veterinary software guide
Top 5 veterinary software strategies for easy practice growth
With rising costs, staff burnout, and economic uncertainty challenging practice growth, now is the time to replace outdated processes with more efficient systems. Here are five strategies that automate every step of the client journey—boosting clinic revenue and protecting work-life balance.
Veterinary software strategies
Go directly to the veterinary software strategy you are interested in by clicking the box below
Strategy #1
Examine: how time and revenue are leaking across the client journey
Strategy #2
Diagnose: use automation with your PIMS to improve profits and client retention
Strategy #3
Simplify: communication tools built for veterinary clinics to reduce stress and support patient care
Strategy #4
Support: automate appointment scheduling, notes, and follow-ups
Strategy #5
Prescribe: which veterinary tools truly work for veterinary clinics
Evaluation Checklist & Example Rollout Plan
strategy #1
Examine: how time and revenue are leaking across the client journey
When evaluating where veterinary clinics lose time and revenue, several common points emerge across the client journey. Intake and scheduling often suffer from long hold times and back-and-forth communication, leading to lost appointments. Tracking key metrics like call abandonment rate, average wait time for the next available slot, and the percentage of online bookings helps pinpoint inefficiencies. Missed or late arrivals typically result from weak reminders or unclear pre-visit instructions, so monitoring no-show percentages, late arrivals, and reminder delivery rates is critical. Inside the exam room, manual note-taking and duplicate data entry reduce efficiency; every veterinary hospital should measure average exam duration, DVM time per appointment, and the percentage of charts closed the same day.
Revenue also leaks through charging and inventory management when line items are missed or inventory counts are handled manually. Missed-charge audits, inventory turns, and shrinkage percentages reveal the financial impact. On the client care side, inconsistent follow-ups and poor recall systems reduce compliance, making preventive care adherence, dental recheck completion rates, and vaccine lapse counts key indicators.
Finally, long-term growth depends on client lifetime value, which is weakened by low loyalty, a lack of information, and limited two-way touchpoints. Practices can monitor lifetime value, churn rate, and review volume/ratings to measure performance, retention, and scalability. Together, these KPIs create a roadmap for finding and fixing hidden inefficiencies that directly affect profitability and client satisfaction.
Veterinary technology that can help combat these leaks:
- Turn on two-way texting for confirmations, follow-ups, and updates.
- Offer direct online appointment booking so pet parents can book without calling.
- Use a PIMS-VoIP phone system to track, manage, and improve calls.
Where PetDesk can help:
PetDesk Communications: With a mobile app, automatic reminders/confirmations, digital payments, two-way SMS, loyalty programs, and online forms, your clients will have everything they need (e.g., appointment requests, medical histories, pet insurance) to conveniently engage without tying up the phone lines. By automating intake and providing quick communication channels, staff can prevent missed information and enhance the client experience.
PetDesk Direct Booking: Offering real-time online scheduling reduces call volume and eliminates the frustration of back-and-forth booking. By integrating with your practice management system, pet owners can secure appointments anytime, anywhere—increasing convenience and ensuring your team captures care and revenue opportunities 24/7.
PetDesk Phones: Integrate your phones to your practice management system to automatically sync client and patient details while tracking call volume, missed calls, and hang-ups so staff can secure more opportunities. These insights are key for reducing both staff and client frustration.
strategy #2
Diagnose: use automation with your veterinary practice management software (e.g., Shepherd, ezyVet) to improve profits and client retention
Automation is one of the most effective ways veterinary clinics can boost profits and reduce staff workload. By replacing manual, inconsistent processes with automated workflows, staff can capture more appointments, prevent revenue loss, strengthen client loyalty, and enhance pet care. These systems run in the background, ensuring no opportunity for care—or revenue—is missed, while also providing more time to focus on patients. Here are some of the most profitable automations to consider:
Smart reminders and recalls: Use multi-channel sequences (SMS, email, push notifications) to keep clients on track with vaccines, dentals, and preventatives, averting overdue pet healthcare and no-shows.
Abandoned call/booking recapture: Automatically text pet parents who miss your call, providing a convenient direct booking link to recover lost appointments.
Reactivation campaigns: Keep pet health on track by targeting overdue patients by age, breed, or condition with tailored reminders and offers to bring them back into the clinic.
