The Game Changer They Didn’t See Coming: Family Pet Health’s Journey to 90% Fewer No-Shows
Products: PetDesk Client Engagement & App
digital appointment confirmations
estimated reduced hours spent on phone
%
of clients downloaded the PetDesk app
%
reduction in no-shows through PetDesk Pay
The above data is from August 2023 to August 2024
‘PetDesk saves us about 45 minutes per doctor per day. With five doctors, that’s nearly 4 hours of CSR time saved daily.’
‘After our first demo, I knew I had to get PetDesk for my clinic.’
Dr. Amy and Michael Shirley hadn’t even owned a hospital yet when they first experienced a demo of PetDesk. But they were so impressed that Michael tried it out at the airport while waiting for their flight and decided that he had to get it for his clinic.
“We knew from that moment that PetDesk would be part of our startup practice. Since day one, we’ve been using PetDesk, and our clients have embraced it wholeheartedly.”
“I chose PetDesk because it was intuitive and easy to use. I wanted to see how simple it was without any guidance, and it exceeded my expectations. The app’s features, like having all records on my phone and the ability to find a vet or groomer while traveling, made it the perfect choice for us.”
“There have been many attempts by other companies to get us to switch services, but I’ve made it clear that leaving PetDesk is a dealbreaker for me. If using another service requires abandoning PetDesk, then I’m not interested.”
‘PetDesk Pay has helped us reduce our no-shows by 90%.’
When PetDesk Pay was rolled out about two years ago at Family Pet Health, it was initially used for new clients who had never visited the clinic before. A $50 booking fee was required upfront, which drastically reduced no-shows. Previously, the clinic experienced two or three new client no-shows daily, but this issue almost disappeared after implementing the booking fee.
“In the past two years, only two clients paid the booking fee and then didn’t show up. If someone doesn’t pay or return their history form, we confidently cancel their appointment and free up the slot. This straightforward approach has been incredibly effective. It’s cut out our no-shows by about 90%, which is huge.”
‘I loved how customizable PetDesk is.’
The ability for clients to request appointments, refill medications, and access basic information—all of these features together made Michael and his team realize that PetDesk was the right choice. Having pets’ records on his phone, complete with push notifications for life-saving medications or even being able to send simple reminders was particularly appealing to him.
“I loved how customizable PetDesk was and that we could customize it for each person’s needs. I tend to forget things if they aren’t written down or reminded, so PetDesk’s ability to set reminders was invaluable.”
“We now no longer have no-call, no-show issues with new clients. It’s not a problem at all—period, full stop. The combination of PetDesk Pay’s pre-authorization has completely eliminated that issue.”
‘The PetDesk app saves us more than 40 hours of work from appointment confirmations.’
Stephen Shirley, Director of Operations at Family Pet Health, tells us that PetDesk has greatly improved their efficiency and effectiveness. The automated reminders prompt clients to call when they’re due for services, rather than the clinic having to reach out to them.
“This inbound approach and automatic appointment confirmations mean my team no longer has to chase clients—PetDesk does it for us. The app allowed clients to request appointments without needing a phone call, saving valuable time and increasing efficiency across the board. We have calculated that the PetDesk app saves us 45 minutes per day per doctor in appointment confirmation work. In our practice, with 5 FTE DVMs, that equates to more than 40 hours of work just for confirmation for our exams.”
The team at Family Pet Health sets their next appointment when a client comes in for an annual exam, whether it’s six or twelve months out. Most people don’t immediately add it to their calendar, so they’ve often forgotten by the time the appointment comes around. PetDesk sends reminders, prompting them to confirm, reschedule, or cancel.
“Two days before the appointment, our CSR team focuses on those who haven’t confirmed yet, helping to reduce no-shows. This process is particularly effective for appointments made well in advance.”
‘With PetDesk, the time I spend with a phone in hand has drastically reduced.’
Dr. Jennifer Nunnery loves how PetDesk has helped her reduce the number of phone calls she used to receive. As a practitioner, that has been a big savior.
“Over my 20-year career, the time I spend with a phone in my hand has drastically reduced. Now, I reserve phone calls for complicated or emotional issues that need a personal touch. The routine check-ins, like asking about Fluffy’s ears, can be done through other means, which has been a huge benefit for me as a practitioner.”
‘With two-way texting, our client communication has improved so much.’
We also spoke to Dr. Jennifer Nunnery, [title], and she explained how PetDesk has helped her and the team with client communications.
“While we’ve always contacted clients after surgeries and medical procedures, PetDesk has made it more efficient. We can now send a text message in less time than it takes to make a phone call. Clients can respond at their convenience, which smooths out surgery days and allows us to maintain steady, efficient contact with them.”
