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How Southern California Veterinary Hospital Saved $30,000 and Cut Phone Time by 70% with PetDesk

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PetDesk Communications

PetDesk Phones

PetDesk Direct Booking

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Hours saved per week

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Out-of-hours bookings

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Appointments booked

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Of appointments came via PetDesk

Southern California Veterinary Hospital began using the PetDesk Communications in early 2024.

Alongside the App, they implemented PetDesk’s reminder system, replacing outdated e-reminders and physical postcards. Shortly after, they adopted PetDesk’s Direct Booking platform. Most recently, they transitioned to PetDesk Phones, which has now been in place for six months.

PetDesk Communications & PetDesk Direct Booking

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Appointment reminders sent

Over 276 appointments booked after hours/outside of business hours.

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App users

Generated 667 appointments, 90 being from new clients.

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Health service reminders sent

379 of their appointments booked online came from PetDesk

Data from January 2024 – December 2024.

PetDesk Communications and Direct Booking

‘PetDesk is exactly what we needed.’

“Vetcor initially recommended PetDesk, but once I saw everything it could do, I was genuinely excited to introduce it to our clinic.”

Encouraging clients to use the PetDesk App and book through the Direct Booking tool has reduced the burden of phone calls significantly.

“The biggest challenge was the sheer volume of phone calls. We were short-staffed and had limited phone lines, so we needed a way to streamline scheduling and free up our team’s time. PetDesk was exactly what we needed to reduce those “routine” calls that take up 5–10 minutes each. Encouraging clients to use the app and online booking has saved us a ton of time.”

‘PetDesk has helped us save 2-3 hours a week!’

Justine estimates that these tools have saved the clinic a significant amount of money in the past year by reducing time spent on the phone and streamlining workflows.

“While it’s hard to give an exact figure, just based on the number of appointments booked online and the time saved per call, I’d estimate it’s saved us over $30,000 in the past 6–12 months. It’s easily saving us 2–3 hours a week, if not more.”

‘Our in-clinic experience feels more personal and less rushed.’

With reclaimed time, Justine says that the clinic has been able to offer a more attentive and personal level of service.

“We’re able to be more present with clients in the clinic. Our receptionists now have more time to triage phone calls, determine urgency, and provide better care overall. It’s improved our workflow, and honestly, our in-clinic experience feels more personal and less rushed.”

In a busy city like Los Angeles, the convenience PetDesk offers has helped Justine and her team retain clients. 

“We’re in Los Angeles, where people are constantly multitasking. The convenience of being able to schedule, cancel, or reschedule an appointment on their own time—without having to call—is a big deal. Clients feel like we’re meeting them where they are, and that builds trust and loyalty.”

‘PetDesk Communications and Direct Booking help clinics capture appointments that might otherwise have been lost.’

Justine understands that clients frequently book appointments late at night, early in the morning, or over weekends when the clinic is closed. The Direct Booking tool helps them get those appointments in.

“That flexibility to book after hours keeps them coming back. Even with multiple setbacks this year—like losing several doctors—I’ve still seen the positive impact these tools have had on our clinic’s overall revenue. Clients see their pet’s reminders ahead of time, and we’re able to coach them further when they come in.”

“…The convenience of being able to schedule, cancel, or reschedule an appointment on their own time—without having to call—is a big deal. Clients feel like we’re meeting them where they are, and that builds trust and loyalty.”

“…The convenience of being able to schedule, cancel, or reschedule an appointment on their own time—without having to call—is a big deal. Clients feel like we’re meeting them where they are, and that builds trust and loyalty.”

‘PetDesk Direct Booking is very customizable and we love it!’

“We love how customizable Direct Booking is. If I need to make adjustments to support our scheduling procedures and processes, it’s easy to do so. We can control appointment types and doctor availability options, and manage it all in real time. It’s been really helpful and user-friendly for our clinic.”

‘Our staff and pet parents absolutely love it!’

