Vetsolutions
March / April 2015
Online Academy Investing in your people
Vetsolutions journey
Neil’s 500,000 mile journey
The Elephant Orphanage Follow Liz O’Briens time at the Orphanage
How do I make the most of communications in RoboVet?
www.vetsolutions.co.uk
Our Integrated Payment Solution
As easy as 1, 2, 3... Saving you and your clients time through efficiency
Making payment is unlikely to be the most enjoyable part of a client’s visit but we can help you make it seamless and fast with our Integrated Payment Solution which streamlines credit and debit card payments. Our Integrated Payment Solution: >
Saves time at reception by speeding up payment processing
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Eliminates the errors caused by entering incorrect amounts on the Chip and PIN machine - no re-keying of data required
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Creates an efficient, streamlined client experience
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Is a networked solution which can be used by multiple terminals
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Provides faster verification via broadband which means no call charges and no requirement for a dedicated phone
For more information please call our sales team on 0131 556 0555 or email sales@vetsolutions.co.uk 2
Contents 06
March / April 2015
RoboVet Training Make the most of RoboVet.
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Online Academy
Rapport in action
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Connect with Clients like never before
Investing in your people.
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Neil’s 500,000 mile Vetsolutions journey Our Field Engineers fairly clock up the miles.
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Meet the new faces Our team at Vetsolutions is growing.
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Keeping in touch with clients Emily Eudall from Onswitch on keeping clients informed and engaged without annoying them.
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Liz O’Brien in Zambia Lilayi Elephant Orphanage
Communications in RoboVet
Vetsolutions Trainer Colin Ingram looks at how to make the most of communications in RoboVet.
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Vetsolutions Insight
2014 saw a lot of very positive developments at Vetsolutions and 2015 is already shaping up to be a busy and exciting year.
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www.vetsolutions.co.uk
As General Manager of Vetsolutions I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all our customers to the first Vetsolutions Insight (VSI) of 2015
Alan Moody welcomes you to
2014 saw a lot of very positive developments at Vetsolutions and 2015 is already shaping up to be a busy and exciting year for both ourselves, and more importantly, for our customers As many of you will know, last year we finally moved into bright and spacious new Edinburgh offices, which come complete with wonderful views over the city. This move has given us the opportunity to restructure our management team and introduce new members of staff who are bringing extra skills and talents to the Vetsolutions team. You can take a look at what they have to say on page 10 in this issue of VSI. In 2015 our aim is to really push the Vetsolutions business forward, to become even more effective and share our knowledge more efficiently. We will be launching new training products, backup and security solutions, and in conjunction with Henry Schein Animal Health there will be a range of new third party products, with many other exciting developments in the pipeline.
In April I am really looking forward to being at the BSAVA Congress in Birmingham which will see the launch of our new flagship product Rapport – Vetsolutions’ exciting new client communication tool that integrates directly with RoboVet to help streamline all your communication processes. As well as new products we also have 6 Local User Groups (LUGs) planned for this year at venues throughout the country, which will feature independent guest speakers talking on a range of subjects relevant to veterinary businesses. We have revised and improved the LUG format to be even more informative and educational to ensure we can really interact with you and get your feedback on existing Vetsolutions products and get an insight into improvements that you are looking for in the future. At Vetsolutions our job is to help and support vets to look after their clients, and that’s what we always strive to do. Together we want to turn every veterinary practice into a successful and efficient business and I am confident that in 2015 we can help you achieve this.
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Training
Make the most of RoboVet Training tailored to you Making time for training isn’t always easy; it’s one of the first things to get pushed back when things get busy. We get that and we want to make things as easy as possible for you to make sure your staff get the training they need to get the most out of RoboVet so we’ve developed a range of training packages to meet the needs of your practice.
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Training schools Our training schools are suitable for staff that are pretty comfortable with the basics within the RoboVet system and are ready to get into the really good stuff. The cost for the full day session is just £245 per person (including lunch and refreshments) and we have four topics to choose from: > Accounts This training will help you learn RoboVet’s tricks and shortcuts making accountancy procedures simple and streamlined > Product list (stock) This stock management training will help you implement stock procedures throughout your practice to minimise the impact of missing or unaccounted for stock > Business Barometer Use your practice data to benchmark against 10 KPIs. Business Barometer is an excellent tool for bust Practice Managers who want to improve business profitability > Marketing and Schemes Understand how to segment and extract the data from RoboVet to target your clients with appropriate marketing campaigns. Also, you will learn how to build client loyalty through RoboVet’s schemes functionality *Please note: we require a minimum number of 5 attendees for a training school to go ahead.
