer? ("But wait, there's more!") Yes, there is more — more confusion and a lack of clarity and vision of what the practice believes in. This dangerous equation can send the client looking elsewhere for answers and you looking at your numbers and wondering why compliance is down. I don't believe in a once-size- fits-all mentality, but focus, efficien- cy and passion are the first steps to finding new success. Don't Forget Added Value The four categories we see shopped most often are food, flea and tick, heartworm/parasite control and NSAIDs. The technology and advancements in all four catego- ries are remarkable. Think back to 2003, when Consumer Reports told pet owners how to save money on meds. Gone today are our shipping lag periods and inability to track inventory. Well-managed practices have streamlined these processes, bringing our overhead on inventory sales to an all-time low. Many hospitals could use a swift kick in their business par- adigm. What I find ironic is that many practice owners and adminis- trators emanate the same behavior that many of our clients do. Where can I find the cheapest food or medications? Which distributor or manufacturer should I switch to? I am not going to make a blan- ket statement that every- thing is cost- or fee-driven. There is great precedence for the value-added equa- tion. That is, when you purchase A, B or C from me you receive additional benefits; hence the increase in price. Many of us forget to tell clients about these additional benefits, and then we wonder why we are in this mess to begin with. Furthermore, we forget to ask ourselves, "Do clients appreciate the additional benefits?" Maybe yes, maybe no, but before we increase fees or prices because of added value, we better be sure it truly is "added value." Be inspired, and understand that unlimited success is to be had with food and pharmaceu- tical sales. While our outdated methods aren't going to resonate with today's clients — nor are our pricing strategies — great success is being had in many practices. Our colleagues understand that each client is far more educated today and has many more resources when shopping for products. Now is the time to realize that you can be and need to be nimble in finding advantages through manufacturer rebates, loyalty programs, bulk buys, and staff and client education. Take solace in knowing that the July 2003 visual milestone was just that: a visual cue that marked the change to the product sales landscape. Take the impassioned emo- tions each of you feel and expend the energy on positive changes within your practice so that you can continue to provide superior care to the patients you love and tend to each day. I find clinics doing the hard work — education and recommendation — and losing out on the easy part, the sale. Selling Points columnist Brian Conrad is practice manager at Meadow Hills Veter- inary Center in Kennewick, Washington, and president of the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association.