Veterinary Practice Improves Client Retention and Increases Revenue with PetDesk
%
less time on the phone
%
increase in client retention
%
increase in revenue
hometown
Meet Hometown Veterinary Care
- Two-Way Messaging
- Payment Software
- Veterinary Mobile App
- Loyalty Program
They understand that choosing a veterinary hospital is one of the most important decisions pet owners make, and they strive to meet and exceed our clients’ expectations.
Their team is committed to the education and promotion of wellness to help pet owners enjoy more quality time with their companions.
About J.M Kata, Practice Manager
Kata and his wife have one daughter. Their home also boasts three dogs, one cat, and more horses than anyone should boast about. J enjoys fishing, hunting, shooting and spending time with friends on the farm. During family time, Kata breeds and shows horses, spends quiet nights at home and goes on fishing trips. J is an avid Star Trek fan and attended the University of Indiana at South Bend. J has been with HVC since 2018 and is committed to HVC providing the very best standard of care for the fur families of Southeast Iowa.
‘Signing up with PetDesk was one of the best things we ever did.’
“We ended up getting PetDesk after I spoke to a friend in North Dakota, and he told me about his excellent experience with the company and the product. So we made some phone calls, a few emails went back and forth, a couple of Zoom calls for the walkthrough, and everything seemed like it was an excellent idea.”
“We started with a fantastic introductory offer, and then the time came to pay for it. I believe the strongest endorsement you can give a product is to choose to spend your own money on it after the free trial ends. That speaks volumes, and for us, that’s a significant vote of confidence.”
‘It’s 2024; we had to push people off the phones to a messaging service.’
“Not everything needs to be addressed immediately, but if your phone rings, it needs your attention immediately. PetDesk is like our third receptionist. Its 2-way messaging service gives our receptionists time to extend those responses and triage emergencies correctly. Not just that, I have seen our receptionists getting less distracted from their work.”
Not everything needs to be addressed immediately, but if your phone rings, it needs your attention immediately. PetDesk is like our third receptionist…”
‘Our clinic staff now spends 30% less time on the phone than they did previously.’
“With PetDesk, all those enquiries that used to come over the phone can now be answered quickly through the messaging system. Ten people had messages with either appointment requests or medication refills this morning, and it took only 30 minutes to get those sorted. The tool has helped us avoid a lot of back and forth. It has really increased efficiency.”
‘PetDesk’s Text2Pay feature is game-changing for us’
“We’re going to be rolling out an email campaign shortly to let our clients know that now we have this PetDesk payment available so that they can pay via their app.”
They also use the Text2Pay feature, which has streamlined the clinic’s process.
“I mean, it’s 2024. Who has time for a phone call? Right? So, for our clients to pick up the phone and literally just text our phone number and get a response from us is game-changing. Their ability to also send in their video and picture messages has helped us address and triage problems in real-time.”
“…When we introduced the PetDesk dashboard, the team quickly adapted to its interface, finding it both familiar and solving many of the issues we had with the previous app…”
‘The staff and the clients loved the PetDesk app when they started using it’
About half of Hometown’s clients are over 60 years old, ranging from those who do not use technology to those who grew up with Nintendos and are adept at scanning QR codes. J tells us that he, too, had to go through some of the clients not liking the change when they moved from their previous app to PetDesk, but it was only a matter of time before they realized how easy to use PetDesk was.
“Some of the clients grumbled a little bit. But people started to like it, especially when they downloaded the PetDesk app, got their files on their phones, and realized how much easier this is. It was this versus what we were using.”
“We understand that staff can also resist change, especially in a corporate environment. However, from a management standpoint, we encourage patience to see how new solutions unfold. When we introduced the PetDesk dashboard, the team quickly adapted to its interface, finding it both familiar and solving many of the issues we had with the previous app. It was like a light bulb turning on, and everyone appreciated the improvements.”
With PetDesk’s loyalty program, a clinic can help their clients come back for more care. J loves that and makes sure that the clients are frequently using them. He sees it as a way of strengthening customer service.
“Our loyalty points system is incredibly effective, encouraging clients to stay loyal because they recognize the value we offer. Our program is far more extensive than most, allowing clients to redeem their points for double or even triple the items compared to other clinics. We prioritize our clients’ satisfaction, ensuring they can actually use their points—what good is a loyalty program if the points aren’t usable? This system not only rewards loyalty but also strengthens our relationships with clients, enhancing our overall service. It’s a rising tide that lifts all boats.”
‘If I had to rate the customer support at PetDesk on a scale of 1 to 10, I would rate it 11.’
Kata shares that any issue he has encountered has been resolved within 24 hours.
‘We have quarterly checkups and are constantly in communication. The team at PetDesk makes sure we’ve got everything we need. Any problems, hiccups or questions are always answered. I’ve had a lot worse tech support from many different things. So I really can’t say enough good things about tech support.”
‘PetDesk’s onboarding process is fantastic!’
We feel very proud when someone loves the product and even more when they love our team. J had a very enthusiastic response, too. He was impressed with how the onboarding and support team took them through the process and held their hand with the right amount of communication at the right time. With their PMS, they had a few issues shifting accounts for some of their clients, but the support team was super responsive and helped him through the problem.
“I don’t know if it’s your company culture or your hiring process, but the people you have for onboarding and back-end support are top-notch. There was constant communication anytime we needed anything. They did a great job, and the turnover was super quick.”
‘PetDesk allows us to triage appointments almost instantly.’
In their clinic, J always keeps the PetDesk dashboard open so the staff can constantly monitor it, and if a new request comes up, it is answered immediately. This is much easier and more efficient for clinic staff when they can continue to focus on their work and be more productive than getting distracted by that phone ringing.
“PetDesk streamlines triage compared to answering phone calls, where you can’t immediately tell if a call is about a minor issue or an emergency. With PetDesk, staff can quickly assess and prioritize each situation, allowing for more efficient decisions. This real-time visibility improves service quality and helps us better serve our clients.”
‘We have retained 10% of our clients and seen a 25% increase in revenue.’
About 10% of J’s clientele go to multiple clinics. If they’re busy, they’ll go somewhere else. He has repeatedly heard from those pet owners about how the other clinics don’t have an app, or how the app they have is so much more challenging to use.
‘I’ve heard many clients commenting that they enjoy coming here because the information they get from PetDesk is so accessible. Some of my clients lament that they have to go somewhere else because we are not able to see them.’
‘We have been using PetDesk for three years now and have seen a 25% increase in revenue, especially when COVID hit.’
“I’ve heard many clients commenting that they enjoy coming here because the information they get from PetDesk is so accessible…”
‘We highly recommend PetDesk to those seeking solutions for their clinic.’
J identifies how, in the next 20 years in the vet med world, technology will be the driving force- with new machines, new ways of doing lab work and even new ways of doing surgery. He also sees the pet parents now like accessible information in their hands.
“If you cannot provide that convenience of having data and technology in their hands, they will try to get it elsewhere. PetDesk, as an app, is a fantastic tool for those pet parents who are religious about bringing their animals for care because they are in tune with their health and almost instantly know that something is not right. With their messages and comments, it is now easy to help them out straightaway.”
J rightly tells us how veterinarians wear their hearts on their sleeves, and they’re a class of people who almost don’t grasp the concept of how to say ‘No’ because nobody got into vet school to turn people away and watch an animal die.
“…and that is why mental burnout is such an issue in our industry. It’s not just a job. That is who you are as a veterinary medical professional. Handling emergencies and constant phone calls can be overwhelming as we often lack the bandwidth to process it all. We must find solutions that help us cope, and PetDesk is instrumental in making that happen.”
