Asking for an online review just after the service or purchase is usually the best time, writes Austin Andrukaitis. He says the review process should be an integral part of your brand experience to help reinforce customer relationships, build brand loyalty and encourage people to tell others about your brand. Over 93 percent of consumers use online reviews to help make … [Read more...]
Why white-tailed deer don’t get Lyme disease
White-tailed deer are important to the survival of deer ticks but they are not involved with transmitting the Lyme bacteria. The serum component of white-tailed deer blood kills Lyme bacteria. Whatever it is in the deer that’s killing the germ is part of the innate immune system, a part that precedes antibodies, shares Stephen Rich, MS, PhD. Although deer, such as white-tailed … [Read more...]
Pet-owning households on decline while spending remains strong
Richard Kestenbaum shares he was shocked with numbers from the APPA summary of its annual report on pet ownership that shows a decline in pet households. The percentage of households with pets declined from 70 percent in 2021 to 66 percent in 2022. In contrast to the households decline, the dollars spent on pets in 2022 were up 10.8 percent over 2021. Recent reports from Chewy … [Read more...]
Last-mile delivery race is a losing proposition
Commentary The Forbes article linked here provides context for animal health pros as our industry deals with growing resupply costs while holding margins in line to service animal owners. By land or drone, the retail industry is waging big money on last-mile delivery timelines. The prospect of a return on investment seems murky at best, shares Greg Petro. He describes the … [Read more...]
Advice for managing people with disabilities in the workplace
Commentary There’s an important distinction between being disabled and having a disability. Disabled is a category label while having a disability is situational and the differentiation is important! Comedian Josh Blue reminds his audiences that “the disabled community is the largest minority group on the planet . . . and the only minority group you can join at any time.” … [Read more...]
Walmart goes after the pet parent market with The Dodo partnership
Pet parent targeting continues to increase in the strategies of pet specialty retailers like Petco, Pet Smart, and Chewy who have learned that many pet owners seek to pamper their dogs and cats like beloved family members. Walmart is looking to expand its reach in the pet category with a collaboration with pet-centric media brand The Dodo, a division of Vox Media. In … [Read more...]
Dealing with despair
Despair comes quietly in our heads, hearts and bodies, but if we don’t handle it well, it can have negative impacts on our entire organization. Source: Forbes, July 12, 2022. Link. It is the leader's job to acknowledge differences and enable others to hold them, if those views do not conflict with the organization's vision, mission, and values. INSIGHTS: The pandemic, … [Read more...]
Grief balloon ends up scaring a pony
A recent Facebook post is a grim reminder how dangerous balloon releases are to animals. Here is an edited version of that post. To the person who sent balloons skyward. I am sorry you lost your dad, but I am afraid the balloon didn’t reach him. Instead, I might have lost a pony. This was in our horses’ field. The balloon string got stuck in our pony’s mouth. When he put his … [Read more...]
Integrity is forever
We live in a world where integrity isn’t talked about nearly enough. We live in a world where “the end justifies the means” has become an acceptable school of thought for far too many. Source: Forbes, November 28, 2012. Link. Success will come and go, but integrity is forever.” INSIGHTS: Although it’s 10 years old, this article couldn’t be better timed. … [Read more...]
Reducing meetings
Whether those meetings were face-to-face or virtual, every employee and leader has felt the pain of pointless, aimless, unfocused, and generally inefficient ones. Source: Forbes, May 31, 2022. Link. A meeting without a clear objective is going to be painful for all involved. And the data would suggest that the pain of unproductive meetings could seriously damage employees' … [Read more...]
Grow yourself
Career success is not just a matter of hard work – it’s an amalgam that also includes good timing, help from our network and knowing when to play by the rules and when to rewrite the rules. Source: Forbes, April 22, 2022. Link. I don’t deny my own skills or talent, but I do believe sometimes our lack of being able to separate ourselves from a situation or from an experience or … [Read more...]
Petco’s healthy strategy is paying off
Petco has expanded Vital Care wellness rewards program to include new services and added cats. References to growth from its customer experience and retention strategies makes this article informative reading for animal health pros. Vital Care members typically spend three times more with Petco than non-members” - Ron Coughlin, CEO Source: Forbes, March 8, 2022. Link. Seven … [Read more...]
Pets can be an important part of your business plan
More than 70 percent of U.S. households include a pet and 88 percent of them think of it as part of the family. Plus, according to an ASPCA survey, 23 million American households added a new pet since the beginning of the pandemic. Modern pet parents want housing, workplaces, products and experiences to recognize and integrate their animals. Put another way — if your … [Read more...]
Don’t reinvent the wheel
Imitation is the highest form of flattery. Here are five suggestions from successful executives that may help your business become more successful. Source: Forbes, January 11, 2022. Link. We are very good at saying no to lots of things.” - Daniel Ek, CEO, Spotify INSIGHTS: These five tips are the key to “see around the corner” … [Read more...]
Leveraging digital communications and chats
Svetlana Stavreva shares feedback and discovery from moderating a Twitter chat about communications and public relations in the digital era that gathered experts from all over the world. In Question 2 she asked, “Is the constant repetition of the same message a friend or a foe?” Stavreva shared surprise from feedback indicating same-messages repetition is a must for brands and … [Read more...]
