Vetfolio® recently launched the free, four-part, online Communications Certificate Program, with sponsorship by Merial. VetFolio is a joint program of NAVC and AAHA, non-profit organizations committed to the veterinary profession. They are partnering to provide continuing education online for veterinary professionals. Source: Vetfolio News, June 2, 2016. Registration is now … [Read more...]
JAVMA contents
For your convenience, we have linked to the table of contents in the latest issues of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Source: JAVMA, June 15, 2016. … [Read more...]
Self-disclosure, leadership and trust
John C. Maxwell said, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.” Every animal health professional is a leader when it comes to communicating with an animal owner, client, customer or staff member. Jesse Lyn Stoner provides some perspective on self-disclosure. Source: AVMA SmartBrief, May 31, 2016. Self-disclosure is an important leadership trait … [Read more...]
Career paths for client service representatives
Team members who want to grow personally and professionally in any role can help a practice thrive. Consider these tips and examples to help yourself or a staff member explore opportunities for advancement. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, March 2016. Many exceptional veterinary assistants, veterinary nurses, office managers, practice managers, and practice administrators … [Read more...]
Front desk persons anchor the customer experiences
Whether in a veterinary hospital, retail store or dealer, the persons at the front desk set the tone for each visit. Their skills in customer acknowledgement and directing traffic make or break visits. Katherine Dobbs, RVT, CVPM, PHR, provides a unique perspective for all animal health professionals to consider. Source: Veterinary Practice News, May 31, 2016. Front desk … [Read more...]
AVMA advocates against prescription mandate bill
The wrestling match on veterinary prescriptions continues. An April 29 hearing before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee addressed the pet medication industry, including the Fairness to Pet Owners Act (HR 3174/S 1200), legislation that would federally mandate prescription writing for veterinarians. The subcommittee is … [Read more...]
45% of practices increase fees annually
According to AAHA’s Financial and Productivity Pulsepoints: Vital Statistics for Your Veterinary Practice, nearly half of practices increase fees annually to stay profitable as the cost of goods, services and labor increases. Pulsepoints is a unique resource that enables practices and those who service them understand factors that influence practice successes. Source: AAHA … [Read more...]
The cost of avoiding conflict
Managing conflict is not something most people look forward to dealing with in the workplace. Yet, conflict is a sign that your hospital is pushing boundaries and growing. Given that business is constantly changing means that if you are not growing, your business is dying. There is no status quo in our industry, so managing conflict correctly become a key performance indicator … [Read more...]
Animal Health Digest is for sharing
Animal health remains an industry dependent on solid relationships, built on honest communication. Feedback from some early subscribers shows Animal Health Digest saves them time and provides them with material to share in daily interactions. Clinic teams enjoy using an article to discuss at staff meetings to get the team aligned Reps use posts and articles to better … [Read more...]
Seven listening styles and how to approach them
The White Rabbit from Lewis Carrol’s, Alice in Wonderland, said, “The hurrier I go the behinder I get.” In many cases this quote describes the listening skills of animal health professionals who are quick to move without really hearing how a customer responds. Take time to pay attention to your communication process, and listen to your listener before you speak. Source: Ag … [Read more...]
Make a list of unethical things you’ll never do
Most people want to make a positive difference and remain ethical. But, it is easy to take shortcuts, cheat or stretch the truth. Like it or not, cellphone cameras make our behaviors more easily scrutinized today than ever before. We like this exercise of writing down what you won’t do. See what you think. Source: Harvard Business Review, May 30, 2016. Write a list of … [Read more...]
Position yourself for success
The internal messages you send yourself regarding your role in the hospital, the distribution company or the manufacturer largely determine your success with your clients, your practices or your customers and therefore within your respective organization. Consistent high performers in the veterinary industry have a very clear image of their role in every interaction. Source: … [Read more...]
Giving it away doesn’t work
“Giving discounts on the fly can backfire,” asserts Andy Roark, DVM. “Time and time again, it’s a habit that gets DVMs into trouble. Worse, it’s a practice that’s strangling struggling vet practices and damaging our profession as a whole.” Source: Dr. Andy Roark, May 21, 2016. Most vets understand that giving away products or services means the clinic makes less money. … [Read more...]
Grads need a P & L
We received Andy Kessler’s article from a subscriber. His tilt is toward recent graduates, but it seems the content offers a lesson for us all. The subscriber also commented that beyond the concept of P & L statements is the unspoken reminder that the objective is P over L. Source: The Wall Street Journal, May 22, 2016. The basic idea is to postpone consumption. Then … [Read more...]
A parent’s checklist
Millenials in or entering the workface have been characterized as entitled, lazy and a host of other unflattering terms. While this may be true in many cases, the root cause goes back to parents who allowed such behavior in their child’s formative years. So, when the former dean at Stanford university wrote about parenting in a piece titled, “8 skills everyone should have by … [Read more...]