The response from staff has been overwhelmingly positive. Even the pet parents have loved the convenience of getting reminders and booking their appointments at all times. This is what Justine had to say:

“They (pet parents) love it! Especially the ability to text us or get reminders directly. Some older clients or those concerned about digital security take a bit more time to warm up to it, but once they understand how safe and simple it is, most come around.”

Justine tells us that PetDesk has made their staff’s day-to-day life much smoother. Mornings are now quieter, reducing the staff’s stress and contributing to a better work-life balance—even lunch breaks are more manageable.

“The team loves it too. We’ve cut down phone time by about 70%. Now, we only need to call clients directly about 30% of the time—for more complex issues like medication questions. We even receive photos via text and can upload them straight into our PMS.”

‘Anytime we have a question, PetDesk team is always there to support’

We were particularly interested to know how the training process was for their team and Justine tells us just how smooth their onboarding was.

“The onboarding process was very straightforward. Training the team was easy, and I really appreciated the built-in resources. Everything was laid out clearly, and when we had questions, the PetDesk support team was always available to help.”

‘My favorite feature of PetDesk Communications is the mass messaging tool’

“I love the mass messaging tool! I can create newsletters or quick updates in Canva, copy and paste them in, and send them to clients right from the dashboard. It’s super efficient, and clients seem to enjoy the updates.”

‘We got PetDesk Communications and Direct Booking together and have not regretted this decision’

Justine and the team got both the tools- the App and Direct Booking together and love the flexibility it gives to their pet parents.

“It was kind of presented to me as a bundled solution, and honestly, it just made sense. If you’re using the app, having online booking goes hand in hand—and vice versa. One complements the other. For example, people lying in bed at 10 p.m. suddenly remember, “Oh no, I forgot to book Coco’s appointment!” They can just hop on their phone and do it instantly. That kind of flexibility.”

PetDesk Phones

‘I liked the idea of using a phone system that was integrated with the tools we were already using.’

When it came time to upgrade their phone system, PetDesk Phones were a natural fit. Already familiar with PetDesk’s App and Booking, Justine valued having all tools under one roof for a more cohesive experience.

“I liked the idea of using a phone system that was integrated with the tools we were already using. PetDesk Phones gave us more park lines, call routing options, and better control over how calls are handled. It just made sense from a workflow and management standpoint.”

‘PetDesk Phone’s call routing and phone tree features have significantly improved efficiency.’

“We have seen a huge difference in workflow efficiency with PetDesk Phones. We can route calls based on urgency—like medication requests going straight to voicemail—and the call tree feature helps us stay organized. I can track call metrics, recordings, and performance. It’s been a game changer for efficiency.”

“Clients have definitely felt it in how quickly and smoothly we handle their calls. We’ve reduced their hold time and frustration, and that makes a difference.”

‘PetDesk Phones are solid and dependable.’

Justine credits PetDesk’s tools with saving time, reducing stress, and enhancing the quality of care her clinic provides. While some benefits are hard to quantify, the impact is clear.

“I’ve had clients call in worried because their pet was bleeding—like a bleeding nail. In those moments, speed really matters. Thanks to PetDesk Phones, I was able to tell the client right away, ‘Go ahead and text me a photo of it.’ Within five minutes, they’d sent the photo over, and while still on the phone, I could see exactly what was going on.”

She continues to tell us that it is in those moments that one realises the importance of technology.

“And yes, in those moments, I absolutely think—thank goodness we have PetDesk.”

“And yes, in those moments, I absolutely think—thank goodness we have PetDesk.”

“And yes, in those moments, I absolutely think—thank goodness we have PetDesk.”

‘The analytics and call recording feature has been very helpful.’

“I also find the analytics and call recording features really helpful for managing our client communication strategy. I regularly use the manager report to track our outreach, see how responsive we’re being, and figure out where we can improve. It’s made it much easier to stay on top of how we’re connecting with clients and refine our approach as needed.”

To those who feel intimidated by technology, Justine has some wise words from them:

“Technology can feel intimidating at first but once you embrace it, it’s transformative.” 

“Would we recommend PetDesk? 100%.

Between Communications, Direct Booking, and Phones—it’s made our clinic more efficient, more client-friendly, and honestly, just a better place to work.”

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