“I found the session on “The Ups and Downs in Life” to be helpful in recognizing the anti-social personality. This is an important thing to know, because you would never want to hire or have a relationship with one.”
Lisa Tharp, Dir Admin
Pittsburgh Spay & Vaccination Clinic, PA
Thursday, July 15, 2010
It will not be at all hard for me to apply this course.
“I found the “Improving Business through Communication” to be very helpful for me in the clinic and everyday life. It will not be at all hard for me to apply this course. I have found myself already analyzing communication between my conversations and those around me."
Veronica Branch, Dir Admin
Tabbs Creek Animal Hospital, NC
Veronica Branch, Dir Admin
Tabbs Creek Animal Hospital, NC
I feel much more comfortable in making plans become an actuality.
“This course has really defined the parts of how to plan for the future & more importantly how to put those plans into action. This has always been a problem for me. So I now feel much more comfortable in making plans become an actuality."
Dr. Rob Stables, DVM
Bow Valley Veterinary Clinic, AB
Dr. Rob Stables, DVM
Bow Valley Veterinary Clinic, AB
I really enjoyed this course...
“I really enjoyed this course because it solidified a lot of ideas I already had about human behavior and also taught me far better ways to deal with certain specific situations... I think that the new skills for handling antagonism will be very helpful on a day to day basis because I think this is a tone a lot of people can slide into easily in a work environment. Also, I thought the third party law was very interesting; I have never given a lot of thought about the role of others in a quarrel, but it makes a lot of sense given the quarrels that sometimes start in the workplace.”
Dr. Tanya Burtis, DVM, Practice Owner,
Waxhaw Animal Hospital, NC
Dr. Tanya Burtis, DVM, Practice Owner,
Waxhaw Animal Hospital, NC
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Practice Tip 6 –Fees
FEES: WHAT TO OR NOT TO CHARGE FOR...
I had the luxury of buying a practice in the highest per capita income community of the nation and initially thought (and so did my colleagues) that fees will be no problem. I was very quickly awoken by the fact that this community, despite it’s material wealth, in many cases watched where it spent each and every dollar.
I had to develop a fee guide that would not scare price-shopping clients away but would keep me profitable at the same time. Some of my best clients, that paid 10’s of thousands of dollars over the years, came in on a price shopping call. But remember this too: It’s hard to make up in volume when you charge below cost!
Here’s what works:
Make a list of your most commonly price-shopped items - vaccines, spays, neuters, Advantage etc… These are called your Front-end Items. (Do not include X-rays, lab work, major surgery etc… as clients rarely shop for these). Keep these prices low or a maximum of 10% above the pack (neighboring colleagues) so you don’t block the entrance to your practice. Also, don’t go too low as clients then question your safety and value.
Make a list or your remaining Back-end procedures and break each of these higher ticket items into smaller priced items. Make sure there is a fee for everything you do. If it’s not defined, you won’t charge for it. Charge for these back-end fees at a higher price point (profit).
When making estimates and bills up, bundle the back-end items together to make a larger profitable bill. Most veterinary management software systems allow for creating these bundled items.
When going over the estimate with the client make sure you explain every line, one at a time, checking for understanding with the client. If the client looks confused - then back up. Don’t go too fast. Get the clients agreement on every point. Work out the payment after you have their agreement.
Questions? Give me a call.
888.675.9765
I had the luxury of buying a practice in the highest per capita income community of the nation and initially thought (and so did my colleagues) that fees will be no problem. I was very quickly awoken by the fact that this community, despite it’s material wealth, in many cases watched where it spent each and every dollar.
I had to develop a fee guide that would not scare price-shopping clients away but would keep me profitable at the same time. Some of my best clients, that paid 10’s of thousands of dollars over the years, came in on a price shopping call. But remember this too: It’s hard to make up in volume when you charge below cost!
Here’s what works:
Make a list of your most commonly price-shopped items - vaccines, spays, neuters, Advantage etc… These are called your Front-end Items. (Do not include X-rays, lab work, major surgery etc… as clients rarely shop for these). Keep these prices low or a maximum of 10% above the pack (neighboring colleagues) so you don’t block the entrance to your practice. Also, don’t go too low as clients then question your safety and value.
Make a list or your remaining Back-end procedures and break each of these higher ticket items into smaller priced items. Make sure there is a fee for everything you do. If it’s not defined, you won’t charge for it. Charge for these back-end fees at a higher price point (profit).
When making estimates and bills up, bundle the back-end items together to make a larger profitable bill. Most veterinary management software systems allow for creating these bundled items.
When going over the estimate with the client make sure you explain every line, one at a time, checking for understanding with the client. If the client looks confused - then back up. Don’t go too fast. Get the clients agreement on every point. Work out the payment after you have their agreement.
Questions? Give me a call.
888.675.9765
Thursday, July 8, 2010
I do feel less stressed...
“Sleeping better! I think that’s the main thing. I do feel less stressed; I feel like even if we have a bad week I’m not obsessing about it. I have a plan, I know how to deal with it and I can move forward from there. The next week we’ll see the improvements and I can feel positive about that.”
~ Dr. Ellen Colwell ‘Sykesville Veterinary Clinic’
~ Dr. Ellen Colwell ‘Sykesville Veterinary Clinic’
You're in control of what's going on...
“Optimistic, eternally hopeful, you know. You know, the big thing that motivated us to do this I think is that you’re in control of what’s going on and that the practice is not controlling you.”
~ Dr. Tim Maarhuis ‘Cottonwood Veterinary Practice’
~ Dr. Tim Maarhuis ‘Cottonwood Veterinary Practice’
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