Business Barometer Friday 5 June
Preston
Mon 8 June
Newport
Wed 10 June
Crawley
Mon 15 June
Sheffield
Tues 16 June
Gloucester
Mon 22 June
Northampton
Tues 23 June
Glasgow
Product List / Stock Wed 1 April
Worcester
Thurs 16 April
Glasgow
Tues 28 April
Manchester
Mon 11 May
Exeter
Tues 12 May
Stevenage
Thurs 4 June
Newport
Tues 9 June
Crawley
www.vetsolutions.co.uk
Practice training events
Remote training
If it’s not possible for staff to travel to training schools or maybe you want an entire team trained then our practice training events are the ideal solution. You don’t need to go anywhere, we’ll come to you and you can decide on any of our four topics to be covered that day. The cost for this convenient training option is just £695 for the full day
Our remote training options are very popular with customers who add on new modules or for giving new members of staff an introduction to the RoboVet system. We offer three levels of remote training; you can choose the one that works best for you:
Full day remote training
Half day remote training
2 hours remote training
£450
£245
£200
For more information on any of our training packages or to book a place please give our sales team a call on 0131 556 0555 or email training@vetsolutions.co.uk
EW
Get the on demand training you need to run a successful practice. For more information see page 8 >
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Vetsolutions Online Academy
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Vetsolutions Insight
Online Academy Investing in your people In a busy practice it can be difficult to find time to squeeze in staff training and as a result, this important area can often end up taking a back seat. But now, that could be a thing of the past thanks to the launch of Vetsolutions Online Academy, a training programme aimed at helping the entire veterinary team.
It’s a fact that well-trained staff produce higher-quality work and are highly motivated; but there are a range of other benefits to be had across the entire business. Better training equals increased productivity, less wasted time, money and resources. The overall result is an efficient and profitable business, which projects a positive image to both your staff and clients. The need to continually develop professional skills is essential but for many practices the biggest problem in implementing a training programme is finding the time for sessions within the working day. Not only is it difficult to accommodate members of staff being away from the practice, but if they occupy a key position it can be difficult to find adequate cover. However, as technology develops it follows that the way we learn has changed and online learning has revolutionised training in so many ways, making it more accessible and convenient. For a business, it opens up an entirely new avenue for staff training, which is no longer restricted to working hours. The drawback of traditional classroom-based courses are they are not always convenient; staff may have to travel some distance to a venue, meaning a longer day for them and/ or travel and accommodation expenses. This training format can also impact on the daily running of a business if key staff 8
This new initiative will offer multi-level readyto-use training, covering every position within a practice, from receptionist and nurse to vet.
www.vetsolutions.co.uk
A key advantage of online training is that delegates can work at their own pace.
are missing for example. In addition there are financial implications in terms of course fees as well as having to provide temporary cover. A key advantage of online training is that delegates can work at their own pace. In a traditional training scenario students have to work at the speed set by the trainer. This can lead to information being missed, delegates becoming bored because the pace is too slow or struggling if it’s too fast. With online training the module can usually be viewed as many times as necessary to embed the learning. Vetsolutions fully understands the hurdles faced by veterinary practices in terms of delivering high quality training, which is why we have developed the Online Academy.
This new initiative will offer multi-level readyto-use training, covering every position within a practice, from receptionist and nurse to vet. Provided in a series of modular-based courses, using high definition training videos, the online service will cover critical areas such as safety training, as well as developing softer skills including customer service and communication. Using the Online Academy is simple, flexible and measurable, with reporting and progress tracking of individual team members. There are no set-up or cancellation fees so you and your team have the freedom to train how and when you want. A convenient tiered yearly subscription will get your practice access to the Online Academy for as many staff as you require.
The convenience and accessibility of online training makes it a highly attractive proposition. Staff can log-on from their computer at any time day or night and study at their own pace and in a way in which they feel confident. And the benefits for a practice are immeasurable – a high quality, well trained and knowledgeable team makes an enormous impact on clients, making them more likely to attend, return and recommend. Educating your team is an investment in your future and now you can get the training you need, on-demand from the Vetsolutions Online Academy.
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Vetsolutions Insight
Neil’s 500,000 mile Vetsolutions journey Neil Porter is a Field Engineer for Vetsolutions, one of two specialist engineers installing and configuring system hardware at veterinary practices across the UK. 10
“ I have been part of the Vetsolutions team now for over 15 years. It was just a fledgling company when I joined; in the days when we copied data onto tapes and stored files on floppy disks, so I am proud to have helped it grow into the leading company it is today.
