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Thursday, May 23, 2013

Are you a hare or a tortoise as far as marketing is concerned?

By John Sheridan

Thursday, May 23, 2013 03:57

What's the best approach to marketing -- are you a hare or a tortoise? Do you believe that eye catching promotions, discounts, deals and other short term marketing initiatives are the best way to boost your top line or is the traditional approach to build a long-term bond with your clients, still the best? Episode 98 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which DeniseTumblin, offers her advice Best regards

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

Some surprising factors which influence the profitability of veterinary practice

By John Sheridan

Thursday, May 16, 2013 04:27

Is it to do with the price of your services or the wealth of your customers? Maybe it's linked to how hard you work, how many staff you employ or your clinical experience and skills. Could it have something to do with your age or even your gender -- or is it simply linked to the economic well-being of your particular marketplace? Episode 98 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Pere Mercader, a veterinarian and business consultant from Spain and one of the speakers at this year's BSAVA Congress in Birmingham, outlines the results of some recent studies in the United States, Spain and Portugal Best regards

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Thursday, May 09, 2013

Managing the people who are managing you

By John Sheridan

Thursday, May 09, 2013 04:35

Does your practice employ a manager? Of course it does! You may or may not employee someone who is defined as a manager but everyone in the practice is responsible for managing some of the practice resources. It may be the client database, or the kennels, the equipment or the pharmacy or any of the other tangible practice assets. It may be a responsibility for other members of the team or it may simply be that each employee has to work out how best to manage their relationship with their colleagues at work -- and that includes the boss. Episode 97 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Edward Muzio offers some advice about managing the people who are managing you Best regards

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Thursday, May 02, 2013

What is it that motivates us to work?

By John Sheridan

Thursday, May 02, 2013 04:24

Do you remember Maslows Hierarchy which suggests that people are driven first to fulfill their basic needs for security which includes food, shelter and safety. In the workplace - your veterinary practice for example -- your employees would probably include under the security heading, their own job security and the value of their individual remuneration. There is plenty of evidence which suggests that if they feel that their job is secure and that their salary is reasonable and fair, money ceases to be a prime motivator. So what is it that motivates us to work? Maybe it's got something to do with blurring the difference between work and leisure. Episode 97 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Dan Ariely suggests that most of us thrive when we feel we're making constant progress and have a clear sense of purpose Best regards

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Wednesday, May 01, 2013

The latest Quick Poll from Veterinary Business Briefing

By John Sheridan

Wednesday, May 01, 2013 03:45

I have just posted the latest Quick Poll on the Veterinary Business Briefing home page. This time the question concerns your visits to this - the Veterinary Business Briefing website. Please take a look and record your own vote Here are the results of the most recent Quick Poll

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Thursday, Apr 18, 2013

Podcasts mean easy publicity for your veterinary practice

By John Sheridan

Thursday, Apr 18, 2013 12:17

I'm certainly no expert on practice websites but I do know that the practices which are really thriving, even in the most economically depressed areas are those which concentrate of winning clients for their practice and then strengthening their relationship with them. Michael Cavanaugh, Chief Executive of the AAHA in his State of the Industry address this year, reported that practices which engage their clients are more than twice as likely to be Growers -- that is practices growing their top line by more than the current average 5.6% - than those practices which he describes as Decliners Episode 96 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Brad Phifer suggests that one very effective ways of engaging with your clients -- and with other animal owners in your part of the world -- is to provide them with educational audio or video podcasts on your website Best regards

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Thursday, Apr 11, 2013

The best advice Warren Buffett ever received

By John Sheridan

Thursday, Apr 11, 2013 05:04

Warren Buffett is widely considered as one of the most successful investors of the 20th century and consistently ranked among the world's wealthiest people. I imagine that his business and financial advice has been sought by many 'would be' investors and entrepreneurs over the years. Episode 95 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Warren Buffett reveals two pieces of valuable advice he received, one from his father. Best regards

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Monday, Apr 08, 2013

Pareto Principle and the business of practice

By John Sheridan

Monday, Apr 08, 2013 09:59

Joseph Juran was a distinguished management consultant in the United States, who proposed that the law of the vital few which states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the output come from 20% of the input, should be renamed the Pareto Principle after the Italian economist who observed in 1906 that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population and that 20% of the pea pods in his garden contained 80% of the peas. Today the Pareto Principle is used in business as a common rule of thumb that for example '80% of your sales come from 20% of your clients' or that 20% of your staff create 80% of your HR problems. I suspect that there are many similar examples in veterinary practice. Episode 95 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Michael Schuster identifies the business correlation between the Pareto's Principle and dental practice Best regards

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Thursday, Mar 28, 2013

Resources to manage practice timesheets, holidays, sickness, courses and much more

By John Sheridan

Thursday, Mar 28, 2013 04:32

Jerry Crick is the practice manager of the Boness Veterinary Hospital which operates from Barton-Le-Clay and Flitwick in Bedfordshire here in the UK. Jerry describes himself as a bit of a geek. He's been writing software since 1980 and his website at brainysoftware.eu includes a growing number of business tools for veterinary practice. Episode 94 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip which includes one of them -- its called Hot Time and includes resources to manage practice timesheets, holidays, sickness, courses and much more online Best regards

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Thursday, Mar 21, 2013

Is veterinary practice an animal business or a people business?