Reputation lift: Send automated post-visit review requests with direct links to Google, boosting your online presence and attracting new loyal clients.
Where PetDesk can help:
PetDesk Communications and PetDesk Marketing: Automated recalls, targeted campaigns, review requests, and mobile app push notifications keep pet owners consistently engaged with your practice—without adding to your team’s workload. These tools drive compliance, improve retention, and strengthen the clinic’s reputation through timely, personalized outreach.
PetDesk Direct Booking: By embedding booking links directly into campaigns, emails, or texts, clients can effortlessly schedule appointments in a couple of clicks. This seamless connection turns marketing efforts into measurable revenue, and reduces friction throughout the client journey.
PetDesk Phones: Auto SMS responses for missed calls ensure that potential appointments are never lost, while detailed call analytics highlight patterns in call volume and abandonment. With this data, practices can refine staffing and communication strategies to better meet the demand of today’s pet parents.
1-HOUR CE EVENT • OCTOBER 22 • 10AM PT / 1PM ET
Plug the leaks: 5 ways to use automation to reclaim time and revenue at every client touchpoint
Join Nicole Clausen and Emmitt Nantz, Co-Founders of Inventory Ally, along with Mary Shwartz, CVT and Scarlett Fox, CVPM for a 1-hour CE credit on automating every step of the client journey—helping to boost revenue and protect your team’s sanity.
strategy #3
Simplify: communication tools built for veterinary clinics to reduce stress and support patient care
Reducing burnout in veterinary practices isn’t just about lighter schedules—it’s about removing the friction points that consume your team’s energy and sanity. The right tools simplify communication, documentation, and daily workflows so staff can focus on patient care instead of repetitive administrative tasks. Automating routine interactions and consolidating platforms helps to reduce team stress, improve productivity, and protect work-life balance. Some high-impact, burnout-reducing features include:
Phone deflection to messaging/online actions:
Cut down on time-consuming phone calls by redirecting common touchpoints and administrative tasks (e.g. frequently asked questions, invoicing, client forms, appointment requests) to accurate SMS-based automation.
Electronic medical records (EMR):
Replace outdated systems and manual record-keeping with accurate automation, securely housing patient medical histories and client information in one user-friendly interface.
Unified veterinary inbox:
Consolidate text messages and voicemail transcripts into a single platform so staff no longer have to waste energy juggling multiple systems.
AI-powered transcription:
Speed up your note-taking process with veterinary AI scribe software. Generate SOAP notes and summaries faster without working through lunch or after the clinic is closed.
Where PetDesk can help:
PetDesk Communications: The powerful duo of two-way texting and mass messaging makes it easy for staff to manage client conversations in one place. With added features like digital payment processing, online forms for easy record-keeping, appointment requests, and more, veterinary teams can simplify staff workflow, avoid communication bottlenecks, and provide exceptional client engagement.
PetDesk Phones: Work more efficiently by integrating your phones with your PIMS to view all conversations in one place, and use powerful voice features with intelligent call routing to reduce dropped calls, easily manage missed calls, and improve the phone experience for both CSRs and pet parents. Most importantly, these features help staff prevent an administrative overload during peak hours while boosting client responsiveness.
PetDesk Scribe: AI-powered medical notes simplify your documentation by reducing the time doctors spend manually typing or writing SOAP notes and summaries. This not only prevents working through breaks and after business hours, but also frees up your team to focus more on patient care and client communication.
strategy #4
Support: automate appointment scheduling, notes, and follow-ups
Easing day-to-day operations in veterinary clinics requires looking closely at three critical areas: scheduling, documentation, and follow-ups. Each of these categories holds opportunities to reduce friction, improve patient care, and drive clinic growth. By applying automation, smart workflows, and digital tools, practices can run more smoothly while giving staff and clients a better experience.
24/7 veterinary scheduling
Efficient scheduling ensures clients get seen promptly while protecting staff from burnout. Direct online appointment booking works well for routine or low-complexity visits, while triage customizations help gate more urgent cases that require specific doctors or resources. Rules, buffers, and real-time availability make scheduling more predictable and help to prevent overwhelming phone volume.
- Enable direct booking for wellness, vaccines, and other routine appointments.
- Set rules for doctor/species pairing, appointment durations, and same-day urgent holds.
- Display real-time appointment availability online to cut down on routine phone calls.
