Resolve to elevate your client service in 2014

Word-of-mouth referrals have long been the #1 source of new clients for veterinary hospitals. Every time a client visits your clinic, you need to provide an exceptional service experience so she'll tell friends and family--and write an online review to tell the world.

Here are 10 ways to elevate your client service:

1. Stand to greet clients and patients by name when they walk in the front door.
2. Offer beverages in your lobby. 
3. Provide wireless Internet access.
4. Have leash hooks on checkout counters.
5. Keep an umbrella stand by the front door filled with golf-sized umbrellas.
6. Have a squeaky clean and well-supplied restroom. I once visited a veterinary hospital where the client bathroom also had a litter box for three clinic cats--stinky!
7. Put patients' photos in your practice-management software so images will print on invoices, treatment plans and exam report cards.
8. Give every new client a "Welcome to our hospital" gift bag stuffed with goodies.
9. Place digital photo frames near client seating areas in the lobby and in exam rooms. Include images of dentistry, a hospital tour, boarding and more in this educational slideshow.
10. Mail thank-you notes to clients who refer new patients.

Learn easy-to-implement ideas in our Dec. 10 webinar on "Rejuvenating Client Service to Keep Clients Coming Back." Designed for the entire team, this webinar will teach you how to:

• Create great first impressions for new clients
• 30 client-pleasing ideas for returning clients
• Provide exam door to car door service

Join us Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 12 or 3 p.m. Eastern time for our webinar on "Rejuvenating Client Service to Keep Clients Coming Back." For $99 per hospital, your webinar includes a handout, 1 hour of CE credit, a CE certificate, and unlimited playback of the recorded webinar following the event. If your team isn't available on Dec. 10, you may purchase access to the on-demand session for the same price of $99, allowing you to then set your staff meeting around your schedule. To enroll, call us at 720-344-2347 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mountain time.

You're a few hours short of licensing requirements and quickly need CE credit. We can help with webinars from Communication Solutions for Veterinarians. Each of these webinars provides one hour of CE credit and can train your entire team, including veterinarians, technicians and certified veterinary practice manager who may need to complete CE requirements.

Each webinar is $99 per hospital and includes unlimited playback, handout and CE certificate. To register, call 720-344-2347 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mountain time or email Beverly at bfinamore@csvets.com.

Best practices: Exam communication

Best practices: Senior care programs

Callbacks that get clients to come back

Calming angry and upset clients

Capturing compliance every patient visit

Creating the client experience: Before, during and after the exam

Explaining finances with confidence

How social media can promote your practice

How to say it: Talking with phone shoppers

How to use social media to promote preventive care

Phone skills for veterinary teams

Promoting preventive dentistry

Protecting your pharmacy in a changing marketplace

Selling the value of diagnostics

Strategies to get cats back

Understanding body language in client conversations