By John Sheridan

Thursday, Mar 21, 2013 04:28

It's a bit like asking which came first, the chicken or the egg. We could argue that the 'product' we sell is 100% all about animal health and welfare -- but that our success as animal advocates, depends almost exclusively on our people skills and our ability to communicate effectively with our clients on the one hand -- and our colleagues and employees, on the other. So, if we own or manage a veterinary practice, it's essential that we select people who fit in with the team & deliver results, develop and inspire them to get stuff done and engage with them to deliver change and gain commitment. Those three tasks -- select, develop and engage -- characterise the overriding business strategy promoted by Helen Frewin another of the key speakers at this years joint VPMA/SPVS Conference Episode 94 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Helen Frewin offers some advice about developing your practice through your people Best regards

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Thursday, Mar 14, 2013

Making the change from clinician to management

By John Sheridan

Thursday, Mar 14, 2013 05:39

Another of the business speakers at the joint VPMA/SPVS conference this year, was Sharon Wesselby of Alternative-Angles -- a consultancy service which provides independent business advisory support for the pharmaceutical, veterinary and human healthcare industries. Like Karen Felsted, Sharon's expertise lies in the field of business strategy and development. Episode 93 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Sharon Wesselby discusses some of the issues which arise for an individual making the change from clinician to management in veterinary practice. Best regards

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Thursday, Mar 07, 2013

What do you understand by the term strategic planning?

By John Sheridan

Thursday, Mar 07, 2013 04:44

It seems to me that strategy is an ongoing process which includes a review of the practice position, it's values and brand in the marketplace, an overview of business strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and a statement which identifies the purpose of the practice and the major plans and actions designed to achieve defined objectives in the medium term. I was privileged to chair a number of sessions presented by Dr Karen Felsted at the joint VPMA/SPVS Conference this year. Karen is a very good friend of mine -- She is a veterinarian and CPA from the United States and has a detailed understanding of the financial performance of veterinary practices throughout North America. Episode 93 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Karen Felsted explains the importance of strategic and financial planning in veterinary practice. Best regards

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Thursday, Feb 28, 2013

Keep role-playing productive in veterinary staff meetings

By John Sheridan

Thursday, Feb 28, 2013 11:19

Role playing is an effective learning tool in a workplace situation because it increases learning retention, provides hands-on training in communication skills, helps to build your team, encourages brainstorming, improves self-confidence, helps to analyse problems from various points of view, it's low cost and if you do it right, it's fun. Episode 92 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Dr Ernie Ward, a well know consultant from the United States, explains the benefits of role-playing and suggests how to take such training to the next level. Best regards

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Thursday, Feb 14, 2013

Be picky when you're recruiting staff

By John Sheridan

Thursday, Feb 14, 2013 04:19

One of the most scary decisions you can make as an employee vet in practice is to turn your back on a steady salary, regular time off, lots of holidays and all the other perks of having a job -- and setting up or buying a practice on your own. You suddenly discover that being good with clients and their animals is no longer enough and that you have to make decisions about finance, employees, marketing, training, management, health and safety, employment law and a host of other business issues for which you have had little or no training or experience. It's certainly scary but it's also exciting and exhilarating and can give you a great sense of pride and achievement when things go as planned. Even when things go wrong - and from time to time, they will -- the lessons you learn will simply strengthen your resolve to get it right next time. The first thing you'll discover, if you don't know already, is that it's not the premises, the facilities or the skills you can offer, which are key to your success -- but the quality of the people you employ. So be very choosy when you make your selection Episode 91 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Dave Nicol, a vet with wide clinical and managerial experience in practice and as a business consultant , explains that it's people power that has been largely responsible for the success of his practice in Australia. Best regards

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Thursday, Feb 07, 2013

Ten reasons why you need to go to work specially when you're sick!

By John Sheridan

Thursday, Feb 07, 2013 12:32

Ian Hislop is quoted as saying that unblinking fortitude in the face of adversity and hardship is referred to in the UK as having a stiff upper lip and it's true that he weather in Britain does tend to defy the forecasters and bring out a sort of mad, masochistic defiance in people. Minor ill health does the same and I grew up in a household in which the message was 'if you're still breathing -- you're fit enough to go to school or go to work' Episode 91 of the Veterinary Business Video Show includes a clip in which Julie Mullins agrees and offers ten reasons (perhaps tongue in cheek) why you need to go to work specially when you're sick. Best regards

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