Mark Petters and myself are the two Vetsolutions engineers who cover the whole of the UK; Mark looks after practices in the North and I look after those across the South. We are responsible for all aspects of the technical hardware in Vetsolutions clients’ practices, taking care of everything from full installation, service swaps and equipment to RoboVet configuration to ensure they get up and running successfully. We deal with all types of practice, from a one-vet small animal practice to multi-centred businesses or large referral centres. There is plenty of travelling involved in my job; I spend five days a week on the road. Although it might appear to be a lonely job being on my own each day, every installation that I do is only made possible by the great support team behind me in Edinburgh. Our engineering manager Gareth, organises all the necessary kit required for each site, whilst Martin and John partially configure the system and get it to where it’s needed. Meanwhile Laura liaises with the client and myself, coordinates various deliveries and diaries so when I arrive on site everything is there ready to install.
On average it takes around six weeks for the equipment to be prepared, and in that time all necessary preparatory work and the Edinburgh team does staff training before we go on site. Most installations are usually completed in just one day, and if practices have other branches they will be completed on the following days. When I am helping a practice upgrade to RoboVet for instance, a programme of staff training and trial conversions of their data will have already been taken care of by our support team. On the day a practice is going ‘live’ I will arrive on site in the morning, explain to the client what I need to do with minimal disruption to the practice, and give them guidance and an idea of timings. Business has to go on so practices rarely close completely on installation day, but in general we do recommend that they keep appointments to a minimum whilst we are on site.
Once my job is complete the practice comes back under the care of the Vetsolutions’ support team. Teamwork is central to everyone at Vetsolutions to help the clients, their staff and each other. I rely heavily on our support team who do a superb job and are always ready to help me out should I need it. Between us all we have a vast amount of technical knowledge and experience and know RoboVet inside out, so if I ever find I’m stuck on something I know someone on the team will always be able to help.
I always try to set up reception and the consulting rooms first so that staff can carry on working whilst I move to other areas such as the prep room and laboratories. Communication is essential in my role, keeping the client informed about what is happening and how long it will take to move all their data across to the new system is vital. A small practice can have just as much data as a larger practice depending on the type of work they do and no two practices are ever the same.
I calculate that I have installed something in the region of 1000 servers, not to mention PCs, monitors, keyboards and printers and have made around 2500 site visits. A look back over my mileage records showed me I have driven over 500,000 miles for Vetsolutions, the equivalent of driving to the moon and back. That is one incredible journey, and I’m looking forward to reaching one million!
Looking back over the last 15 years with Vetsolutions I have seen some amazing changes, especially to the technical side of my job. Technology has moved on in leaps and bounds and the evolution of PremVet to RoboVet has revolutionised the veterinary market and made Vetsolutions a market leader.
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Vetsolutions Insight
(
Meet the new faces Gordon
With 17-years’ experience working in sales and account management in the technology sector, Gordon is best placed to provide a seamless interface between Vetsolutions and its corporate clients.
“I am very adept at identifying what our clients need and then being able to identify the right product or service for them. Clients can be confident that when they call I will be able help them.”
Gordon, who has previously worked in both the computer hardware and software industries, joined the Vetsolutions team in December. With a customer-centric focus at the heart of his work, Gordon aims to ensure corporate clients have a single point of contact to ensure they have full access to all the resources they need and are kept up-to-date with appropriate software advances.
Corporate Business Manager
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Gordon is comfortable liaising with people at all levels and has vast experience in trouble-shooting to ensure he meets clients’ requirements, be that products or support. In his spare time Gordon is an avid traveller and previously spent several years running water sports hotels in Greece, France and Antigua, which helped him develop his customer service skills. He is also a keen cyclist and golfer and last year took part in a ‘Tough Mudder’ challenge helping to raise more than £3,000 for the specialist cancer treatment unit at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London.
www.vetsolutions.co.uk
Elodie
Internal Sales Executive
Originally from France, Elodie moved to the UK to study at university. After completing her degree in Performing Arts and English, Elodie worked in the retail sector where she sharpened her customer service skills.
“I am the point of contact in the office for all the practices in South West England and will help them with any issues they may have. I’m a really good listener, enjoy problem solving and love to help clients get the best from RoboVet.”
Looking for a new challenge and keen to develop her skills further, she joined Vetsolutions in January. Elodie, an internal sales executive for the South West region, believes she will be able to use her excellent skills, including listening, trouble-shooting and recommending a customer-fit solution, to good use in her Vetsolutions’ role.