For Michael and his team, the introduction of two-way texting has become so integral that they almost forget what it was like before.
“Every morning, one of our CSR team members sends a quick text to every client who had surgery the day before to check-in. It’s far more efficient for the CSR team, who are at their computers all day, than for a medical assistant constantly moving between rooms. This streamlined approach improves overall efficiency.”
They also use templates for routine communications, allowing their doctors to focus on more critical cases.
“I want to mention how helpful the texting templates have been for efficiency. We already have templates designed to communicate with clients about results, etc. Instead of calling the client, which can lead to lengthy conversations, we simply send the template text. Over time, we’ve tweaked these templates based on client feedback, and now they’re pretty solid.”
‘We get a better management report from PetDesk than our actual practice management software.’
When Michael calls a client to discuss their review, whether a 5-star or even a 1-star, it demonstrates that the clinic genuinely cares. Clients often appreciate the call and the subsequent changes based on their feedback.
“Calling clients directly makes them feel heard and valued, especially when addressing specific concerns like preferring a certain vet. It helps me stay connected and address issues before they escalate.”
The clinic uses the standard Compliance Report inside the App weekly. Every Monday, one of their CSRs works through the list of 30 or so patients who are seven weeks past due for some service. This helps with catching some people who are maybe drifting away and trying to bring them back.
“Additionally, the compliance and management reports in PetDesk are invaluable. Currently, we see about a 7-10% success rate of recapturing those clients who have fallen out of compliance. Our goal within the CSR team is to increase that to a 15% recapture rate in the last quarter of 2024. Having the weekly Compliance Report, which requires ZERO effort on our part to create, is such a vital tool. These reports are used to catch clients who might be drifting away and bring them back.”
Surprisingly, we get a better management report from PetDesk than our actual practice management software.”
“Additionally, the compliance and management reports in PetDesk are invaluable…Having the weekly Compliance Report, which requires ZERO effort on our part to create, is such a vital tool. These reports are used to catch clients who might be drifting away and bring them back.”
‘2,200 of their clients have downloaded the PetDesk app – that’s 65% of their clients who now have easy access to their pet’s health.’
Michael discusses the role of the loyalty app in his practice primarily and how it helps as a retention strategy. He says the loyalty app is important in keeping the PetDesk app installed on their phones. This presence allows the practice to maintain direct communication with clients through emails and push notifications, which are more likely to be seen if the app is still active on their devices.
“I tend to see loyalty programs more as a retention tool rather than a recruitment tool. That said, the loyalty app is important and appreciated. Clients spend a lot of money and frequently redeem free exams through it. The more frequently people use the app, the better—it increases touchpoints, and more touchpoints mean stronger connections.”
Michael mentions the potential reintroduction of point expiration in the rewards program. He believes this strategy serves as a reminder for clients to use their points before they expire, creating a sense of urgency and encouraging them to return to the clinic.
“I do think the loyalty aspect of the app is what keeps clients from deleting it off their phones. When they do open the app, they’ll see the messages we’ve sent, which we do through PetDesk instead of our practice management software, as it’s easier to send mass emails and texts this way.”
“This ease of communication is one of the main reasons I like the app. It’s why I emphasize getting clients to sign up for the rewards program—not just to give away freebies but to ensure they keep the app on their phones so we can reach them when needed. If the app is on their phone, they’re more likely to use the reminders and stay engaged with our communications. This is how we manage to save about 45 minutes a day per doctor.”
‘At every phase, the PetDesk team has been amazing and has exceeded our expectations.’
The team at Family Pet Health have a great relationship with PetDesk, and they make sure to nurture that relationship on both sides.
“The customer service team has consistently surpassed our highest expectations across every phase of implementation, onboarding, and ongoing support. Even if I weren’t Stephen from Family Pet Health, I know that anytime I contact PetDesk with an issue—whether related to the app, PetDesk Pay, or any other service—I get a resolution 95% of the time that meets or exceeds my expectations. The other 5%, the response is usually, “We’re working on it.””
‘I think you’d be missing out if you didn’t take advantage of what PetDesk offers.’
Michael says that Family Pet Health has been open since March 2018, and in all that time, there are only two vendors they have continued to use who have never let them down: our credit card processor and PetDesk.
“I genuinely don’t have anything negative to say about PetDesk. They’re responsive, their technology is reliable, my clients like it, and it makes my team’s life easier. They’ve never let me down.”
“From a customer service perspective, I can’t imagine practicing medicine without PetDesk. They do everything exactly the way I would want it done. Would I recommend them? Absolutely.”
