I terminated an employee, now my team hates meMay 19, 2016When I started working at the practice about 6 months ago, I came into a really negative team culture. The new owner hired me and the team was scared of change, so they blamed everything on me.
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Are you paying attention to online reviews?May 18, 2016I used to have this incorrigible habit of completely ignoring my bank account’s precarious balance. The more I spent, the less I checked in on it.
7 phrases that can kill dental complianceMay 17, 2016After diagnosing a dog’s Grade 3 dental disease, the veterinarian told the pet owner, “The receptionist will give you an estimate for the procedure when you check out.”
5 ways to win over your veterinary clientsMay 16, 2016It's not surprising that many veterinary professionals feel more comfortable around pets than people. However, let's face it: We are in a customer service field and we need to take care of the human counterpart of the equation just as much as the animal part.
Veterinary receptionist isn't bringing her 'A' gameMay 16, 2016"I own a small clinic with a relatively low turnover of staff. I purchased the practice 8 years ago, and inherited a (mostly) great team who have been with me since. "
How to avoid these 10 common management pitfallsMay 10, 2016Are you a victim of the “all or nothing” mentality? Besides a few exceptions—being pregnant or not—few things in life are an all-or-nothing proposition. Let’s go over a few veterinary examples.
How to Wow ClientsMay 5, 2016May I share a confession, dear reader? I’m in love with brilliant ideas. I’m in awe when someone comes up with an idea—usually super simple—that (unbelievably) nobody had thought about before. Let me show you what I mean. 1. Brilliance on a Bridge If you walked across the Pont des Arts, a famous bridge across the River Seine in Paris (a.k.a. “the city of romance”), you’d be surprised to see that its sides are covered in padlocks. And I don’t mean 10 or 20. I mean, it’s covered in thousands of “Love Padlocks.” Some creative genius came up with the idea that lovers should immortalize their bond by attaching a padlock to the railing of the bridge, writing their names or initials on it, and throwing the key into the river below, so that nothing ever breaks their bond. The idea has traveled the world, and several other bridges are covered in the same manner. Of course, entrepreneurs jumped on the bandwagon, and now sell padlocks, near the bridge and online. And judging by the thousands of locks, business must be booming. It gets better: the total weight of the padlocks can reach such extravagant proportions, that City of Paris …
What Are the Roadblocks to Effective Communication?May 3, 2016Once I worked with a colleague who was repeatedly late creating work that I needed to complete my task. I knew he was busy, but I was too, and I was increasingly frustrated by his behavior. I didn't know what to say, however, or how to say it. I didn’t want to offend him. I realized that I’d been beating around the bush, hinting and not being direct. I think I was afraid that I’d explode if I confronted him, so I said nothing. What a dilemma. In time, I learned that I wasn’t alone. Most of us swing from being too assertive (maybe aggressive) to being too passive. In the process, we use various communication patterns that inhibit the interaction that we want. Typical Communication Patterns Tracy Dowdy, CVPM, of MRG Consulting, LLC based in San Diego, consultant to veterinarians, said, “I have seen firsthand how the failure to communicate effectively often leads to conflict, which can harm the practice through poor teamwork, rumors and gossip. Practices that suffer from communication problems likely have no defined, company-wide communication strategies in place. Improving workplace communication involves developing a
How Sweets Can Strength the Relationship With Your Vet StaffApril 28, 2016Keeping your support team happy means treating them with respect, including seeking their opinions on patients. It means paying them well and creating a productive work environment. It means supporting their professional development with continuing education. And sometimes, it means cupcakes. In my 36 years of working in and owning veterinary practices, I’ve developed a hearty respect for the simple act of sharing food with team members to help strengthen a great working relationship. Now, before I walk in the door at North Idaho Animal Hospital (NIAH), where I currently practice, I always find time to stop someplace wonderful and purchase delicacies sure to earn me a warm greeting from the staff. The smiles on their faces and the hustle in their steps help all of us better handle a typical busy practice day with aplomb. It certain makes me smile to see that day’s offerings dwindle steadily when I pass their place of honor on the pharmacy counter. I live an hour away from NIAH and add 20 minutes to my commute just to keep this tradition alive and fresh. One of my favorite go-to stops is the Bread Basket Bakery (run by a Mennonite family that can bake—oh, …
Viewpoint: An Open Letter to the Veterinary Community About COE StandardsApril 28, 2016A letter to the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association proposing a way to restore trust and confidence in veterinary school accreditation was rejected recently by Dr. Kurt Matushek, JAVMA’s editor-in-chief, because he believes that it “does not add any new information or advance any new argument.” The letter, co-signed by the 20 distinguished colleagues below, expresses our deep concerns about the accreditation and proliferation of schools that do not meet Council on Education (COE) standards and about the divisive and disruptive effects this is having on the AVMA relationships with large segments of the profession. As the controversy continues to simmer, it also bodes ill for the profession’s public image and its reputation among members of the other health professions whose accrediting agencies function with complete autonomy and independence. Under the terms of our proposal, the AVMA and Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges would continue as the COE’s sponsoring organizations but, in order to eliminate conflicts of interest, neither organization would play a direct role in appointing the committees that select COE members. Instead, a new independent selection committee, with AVMA and AAVMC participation, would be formed by a broad spectrum of …