Sara
Sara is enjoying the challenges presented by the veterinary market and is encouraging Vetsolutions to adopt a consultative, problem solving approach to marketing. Calling on her previous experience Sara believes that vets want to work closely with those who can provide answers to their problems and is confident that the maturing market is ready to accept a greater business focus. One area where this new influence is being felt most prominently is in the format of the Local User Groups.
Marketing Manager
Sara joined Vetsolutions in October 2014, having previously worked for Sky and in the financial services sector. During her time in financial services, she dealt in the main with employer pensions so was largely involved in the B2B sector. Feeling in need of a complete change, Sara was attracted to Vetsolutions by the prospect of working for a growing IT / software company, a sector which is particularly vibrant in Scotland.
“Instead of having a heavy sales focus, LUGs will now involve external speakers who will give advice on a range of practice topics, supported by our product managers.”
Away from work Elodie enjoys baking and sewing. Her latest culinary masterpiece was a ‘Gin and tonic’ cake, something we’d all like to try!
Keeping in touch with the profession by communicating relevant material which will resonate with particular segments of the market is Sara’s preferred way of working. She describes this as “being more intelligent than just blitzing our whole database with information that is irrelevant to them and which most customers just find annoying.” Sara’s vision for the next 2 years is simple: to embed Vetsolutions’ brand values internally, make these relevant to the market, communicate them clearly and effectively and make sure the sales team is fully supported with collateral and initiatives that position Vetsolutions as an innovative, ground-breaking company that can help veterinary practices become more efficient and successful.
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Vetsolutions Insight
Kevin
Support Manager
“I have 15-years’ experience in IT management so I don’t get ruffled quickly and remain calm in difficult situations. I feel these qualities will help me support my team and give them the confidence to deal swiftly and effectively with the practices we are working with.”
Kevin has joined Vetsolutions as support manager, bringing with him a wealth of experience. His previous positions have included Head of IT and Support for companies based in the UK, China and the Netherlands. His degree in Business Information Management, covered IT and business and give him a range of skills and knowledge from which individual practices will undoubtedly benefit. Kevin is responsible for Vetsolutions’ entire IT support function and oversees a team of 18 people. It’s also his job to ensure the team is up-to-date with training and have the tools to respond quickly and efficiently to clients needs with the ultimate aim of providing a 5-star service. Outside of work Kevin keeps fit at the gym, enjoys photography and travel. Whilst working in China he explored the region extensively and said his favourite holiday so far has been hiking in the hills of Tibet.
Roddy
Support Technician
After completing a computer science degree at university, Roddy has built up a wealth of knowledge and experience over 13-years, working in an IT support role for the Aberdeen-based oil industry. He decided to take a gap year and spent almost 12-months travelling around the world where he learned to scuba dive, volunteered at a turtle sanctuary in Sri Lanka and travelled across Australia, New Zealand and the USA. On his return to the UK he took on two temporary contracts, which helped him further hone his customer service skills, before joining the Vetsolutions’ team last October. He said: “I will be the first point of contact and support for any of our clients who have any technical issues with RoboVet, and my aim is to resolve their problem in the first phone call.” Since joining Vetsolutions, Roddy has enjoyed learning about RoboVet and believes that this intensive training, together with his previous experience, will stand him in good stead to support clients.
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“I will be the first point of contact and support for any of our clients who have any technical issues with RoboVet, and my aim is to resolve their problem in the first phone call.”
Vetsolutions Insight
How do I keep my clients informed and engaged without annoying them? by Marketing Manager at Onswitch Emily Eudall
Until relatively recently, keeping in touch with clients outside of seeing them when their animal is ill was by no means common. Practices didn't routinely send out newsletters and certainly didn't ping out announcements and reminders via email or text message until the last few years.
And without social media (it's hard to imagine a time when we didn't have Facebook), fast and free mass communication to your client base was simply not possible. But times have changed. So now we need to ensure that our profession does too. Our clients' expectations and acceptance of what is ideal and desirable contact from any business have certainly changed. Recent surveys by Onswitch have asked hundreds of owners how and when they want to hear from their practice: Just 5% say postal reminders are best everyone else is more than happy with a quick and convenient text or email. Nobody said they didn't want to be contacted reminders are a useful service for owners, another area where your team can take
away some of the hassle of remembering when things are due. A little extra service you offer because you care, you understand and you want to help. A similar survey with clients of a large equine practice showed the same picture, with the majority happy to receive electronic communication - a massive 92% obviously now accept emails as standard: So we've established that owners are more than happy for you to contact them. What the data doesn't show, but what anecdotal feedback highlights loud and clear, is that they don't want it to be too often, or with information that they don't need. Telling Mrs Smith about a local parvo outbreak is simply irrelevant to her as a rabbit owner. And if she hears about it again the next month, she'll start to get annoyed.