AI-powered veterinarian documentation
Manual or inconsistent patient records delay workflows and contribute to documenting routine appointment details after hours. Using veterinary-tuned AI transcription software helps to quickly generate accurate SOAP notes and client summaries, accelerating the documentation process while minimizing errors.
- Use AI scribe software to finish notes without working through personal time.
- Automate SOAP notes and client summaries to save time and improve accuracy.
- Partner with an all-in-one veterinary AI transcription provider that offers additional solutions.
Automatic veterinary follow-ups
Structured follow-up communication and consistent engagement helps strengthen client loyalty and treatment compliance. Automated reminders and follow-ups create a seamless experience for front desk staff and pet parents. Informative follow-ups through SMS or mobile app push notifications can also reinforce the importance of preventive care and early detection.
- Send consistent touchpoints, such as 1 day, 7 day, and 30 day follow-ups.
- Automate online review requests and recheck reminders.
- Share pet healthcare education and dosing instructions via SMS or app with refill links.
Where PetDesk can help:
PetDesk Direct Booking: Rule-based scheduling flows let clinics control appointment types, durations, and provider assignments while still giving clients the freedom to book online. With links available from your website, Google Business profile, or marketing campaigns, you’ll be ready to capture more appointments 24/7 without phone calls.
PetDesk Scribe: Structured SOAP notes and user-friendly client summaries help to simplify documentation and improve understanding for pet parents. This not only accelerates the note-taking process but also helps to secure missed revenue from overlooked services or medications. Plus, PetDesk has the veterinary solutions you need to support the full client journey—not just isolated features.
PetDesk Communications: Automated follow-ups, user-friendly forms for easy record management, and prescription refill reminders keep pet parents engaged before, during, and after the visit. Automating these touchpoints helps clinics improve treatment compliance and strengthen client loyalty, without creating extra work for staff.
42% of pet parents say they’ve never received reminders about appointments and vaccines from their vet, risking no-shows and lost revenue.
strategy #5
Prescribe: which veterinary tools truly work for veterinary clinics
client communications and crm
Veterinary client communication software should make it easy to stay connected with pet parents at every stage of care. Look for tools like two-way SMS and app messaging, automated recalls and reminders, post-visit review requests, and customizable messaging templates. Segmentation features allow you to target specific groups (e.g. overdue dental care, puppies/kittens, senior pets), while analytics help you measure compliance, engagement, and ROI.
Why it matters: Consistent, automated communication supports preventive care compliance, improves retention, and helps strengthen the client-clinic bond. A strong CRM layer also reduces front-desk workload by consolidating conversations in one place.
The solution: Software like PetDesk Communications centralizes SMS and app messaging, automates reminders and forms, and simplifies post-visit review collection. With everything in one platform, staff spend less time handling calls and more time focusing on patients.
phones & call intelligence
Phone systems should go beyond just taking calls. Modern call intelligence platforms include call tracking, voicemail transcription, missed-call texting, and soft-phone capabilities. They also provide analytics to monitor call volume, abandonment rates, and staffing needs.
Why it matters: The phone is often a client’s first impression of your veterinary hospital. By reducing hold times and recapturing missed calls, staff can preserve revenue and reduce client frustration. Analytics give a detailed view of communication bottlenecks, which helps guide staffing decisions.
The solution: PIMS-VoIP Phone systems (such as PetDesk Phones) lower hold times, prevent revenue loss with auto-text responses, and give managers the data they need to allocate staffing and resources. This means fewer missed opportunities and a smoother client experience.
Online scheduling & front-door conversion
Scheduling tools should provide real-time availability and allow rules by visit type, doctor, or species. Advanced systems include triage questions for more complex cases, deposit support for high-value procedures, and built-in no-show policies. Integration with your website, Google Business profile, and marketing campaigns ensures that every digital touchpoint has a chance to turn into a confirmed appointment.
Why it matters: Direct booking captures appointments when pet parents are most available—often outside clinic hours. The software reduces phone traffic, eliminates friction, and ensures practices never miss out on a booking opportunity.
The solution: 24/7 online scheduling software like PetDesk Direct Booking offers extensive customizations and direct booking links to seamlessly convert online traffic into confirmed visits. The software’s pre-appointment deposit or full payment requests not only help to automate invoicing, but also secure revenue from potential no-shows and keep pet healthcare on track. With everything you need to stay in control of your schedule on and off the clock, your team can better meet each client’s specific needs without losing revenue or increasing call volume.
