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Veterinary Practice News Editorial Blog:
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Do-It-Yourself
By Somyr McLean Perry
Managing Editor of Vetpracticenews.com and Veterinary Practice News
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Do-it-yourself projects are a hobby of mine. I'm a big fan of redesigning, remodeling and adding on. I just refinished my bathroom vanity--new paint, new hinges and new hardware. Even small DIY remodels can be messy and impose on the everyday functions of whomever uses the space. But a building's (home or business) aesthetic condition affects people's perceptions and morale.
It wouldn't surprise me if thousands of veterinary practice owners are sitting in late-'70s retro clinics, complete with patterned linoleum floors, stained Formica counter tops, sagging particle-board cabinets and lobby benches butting up against cinder block walls. These clinics are clean, sanitary, well-kept and organized, I'm sure, but man are they ugly.
Does it really take a HGTV (Home and Garden Television) fanatic to know when your hospital is stuck in a Brady Bunch time warp?
Practice owners work long days, often seven days a week and they're probably thinking, "I don't have time to repaint my lobby, plant perennials out front or install new counter tops!" OK, so installing your own counter tops may be a stretch, but basic aesthetic updates to the front of a clinic, the lobby and exam rooms or the treatment area,are totally doable.
It would be faster--but more expensive--to pay professionals to do the work. But I say keep it in the family. Get everyone involved. Pick a day when your staff would have worked anyway and close the clinic. Buy them lunch and hand them a paint brush, hammer or garden tool and work side-by-side. Team spirit can be built in a number of ways, and there's no better way to bond with people than undergoing hard labor.
Your sweaty head, aching back and cracking knees won't be the only rewards. Staff morale will improve and so will client morale. Just think about all those nice comments you'll get from clients complimenting the new look. And how cool would it be to say, "Thanks, my staff and I worked together on that project."
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