Keeping communication relevant and personal One look at Mrs Smith's entry in your database will tell you that she has a rabbit. It will also tell you her rabbit's name. How much better to send a quarterly newsletter to all your rabbit owners, with articles on issues and diseases relevant to them. The newsletter can be standard, but make the title of your email personal - 'Latest rabbit news for Lulu'. There's one big assumption here of course - that you have a comprehensive client database and can interrogate it easily. If this doesn't sound familiar, it's no good skipping the next couple of paragraphs, you need to set about collecting patient details 16
and storing them in such a way that it's easy to sort by breed, by age and so on, as well as being able to extract individual records quickly. Make it practice protocol for every member of the team to complete client and patient details on every visit - if there is no mobile number, ask for it. Check that the email address is still valid. It only takes a couple of seconds to ask - even quicker if you print out the record sheet and hand to the client on arrival for her to check and amend as required. It also kills a few minutes of her waiting time too, which should prevent any nerves fraying if you're running late.
It's important to offer owners an opt-out from receiving practice communication. This can simply be a tick box at the bottom of the sheet if clients don't wish to hear from you. You should also assure them that any details they share stay only with your practice and remain confidential, of course. One final tick box can ask for permission to use their pet's or horse's image in practice marketing most people are more than happy for their animals to star on your website or appear on your Facebook page looking cute.
www.vetsolutions.co.uk
Communicating with digital media We've already touched on the huge shifts in communication in the 21st century, but whilst those of us born before 1980 appreciate that there haven't always been YouTube and mobile phones, the younger generation (who will increasingly make up a larger proportion of your client base) live differently. To these Millennials, searching for information online, instantaneously and on the move is simply the norm. The US Council of Economic Advisors reports "Millennials use social media more frequently and are even more likely to sleep near their mobile phone. Three quarters of Millennials have an account on a social networking site, compared with only half of
Generation Xers and less than a third of the Baby Boomers." Similarly, the Office for National Statistics report, "Internet Access – Households and Individuals 2014" lays out just what a central role the internet plays in our lives today: > In 2014, 38 million adults (76%) in Great Britain accessed the Internet every day, 21 million more than in 2006, when directly comparable records began. > Access to the Internet using a mobile phone more than doubled between 2010 and 2014, from 24% to 58%. > In 2014, 74% of all adults bought goods or services online, up from 53% in 2008. > 22 million households (84%) had Internet access in 2014, up from 57% in 2006. > Fixed broadband Internet connections were used by 91% of households. So if your practice is not using digital client communication, you're lagging far behind your competitors, who undoubtedly will be. And in the eyes of your clients, who expect it, your practice simply seems slow and wasteful.
Estimates suggest that over three quarters of UK practices have a Facebook page. So, assuming you have got a Facebook presence, it's easy to ensure that it works hard for you and engages with clients by: > Using a practice smartphone - facilitating quick updates and additions > Adding new content daily > Encouraging interaction - ask for feedback, run competitions > Replying to questions and acknowledging feedback promptly and openly > Checking the page three or four times a day - if there are any questions that need answering, or messages to pick up, it's much more professional to reply quickly. > Putting plenty of photos and videos up people love to look at pictures of funny or cute animals. > Creating a library of 'how to' videos and posting them to your page. How to... worm a cat, de-flea a dog etc. All done with warmth and humour as appropriate.
Putting the client in control We've looked at how you can personalise communications and make them relevant to each client's pets. We've also seen how digital media are more and more important to your practice. And in everything we've discussed so far, the communication has been one-way, from you to the client. Ultimately, if we want to ensure that our communications don't annoy our clients, let's give them the choice. If clients ask for or selfselect information from us, by definition it can't be annoying - they have asked for it. Most of you will have made a start towards this 'pull rather than push' communication, by adding downloadable leaflets or information pages on your websites. The next logical step has already been taken in Scandinavia, where the 'petpulse' app (www.petpulse.com) is growing in popularity. The app provides the ultimate in
Targeted and personalised two-way communication is key
convenience and control - an owner enters all her pet's details and can choose as many of the apps functionalities as she wishes. Entering vaccination, flea and worming treatment dates onto a calendar triggers a reminder when boosters are due. If her vet is also signed up to petpulse, the owner can access all her pet's records on her mobile, so they are always to hand in case of emergency. Appointments can be booked direct with her practice and a huge library of pet care and general health information is easy to search. The app has a number of obvious benefits:
collecting personal data, therefore no risk of being bombarded by spam or confidentiality being breached > Linking with the practice's database allows personalised and specific information to be shared between owner and clinician, strengthening the bond between both sides and providing the very best care for the animal > Bringing all practice digital communications together - in Norway 20% of participating practices' Facebook friends download the app, making it easier to manage consistency of messages
> T he client is in control of her data - she chooses what to share with who
> Portable
> T here are no interested third parties (drug companies, food manufacturers etc.)