Clinical productivity (veterinary AI transcription software solutions)
True productivity means saving time for staff while improving the accuracy of patient records and quality of care. Features like AI-powered scribing and structured SOAP templates simplify documentation and prevent revenue loss.
Why it matters: Generating accurate, detailed SOAP notes and client summaries is one of the biggest sources of occupational burnout for DVMs. Reducing documentation time allows doctors to finalize notes same-day, reclaim personal time, and focus more on providing exceptional patient care.
The solution: With the simple press of a button, veterinary-specific AI transcription software solutions (such as PetDesk Scribe) automatically captures appointment details in real time. This significantly speeds up the note-taking process, ensuring more accurate documentation and improved client understanding without vets having to work through breaks or compromise the quality of care.
marketing & growth
A marketing platform should help staff reach the right clients at the right time. Key features include targeted social media and Google advertising, email campaigns, SMS and app-based promotions, and more.
Why it matters: Growth isn’t just about adding new clients—it’s about keeping existing ones engaged and compliant. Automated marketing campaigns help fill gaps in the schedule, increase preventive compliance, and build long-term client loyalty.
The solution: Veterinary digital agency services (like those that come with PetDesk Marketing) allow staff to segment audiences, automate multi-touch journeys, and track conversions. With social media marketing, Google advertising, reputation management, and even graphic design, your clinic will be able to increase online engagement and drive measurable growth. Even better, providers like PetDesk manage all of your marketing for you, so you can stay focused on your staff and clients without having to do a thing.
Evaluation Checklist & Example Rollout Plan
Evaluation checklist
When evaluating veterinary software, it’s important to go beyond surface features and look at the factors that truly determine long-term success. A tool may seem powerful on paper, but without seamless integration, clear pricing, and strong customer support, it can create more headaches than it solves. This checklist can help teams choose software that not only fits their needs today, but also scales as the clinic grows.
PIMS integrations: Ensure the system offers read/write integration where possible so data flows seamlessly and staff avoid duplicate entry.
Transparent pricing: Look for clarity on whether pricing is per-location or per-user, what SMS or communication costs apply, and whether add-ons are required.
Onboarding timeline, training, and data migration plan: A smooth transition matters—confirm how long onboarding takes, what training is provided, and how data is migrated.
Security & compliance: Verify safeguards like audit logs, proper PHI handling, and role-based permissions to protect client and patient information.
Automation depth: Assess how advanced the automation is, including triggers, branching logic, templates, and customizable scheduling rules.
Analytics: Strong dashboards should provide insights into revenue growth, no-show trends, message delivery, and campaign ROI so you can track success.
Customer Support: Confirm the availability of live chat or phone support, service-level agreements (SLAs), and whether you’ll have a dedicated success manager.
References: Ask for case studies or references from clinics of similar size and species mix, along with before-and-after KPIs to benchmark results.
Example rollout plan (30–60 days)
Rolling out new veterinary software works best in phases—starting with foundational tools that provide immediate impact, then layering in automation and efficiency upgrades, and finally scaling into advanced features. A structured 30–60 day plan helps the team adapt gradually, avoiding an information overload while still seeing quick wins. Here’s a sample rollout roadmap to better guide implementation:
Week 1–2 (Foundation):
Enable core tools such as two-way SMS, missed-call text responses, and direct online booking for routine visits to quickly reduce phone traffic and improve client access.
Week 3–4 (Flow):
Activate recalls and overdue care automations, deploy scribe tools in two exam rooms to simplify notes, and standardize discharge templates for consistency.
Week 5–6 (Scale):
Expand direct booking to cover more visit types, launch targeted marketing campaigns, and establish a routine of reviewing dashboards weekly to track KPIs and identify growth opportunities.
Proudly brought to you by PetDesk
PetDesk provides modern clinics with the most so veterinary teams can stress the least.
- Pet parent mobile app
- Auto reminders & confirmations
- Digital payments
- Texting & mass messaging
- Client loyalty programs
- Easy-to-use digital forms
- PIMS-integrated phones
- Voice features & call routing
- 24/7 direct booking
- AI-powered SOAP notes
- Custom-built websites
- Digital marketing