How to Get Clients to Use Your Veterinary Mobile App (Yes, Even Those Who Aren’t Tech-Savvy)

With so many convenient features to offer, mobile apps are transforming the way veterinary clinics connect with pet owners. If you’re already collecting client and patient data digitally,  a well-designed veterinary mobile app can easily enhance the overall client experience at your practice by streamlining appointment scheduling, managing prescription refills, and storing important pet health information.

It can be a challenge, however, if clients aren’t tech-savvy or don’t welcome the idea of using a mobile app to manage their pets’ health journeys. We’re covering a few strategies you can use to encourage pet owners at your practice to start using the mobile app, helping to turn doubt into confidence to make your clinic more convenient for everyone.

Make the Value of Your Veterinary Mobile App Clear

Focus on the Benefits:
Emphasize to pet owners how your veterinary mobile app makes pet care easier and more efficient by highlighting features like:

• Appointment Scheduling: Explain to your clients how easy it is to book an appointment online anytime, anywhere without having to call your clinic.
• Prescription Refills: Let pet parents know they can request refills for pet medications right from the app on their own time.
• Health Information Storage: Give peace of mind to your clients by keeping all of their pets’ health records and details in one accessible place.

Empower Pet Owners:
Instill trust in your practice and provide confidence to clients by showing them how a veterinary mobile app is key for managing their pets’ health needs. Let them see how easy it is to access pet records, receive reminders for vaccinations, and request medication refills right from their device, replacing doubt with determination.

Promote Awareness of Your Veterinary Mobile App

Staff Recommendation:
Train your team members to recommend the veterinary mobile app to pet parents when they arrive at your clinic for an appointment, or when they’re ready to check out. A personal recommendation from a trusted veterinarian or technician may be just what your clients need to make the switch!

Signage and Displays:
Place eye-catching posters or flyers throughout your practice that showcase the benefits of the veterinary mobile app, and be sure to include a QR code for easy download.

Website and Social Media:
Promote the veterinary mobile app on your clinic’s website and social media platforms to spread the word about the efficiency it provides pet parents with. Highlight key features with engaging visuals and client testimonials, and offer clear instructions on how to download the mobile app on different devices.

Hold Messages and Voicemail:
Let pet owners hear a brief message while they’re on hold about how beneficial the veterinary mobile app is to them, encouraging them to download it while they wait. Include this message in your voicemail greeting, too, to keep clients as informed as possible.

Incentivize Your Veterinary Clients

Welcome Bonus:
Consider offering a small discount or a free service—like a nail trim—for pet owners who download the veterinary mobile app and create their account.

Loyalty Programs:
Put a points system in place at your practice where clients can earn rewards just by using the mobile app. This could include discounts on services or products, encouraging them to keep self-serving through the mobile app rather than calling or visiting your clinic each time.

Try These Strategies for the Less Tech-Savvy!

Support the Clients in Your Clinic

Hands-on Help:
Equip your staff with the training and insights they need to assist clients with downloading and setting up the mobile app during their visit to your clinic. This personalized support can make a significant difference for those who may be unfamiliar with mobile apps or newer technology in general.

Quick Start Guides:
Create printed pamphlets or one-pagers with clear step-by-step instructions on how clients can download the veterinary mobile app and set up their account. Be sure to use large fonts and pictures to make the process even more straightforward.

Scheduled Workshops:
Host optional workshops where pet owners can learn about the mobile app’s features in a no-pressure group setting. This not only educates them on the benefits of the app, but also builds a sense of community for your practice!

Promote Alternatives to Pet Parents

Phone Support:
Reassure clients that traditional methods—like calling your clinic to schedule an appointment or request a prescription refill—are still available if they find the mobile app a bit too challenging.

Family Assistance:
Encourage pet owners to seek help from more tech-savvy family members or younger generations who may be more comfortable with newer technology like a veterinary mobile app.

Make All This Possible With PetDesk

If you already collect your client and patient data digitally, PetDesk can do all of this and more for you and your practice! Loaded with all the features you and your clients need, PetDesk’s Communication Software and App provides an efficient and convenient way of keeping pet owners and veterinary practices connected.

With the ability to access pet health information, request appointments, receive health and service reminders, get pet pickup notifications, purchase pet health insurance, and so much more, the PetDesk Mobile App is an easy way to keep pet parents on track of their pets’ health journeys without lengthy phone calls or email exchanges.

Conclusion

Adding a veterinary mobile app—like the PetDesk Mobile App—to your practice can significantly boost the pet care experience for your clients. Sometimes, however, that’s easier said than done; it requires thoughtful promotion and support to make the value of the mobile app clear, especially for those who are less tech-savvy.

By highlighting the mobile app’s benefits, offering personalized assistance, simplifying its use, and providing ongoing support, you can ensure that all your clients see the value and convenience a veterinary mobile app brings to managing their pets’ health. With patience and persistence, pet owners will appreciate the enhanced communication and streamlined services that your app offers, leading to efficient communication with your veterinary team while promoting a better environment for patient care.