> Flexible
Gone are the days of blanket bombing owners with generalised leaflets, now our communications need to be personal and relevant in order to engage our clients. Remember these five rules and you can't go far wrong: > Use the animal's name and provide information appropriate for it > Keep your tone friendly and light and
> Always available
let your clients know that they can ask questions or request information at any time > Give owners the opportunity to access information when they need it, not just when you want to send it > Listen as well as speak > Embrace digital media It really is that simple! 17
Vetsolutions Insight
How do I make the most of communications in RoboVet by Vetsolutions Trainer Colin Ingram
Although attracting new clients is extremely important, client loyalty and bonding is essential for the success of your business. It is important to review how you communicate with your existing clients to ensure they return to your practice and enhance your business. 18
Communications relate to everything you do where there is any client interaction, from the style of your hand-outs and receipts to how you answer the telephone and the appearance of your staff. RoboVet cannot help you with how to answer the telephone but it can help in many of the areas of communication. It is important to look at how your database is set up and make changes to improve how you record data that can be used in communications.
www.vetsolutions.co.uk
Initial Contact Registering your new client correctly is often the key to good communications. You have several fields in your client record card that can be used for communicating with your clients and in some cases to limit the communications as requested by the client, we’ll cover that later. Hopefully you have turned on the prompt to obtain client mobile numbers and e-mail addresses, if not contact our Support Team who can help with this. The prompt can be customised to work only on specified terminals. Try and obtain the client’s first name, it is so much more friendly and unfortunately if you end up chasing a debt the first name can be essential. Encourage all your staff to ask for the details – not to automatically click on Hide the prompt. Run the List Clients report to check how many e-mail addresses and mobile phone numbers you have on record. You can monitor the acquisition of this key information by running the report every week
for the clients that registered the previous week or month. This report can also be used to write a welcoming letter to your new clients. Make sure that if you do this you set the filters so that clients who have indicated they do not want communications are excluded. Another way to welcome new clients is to send a welcome pack using a RoboVet Document. You can create a fantastic branded document, complete with merge fields, using the full potential of Microsoft Word. This can be given directly to your client before they leave, sent by mail or by email. If you are emailing directly from RoboVet make sure that the document does not have a header or footer. Please contact our Support Team if you have not set up emailing directly from RoboVet.
Communication Preferences You do not want to upset a client by sending a text, email or reminder when they have specified not to be contacted. There is a reminder exclusion flag within the exclusions tab of the client record card. Currently we do not have a flag for clients that do not want any communication at all. You could create an alert for clients that do not want marketing. There is a filter for this in the report choices. Some practices create a client type called No Marketing and exclude them when running reports.
If you are not already part of the Vetsolutions family and you want to find out about communication and its impact on your bottom line contact us on 0131 556 0555 to book a consultation. 19
Vetsolutions Insight
Maintaining Contact It is important to the success of your business to retain your clients and keeping in contact is crucial. By encouraging them to revisit, even for a free health check, will promote your practice. There are many tools within RoboVet to aid in communication. > SMS – texting > E-mailing > Letters > Hand-outs
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Review all these methods to make sure you are presenting a professional front that represents your brand.
Texting Text messages can be generated on an individual basis or in bulk. Left clicking on the client or animal in the WorkWith area will enable you to send an individual text to a client, for example a nurse may send a text to inform a client that their animal has recovered from an operation. To speed-up and standardise text input set up some shortcut templates. (In Options\Application Setup\Autocorrect.) Text messaging in bulk includes Appointment reminders that can be sent automatically for specified diaries. Typically texts will be sent in the evening for the next morning and in the morning for the afternoon/evening. These are extremely popular with clients and reduce the number of missed appointments. Texts will not be sent to clients that have appointments for specified reasons, for example where an animal is being put to sleep.
Five of the most important reports are enabled for text messaging. This includes the reminders report. Very often first reminders for vaccinations are sent by letter/ card and second reminders by text or email. As profit margins are lower it is more cost effective to send first reminders for flea and worming are sent by text message.
