Architect Paul Gladyz offers thought-provoking ideas about how to adjust the veterinary visit to meet the experience-desiring millennials. As a father of millennials, his perspective is personal, as well as professional.
Millennials want their experiences to work toward an enjoyable life.
Source: Today’s Veterinary Business, April 2019. Link. The fact remains millenials are the new consumers and they are among the worst users of veterinary services. Gladyz shares these reasons:
- Clinic visits are not often a favorable experience.
- The visits were not personal in the sense that they were not tailored to the client.
- Personal interaction at each touch point was not necessarily client-centric.
- The visit was difficult to navigate. Questions and uncertainty are seen as strong negatives.
- The visit was not convenient.
- A lack of transparency was apparent — records, prescriptions, prices and schedules were difficult to access.
- Buying pet products at the clinic was seen as another chore.
- Anxiety-free animal-handling features and procedures were lacking.
- The visit was expensive. The value proposition was not clearly evident.
INSIGHTS: Gladyz makes a few statements I wish to comment about:
- Who can compete with Chewy?
- Yes you can! Discuss home delivery options with your distributors and train, train, train your staff on the options
- Show and tell story of veterinarian whose method for the initial exam and workups was to verbalize everything he was doing.
- Doctortalk is extremely important; it’s something I require from DVMs, dentists and my internist . . . and I’m not a millenial. It helps me know what is being considered and what I am paying for. Half of all professionals graduated in the bottom half of their class and I cannot blindly trust that I have fully communicated my needs or that the professional has good listening skills.
- (millennials) are not fans of megacorporations, this bodes well for small individual practices.
- Note Gladyz’ comments about personalization. This includes keeping staff members visible on websites, social media and emails about new staff members and services and so on.