Overcome your fear of public speaking
Representatives and veterinary team members are generally comfortable speaking one on one. Speaking before a group however can be a different story. Here are four tips to deal with potential fears. Source: Inc., May 16, 2016. Maybe you need to convince others that an idea makes sense. Maybe you need to show investors how a project or business will generate a return. Maybe … [Read more...]
JAVMA contents
For your convenience, we have linked to the table of contents in the latest issues of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Source: JAVMA, May 15, 2016. Source: JAVMA, June 1, 2016. … [Read more...]
The 21 most valuable career skills
Learn which skills are in demand and add to earnings in today’s job market. There are also tips about how to acquire those skills. Source: Money, June 2016. You can’t remain stagnant,” says Lydia Frank, PayScale’s editorial director. “You always want to be learning something new; you always want to be advancing.” … [Read more...]
JAAHA contents
For your convenience, we have linked to the table of contents in the latest issue of the Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association. Source: JAAHA, May/June 2016. … [Read more...]
When your boss is terrible at leading meetings
Our AHD team likes the perspective that everyone in a meeting is responsible for making it valuable. We have all wasted time in poorly organized meetings. This article has something for anyone who attends meetings. Source: Harvard Business Review, May 16, 2016. Three broad perspectives are available to you in every meeting: You can offer to do things to support your … [Read more...]
Improve self-acceptance for better well-being
More than one in six veterinarians have considered suicide since graduation, according to a 2014 study by the Centers for Disease Control, as reported by JAVMAnews. It is important to maintain mental health and sound well-being, no matter what role you fill in the animal health business. Srini Pillay, MD, notes that self-acceptance, or lack of it, affects your physical and … [Read more...]
12 things that make us sound dumb
Consistently communicating clearly is hard. Yet, how we communicate with others helps keep projects moving, builds relationships and keeps careers advancing. Dumping these 12 words and phrases will help us sound as smart as we are. Source: Business Insider, May 12, 2016. Your verbal communications can make or break your relationship with your boss, team, clients, business … [Read more...]
Millenials: the job-hopping generation
Data supports the thinking that those born between 1980 and 1996 move from company to company more than any previous generation. 60 percent of millennials open to a new job opportunity Millennials most likely generation to switch jobs Millennials are the least engaged generation in the workplace Source: Gallup Business Journal, May 12, 2016. Why are millennials … [Read more...]
Improve Compliance Messaging
For more years than I can count, compliance has ranked as one of the top challenges facing the veterinary industry. When I saw this article on resiliency I thought it could easily be retitled, “Five Ways to improve your Compliance Messaging.” But, this only applies if everyone from the front desk, to the technicians, to the practice managers, to the DVMs, to the owners, to the … [Read more...]
Outsmart angry outbursts
So much of our communication is transactional — a word here, a sentence there — that we forget that at its essence, communications is relational. It sounds simple, but in reality there is nothing simple about communicating, especially when emotions are involved, says Peter Bregman. Source: Harvard Business Review, May 6, 2016. The problem with most communication is that … [Read more...]
First impressions matter
Whether you are a sales rep, on hospital staff or a DVM, there is never a second chance to make a first impression. Some people seem to have a knack for creating a positive first impression with everyone they meet. Just like there are no overnight successes, no one is born with this ability. They work at it. And these people who create positive first impressions aren’t just … [Read more...]
Mixed messages diminish preventive care value
Consistent messages from each staff member that preventive care is fundamental to pets’ health is critical for preventive care successes. Consistency starts with setting and maintaining standards. The more veterinarians in a practice, the more important standards are as each vet may have his or her ideas and recommendations. Source: Veterinary Team Brief, April 2016. The … [Read more...]
Traditional vet practice models must change
The Changing Pet Ownership study offers insight into three generations of pet owners of multiple ethnicities. It also describe implications of market changes to veterinarians and the pet industry as a whole. Brakke Consulting and Trone Brand Energy joined forces to complete the study. Source: Brakke Consulting, May 6, 2016. Press release. This study points to a number of … [Read more...]
People prefer human interactions in customer service
It is not easy to reach someone in person when seeking customer service. According to Accenture Strategy’s latest Global Consumer Pulse Research, U.S. consumers say it is becoming harder to do so, even as companies work to be more accessible. Source: CRM.com, May 2016. As organizations invest in digital technologies and channels to support customer service, they have … [Read more...]
4 networking mistakes to stop making immediately, if not sooner
The old joke goes, “You can easily tell if a DVM is an introvert or extrovert. The extroverted DVM is the one who looks at YOUR shoes during a discussion.” Natural tendencies make networking difficult for some, whether they’re introverts or extroverts. This article provides sound considerations for networking. Source: Inc, May 4, 2016. In environments where you should be … [Read more...]