Simple gestures can make a big difference in the minds of pet owners. Many businesses know this and have capitalized on this fact for years. Here are three ways you can pamper your clients.
1. Pamper Your Clients' Pets with Complimentary Treats
Some banks hand out doggie treats to their clients who bring their precious pups through the drive-thru window, Starbucks offers the ‘Puppuccino,’ Dairy Queen has a ‘Pup Cup’ and Culver’s offers a Milk Bone atop a scoop of vanilla custard. Each of these specialty treats is complimentary. Keep in mind that when you pamper your clients’ pets, you are indirectly pampering your clients. Just as dentists allow the little ones to find a toy in the treasure chest following their dental exam, fur babies need a special something after their veterinary appointment. Offering a scrumptious gourmet treat following each appointment is a great way to make the patient (and the pet parent) feel special. These treats can be purchased from a local pet store or you can use an online recipe to create delicious, healthy treats yourself. You can make the delectable treats for cats and for dogs.
2. Offer Flexible Hours and Weekend Appointments
While it is common for veterinarians to offer appointments from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. or 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday through Friday, consider offering your pet owners later hours on one of these days and Saturday appointments once a month. For instance, you could come in at 11 a.m. and stay until 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, and offer appointments from 9 a.m. until noon on one Saturday each month.
Needless to say, you can tweak this schedule once you know how many of your pet parents find it helpful.
3. If You do not Have an Emergency Line, Recommend a Pet Emergency Center
In the event of an emergency, fear sets in. The emergency situation at hand is scary enough, but when the incident happens after hours, the inability to reach your trusted veterinarian only intensifies the feeling of fear and helplessness. The reality is that although there are emergency room facilities for pets popping up all over the country, pet owners tend to trust their veterinarians more: Understandably, when you consider that these fur babies are much more than a pet, but a beloved family member. Therefore, if you would prefer that your clients visit an emergency center, recommend a center that you trust. Recommending a pet emergency center to your pet parents can help put their minds at ease.
Think about providing the information about this emergency center on your clients’ receipts or ask the center if they have anything you can give to your clients (e.g., informative ‘business card’ magnets, etc.). Magnets are ideal in that they can be placed on the refrigerator and are readily available when needed.
Implementing these three tips can go a long way in attaining patient referrals, receiving amazing online patient reviews and an increasing your number of regular clientele.
To learn more about pamper your pet owners, read our Knowledge Drop here.