Emailing As previously mentioned RoboVet Documents can be emailed directly from within RoboVet. For example, rather than print a post operation information sheet you could email to cut down overheads. Emailing can also be used for sending reminders. Those of you more familiar with the mail merge wizards in Microsoft Word can also use the excellent functionality to email using an Excel spreadsheet as the data source that has been saved from a RoboVet report. It is best to save the files in csv format first, save them in Excel format and then use them as the data source.
www.vetsolutions.co.uk
Letters
Hand-outs
Letters can be created very quickly from within reports using the Mail Merge to Microsoft Word option. It is best to use the grid view first to check that you have the correct data. Once checked you can go back to the beginning and change to the Mail Merge option without losing your filters. If it is a letter you may want to send again or modify slightly they can be saved. You can be as imaginative as you like.
Hopefully you are already printing documents from RoboVet, for example consent forms. Make sure they look professional and are standardised. There is a lot of scope to create a series of hand-outs that are personalised. Most clients like a documents that displays their pet’s name rather than just the word ‘animal’. To remind staff to print the documents you can set up the sale of a product to automatically display the document.
The Communications Tab It is important to know what you have sent to a client. Text messages and emails can be seen for the client/animal highlighted in the WorkWith area and it is possible to view all text messages and emails sent to all clients. Currently this area does not display letters sent to clients.
Reminders Generally reminders are not used enough and they are a great way to communicate. They do not have to be sent to clients, they can used to create lists so that you can telephone clients. A telephone call is cheaper than a letter. They can be used for weight clinics, for free nurse check-ups, for reminding clients that essential drugs need to be picked up – anything that may encourage a client to visit your practice. Multiple reminders can be set up on one product, please contact our Support Team if you need help with this.
Schemes Running schemes are an excellent way to attract clients to attend your practice regularly; they’re also a great client retention tool. Design your schemes around regular attendance. For example, send them a reminder to come in for their free 6-month health check to pick up their free flea and wormers. Do not rely on them remembering to visit.
How Do I do all these things? You will find instructions for all the items mentioned above in your Help documents accessed from within RoboVet. We also run training courses focussing on Marketing and can arrange customised training days at your practice. 21
Connect with Clients like never before How often do pet owners check their mobile devices? What’s the best way to reach older pet owners? Do more clients prefer to call, or book appointments online?Â
Rapport from Henry Schein simplifies your marketing and scheduling so you can put your patients first. It’s the only client communication tool that works seamlessly with your practice management system incorporating online appointment scheduling, multimedia reminders, cutting-edge websites, patient portals and client education materials. Rapport does it all for you.
£199 Want to know more? Why not Take the Rapport Challenge at BSAVA and you could qualify for a £199 value add services discount for booking your slot! It’s a fun way to test your knowledge about client communications and see the new Rapport solution from Henry Schein. Here’s how it works: •
Review the schedule and reserve your spot at www.SeeRapport.co.uk/BSAVA
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Visit us at BSAVA, stand 511, to take the Rapport Challenge and see the new Rapport suite of client communications tool (Refreshments provided!)
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You’ll qualify for your £199 value add services discount!
value add services discount!
Reserve your seat at www.SeeRapport.co.uk/BSAVA
J Vetsolutions Insight
Lilayi Elephant Orphanage Vetsolutions support Lilayi Elephant Nursery – Elephant Orphanage Project - Zambia
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Many of our clients will remember Liz O’Brien, a former director at Vetsolutions. But, where in the world is Liz now?
www.vetsolutions.co.uk
She’s a difficult lady to keep up with so we’ve taken a further look at Liz’s life as Project Manager at the Lilayi Elephant Orphanage where she has called home since November 2014 – ‘home’ continuing to be a tent with the ultimate luxury being the delivery of oranges in from town! As a former Animal Welfare Supervisor with the project and a Veterinary Nurse with many years experience, Liz has been working with GRI in the Kafue National Park supporting the Kafue Conservation Project’s law enforcement operations and is very familiar with EOP, GRI and working in Zambia. The staff at Lilayi (and across GRI) were very excited to see ‘Madam Liz’ return! “It’s no good rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing baby elephant’s if they a) don’t have a habitat to return to and b) get shot for ivory as soon as they have any so this project was a natural step!” Liz continued “Our camp is home to S.A.P.U, the special Anti Poaching Unit of the Zambian Wildlife Authority, they supply the Wildlife Police Officers and we supply the tents, uniforms, rations, vehicles, fuel, well pretty much everything they need in the war against poaching really. It is making a difference but it’s sadly a drop in the ocean. We support 12 patrol teams of 6 men each in a National Park that is the 5th largest in the world! IFAW have also just got involved so
that’s hopefully going to bring in much needed funds and David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation continue to be fantastic support both financially and generally. They really are an amazing organisation, as is Game Rangers.” As always to help the Elephant Orphanage Project, Liz needs Vet materials such as cotton wool, dressings esp Coflex/ Vetwrap 7.5 and 10cm, IV consumables, chlorhex, iodine , Vit C and CalMag tablets, Protexin (EQ). She also collects unwanted mobiles that have camera/memory card slot and internet - essential for their in country communications! Vetsolutions have donated a new laptop to support the cause. Oh, and of course how could we forget that Liz is Assistant Club Manager for the Ngoma Leopards, the local football team, so any boots, shin pads, kit, will be gladly taken too! And the latest word is that Chunga FC may be trying to poach Liz…excuse the pun. Remember when the buying stops, the killing will too! Leopards, the local football team, so any boots, shin pads, kit, will be gladly taken too! And the latest word is that Chunga FC may be trying to poach Liz... excuse the pun. Remember when the buying stops, the killing will too!
