Branding Secrets for Your Clinic

by Dr. Jill Lopez

Taking care of pet health is the heart of every clinic. Good pet care needs to be the foundation of every practice, but if it's the only focus the clinic might not be as successful as it could be. Great health care at the expense of customer service can result in high customer turn over, and at best lackluster reviews. Here are a few reasons why branding your clinic as a business that cares about customer experience really matters.

Brings in revenue

People spend more money at places they get good customer service at, compared to places they don't. This can mean a hefty chunk of cash when looked at in broad terms. Harvard put a number on it and said customers spent as much as 140% more.

At a veterinary clinic, your clients may come in for shots and exams, but they may be reluctant to take advantage of extras if they don't like the service. A customer that enjoys coming might add on fluoride treatment to their dog's dental cleaning, or pick up their dog's food while they're getting an exam done. Better customer service can mean thousands or millions over time.

Converts visitors to loyalty

When a new customer comes in, their first experience defines whether they will keep coming back or not. Impressive customer service leaves an impact your customer will remember and rave about. Loyal customers are worth 10 times their initial purchase on average.

 Loyal customers also save you money. It costs a lot to advertise your clinic, draw in new visitors, and keep advertising to make up for attrition. Loyal customers provide a consistent income, are less likely to try a different office. According to recent surveys, customers don't see brand loyalty as important anymore. 

With the internet making it easy for customers to look up a new office when they no longer like the one they are at, it has become easier than ever for customers to be less loyal and more demanding. 

 You can help keep them from leaving by giving them a reason to rave about your services.

 Improves word of mouth

When customers are happy, they often want to share a great customer experience with family and friends. When someone is unhappy with their vet's office and ready to move on, or simply looking for recommendations, they often turn to friends and family for recommendations.

Word of mouth is a valuable advertising tool, because clients tend not to trust the advertisements they see in the mail or online. They look for authentic recommendations—the ones they get from their friends who visit you. A recommendation from a friend is worth far more than a search engine advertisement or a local mailer, because it comes from someone they trust.

All together, customer experience can have a big impact on your bottom line. In order to keep doing what you love, taking care of the beloved pets of your clients, you need to make sure you deliver spectacular customer service to human and pet alike. That way, everyone benefits.