The secret to hiring customer service employees
A great customer experience depends on great employees, says Micah Solomon. The secret is to hire your customer-facing team based on psychological traits, in addition to thinking about the specific skill set you’re looking for. Solomon shares five key traits using the acronym W.E.T.C.O.: Warmth Empathy Teamwork Conscientiousness Optimism Source: Forbes, … [Read more...]
Empathetic leadership
Effective leaders demonstrate a wide range of skills, abilities and characteristics that all play a part in their effectiveness. The ability to empathize with others plays a major role as Tracey Brower explains. Source: Forbes, September 19, 2021. Link. 76 percent of people who experienced empathy from their leaders reported they were engaged compared with only 32 percent … [Read more...]
Use time blocking for better time management
Time blocking is the practice of planning your schedule for the day in advance by blocking every hour of your day for specific tasks and responsibilities. Thomas Griffin explains how to start time blocking and its benefits. Source: Forbes, September 15, 2021. Link. The reason why time blocking works so well is that, unlike an open-ended to-do list, here, it helps you focus … [Read more...]
Survey: Workers ages 18 to 44 want payday more flexible
A study of U.S. workers conducted online by The Harris Poll in August 2021, “. . . reveals clear expectations from millennials through Generation X employees (between the ages of 18-44) to make payday more flexible.” Ernst & Young estimated every day there is approximately $1 trillion in accrued employer payroll accounts in the U.S. and 36 other developed countries. 83 … [Read more...]
13 words and phrases to banish from crisis communications
We’ve all had to communicate during a crisis, especially animal health communications pros. Senior leadership must recognize what may be perceived as a minor issue internally will not necessarily be perceived that way externally. Choosing your language carefully is never more critical than during a crisis. Thirteen members of Forbes Communications Council shared one word or … [Read more...]
Stay in your discomfort zone
Last week we shared career stages veterinarians experience <Link>. The first five years could be called uncomfortable. Syed Balkhi advocates embracing discomfort. Feeling discomfort and resistance are normal experiences. And whether you’re a leader, a professional or a creative person, your best chance at growth and transformation is by getting comfortable with … [Read more...]
Difficult conversations with your boss
Knowing your audience is an essential part of success for a public speaker. It can also be effective when you have one of those difficult internal conversations with someone higher up the ladder than you. Dr. Joel Rothaizer’s advice in this article will make that interaction easier and the outcome more productive. Source: Forbes, April 20, 2021. Link. Taking the perspectives … [Read more...]
Refining leadership skills
No doubt 2020 was challenging for everyone. What was projected as 14 days to flatten the curve will soon morph into 14 months and counting. One lasting lesson is the need for the constant fine-tuning of leadership skills, as Melissa Daimler points out. Source: Forbes, November 24, 2020. Link. It has demanded an evolution of how we work and what we learn. The shifts in these … [Read more...]
Worth a Glance – March 18, 2021
The 5 best TED Talks to watch today Source: Forbes, March 5, 2021. Link. Topics include work stress, side hustles, anxiety gaps, teaching girls, freelancing. Four causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’ and their simple fixes Source: Stanford News, February 23, 2021. Link. “Videoconferencing is a good thing for remote communication, but just … [Read more...]
34 percent of Americans take daily naps – here’s how they can help
Research shows power naps are great stress buffers. They boost the immune system and reduce the level of cortisol in your blood, refreshing you and refueling your engine. 81 percent of employees experience the afternoon crash an average of 3.2 days per week” Source: Forbes, March 13, 2021. Link. Studies at the Salk Institute show that brain activity, memory, and the power … [Read more...]
Talking to yourself can improve career growth
Self-talk is one of the more effective tools to thrive at work, home or play, writes Bryan Robinson, PhD. The silent conversations we have with ourselves can make or break our happiness and success. He says the simple act of talking to yourself in the third person, helps with self-control and yields benefits of calm, clarity and confidence. Source: Forbes, February 3, 2021. … [Read more...]
Overcoming 4 WFH challenges for remote Gen-Z workers
It will require thoughtful use of resources to advance Gen-Z’s contribution in a virtual workspace. According to a new study by Ten Spot, 54 percent of Gen-Z workers report being less productive when working from home. Source: Forbes, February 2, 2021. Link. The main challenge factors and solutions are: Distractions: requires time management and structure Boredom: … [Read more...]
The future of work?
Upon examination, these months of operating in survival mode provide valuable insight into how organizations and people can move forward from this disruption and position themselves to navigate future disruptions that are bound to occur. In short, we see a path toward thriving, not merely surviving. Source: Forbes, November 18, 2020. Link. Going forward, leaders and teams … [Read more...]
Radical empathy part of 5: Other ways to rethink customer experience
Bridget Brennan’s Forbes article dovetails with discussions from the AVMA 2020 Economic Summit Day 1 theme, Transformation through Collaboration. Richard R. DeLuca, Jr., executive vice president of Merck, and president of Merck Animal Health, emphasized “getting comfortable with being uncomfortable” and “listening to the customers’ experiences.” Brennan said innovating your … [Read more...]
Empowering empowerment
Firms are finding out that transitioning from an authoritarian model to an employee-empowerment model is not easy. It requires new behaviors and new ways of thinking for executives and employees. Source: Forbes, August 4, 2020. Link. Empowerment is an active process. It involves coaching or teaching team members to self-serve, to make decisions, and to use less of their … [Read more...]