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Vetsolutions Insight
Suni Project Liz O'Brien talks about one of the latest projects.
Suni is a 3 ½ yr old orphan elephant who was rescued by us early in 2012 paralysed on RH leg
Elephant herd Hierarchy & Dynamics
In the Q3 report, we reported that the proposed operation to determine bone damage and infection spread in Suni’s leg had been delayed due to a lack of suitable anaesthetic agents available. It would seem that the delay actually had a positive result as Suni’s foot has shown no signs of infection throughout the whole of Q4. Her toenail will take some time to repair completely but, at this stage, there are no plans to carry out an exploratory operation. She continues to receive deep tissue Red Light Therapy twice a day. All of the elephant keepers have been trained to do this work and take a great deal of care over the procedure. The RLT is designed to stimulate blood circulation, nervous tissue and muscles. Suni continues to wear special, precision made boots to brace her ankle joint. These boots are designed, made and
Musolole has stayed as the herd leader at Lilayi but he is challenged daily by Zambezi who clearly thinks he should be in charge. Their sparring and playing still remains friendly but occasionally Zambezi tries a little too hard and is put back in his place by Muso. Being slightly older and slightly heavier, Musolole retains the upper hand. The behaviour studies, planned for this years volunteer programme, will make interesting reading. Nkala continues to grow at a healthy rate but he still uses Musolole as a comfort zone, sucking his ears usually straight after he has had his feeds. It’s as if he knows that in the wild he would be sucking for longer than the 20 seconds it takes him to finish his bottle, so he needs the extra time! But this baby behaviour goes alongside an indomitable spirit, he will also push the older elephants around and butt them if he is not getting what he wants!
fitted by Dan Guerrera and Mark Johnson and we are very grateful for their support plus that of Nigel Goodman who funds their flights from Norway and the US. One of the elephant keepers has been taught how to repair these boots and he gets plenty of practice as Suni is out in the bush all day every day giving the boots plenty of work! Suni will occasionally get sores on her legs usually caused by friction but these are treated by cleaning and applying green clay and generally heal in a matter of days. None of the sores have become infected and she tolerates the attention very patiently. She spends exactly the same amount of time in the bush and in the mud bath as the rest of the babies and, apart from her boot, it is hard to tell them apart!
Get in touch with Liz by emailing liz@gamerangersinternational.org or for those looking to donate directly you can easily do so by visiting www.justgiving.com/teams/Game-Rangers-International 26
Local User Group Calendar 2015 Our Local User Group sessions have got off to a great start this year; with two under our belt we’re ready to move throughout the UK to share new and exciting developments with you. Dates and locations we have confirmed are detailed below. If you would like to attend or find out more don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Bury St Edmonds 19 May
Newcastle 30 June
Huddersfield
8 September
Glasgow
27 October
For more information on upcoming Local User Group sessions call 0131 556 0555
Make practice life simple with
Lablink Are you still retyping in-house analyser results on to client record cards? Stop now! Our Lablink software will help you improve accuracy and speed by automatically transferring results into RoboVet for you.
Lab results automatically imported
Our Lablink software: >
Is compatible with a huge array of analysers
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Allows direct communications with your internal laboratory equipment
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Supports direct electronic communication with IDEXX Reference laboratories
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Automatically imports lab results on to the animal record in RoboVet
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Sends notifications to the vet (and others) when the results are received
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Allows you to view results on screen with appropriate bar charts for interpretation at a glance
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Synchronises results between branches so they can be viewed wherever you are
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Can interface with a multitude of different devices simultaneously
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Provides a seamless integration with RoboVet saving you time and eliminating errors
For more information on how Lablink can support your business give us a call on 0131 556 0555 or email sales@vetsolutions.co.uk