Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

Josephine — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 17:23:03 GMT

My PP says that basically they are getting boosters, flea and worm treatment, 6 monthly check "for free" as they walk out with their meds and only pay £xx a month instead of over £100 at the appointment. We've had days when we were quite booked up with booster appointments but took hardly any money as they were on the PCP! On the other hand, as they don't pay anything at the time, they are more willing to buy other things such as dental kits and food especially as they get 10% off.

Our PP also says we lose money on non PCP boosters anyway as we have to stay competitive. Swings and roundabouts really!

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

SharonSP — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 19:14:22 GMT

Thanks to all for the info and insight....lots to think about.

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

SharonSP — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 19:13:32 GMT

[quote user="Josephine Ellison"]

All in all, it is a good idea as it keeps the clients coming back to us, but we do lose money from it which our PP isn't happy about.

[/quote]

Thanks for the info, I think it is P.A.P we are considering at present. What do you mean by 'we do lose money', do you mean losses through discounting etc?

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

Josephine — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 17:44:52 GMT

We launched ours roughly a year ago and we have nearly 600 pets on it! We use Premier Vet Alliance who are really helpful and come in and train everyone - including the vets - on the care plan. Once you get used to the signing up process, it's really easy to use.

We include the usual - free: booster, 6 monthly check, KC, microchip, nurse appointment, years supply of flea and worm treatment. And then 10% off neutering, consults, bloods, tick treatment, x rays, scale and polish, food and toys etc. They also get a free gift!

I think that our clients do love the plan. We usually get a lot of people signing up when they come in with their new puppy or kitten. They feel it's value for money and appreciate our services. Although we have noticed some clients have cancelled recently; especially after they have got the discount when they neuter their pet. We've also had a few clients thinking it's an insurance plan!

All in all, it is a good idea as it keeps the clients coming back to us, but we do lose money from it which our PP isn't happy about.

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

Dove — Wed, 11 Jan 2017 00:47:52 GMT

I work for one of the corporates, we have a good uptake. Those that do take it up are very good at keeping up with flea and worm control because it is included in the plan. Vaccines, microchip, discounts off neutering, long term medications and food are included too.

Some people do set it up and take everything they can for the price of the 1st direct debit and then cancel the plan, they seem surprised when chased for the difference in cost for non plan clients. Some also misunderstand and think it is pet insurance.

I like it and I think it does other good value.

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

Sam.23 — Tue, 10 Jan 2017 18:30:33 GMT

My previous practice had them, I worked for a corporate so we had a company who did it for the whole group. They did help to bond clients and uptake was pretty high.

But one of the issues I found was clients either not fully understanding what was covered or mistaking it for pet insurance. Fortunately these clients were few and far between but I think its something to be mindful of.

This is easily resolved when you talk them through setting it up but there's always one person who could have just signed their kidneys away because they don't actually listen to you or read what they are signing

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

egill94 — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 18:18:20 GMT

We use Denplan for our Healthy Paws Club and find it really popular amongst a wide variety of clients. Ours includes annual vaccinations (after 3 months of payments), worming and flea treatment throughout the year (we use Nexgard and Milpro for dogs and Broadline for cats, although we're flexible for clients who have a genuine reason for wanting to use an alternative) which we give out in 3 monthly batches, and free nurse clinics. It also includes 10% off anything in house, whether that's counter sales, operations, kennel cough or rabies vaccines, blood tests (in house etc) and 20% off the Hills food we stock. It's a great way for people to budget, and some people purely sign up for the discounts they get. As a company, they're fab initially at coming out to give training and recommendations, but it seems to tail off as time goes on (however, we have had a number of rep changes which I don't think has helped). Denplan also give us frequent incentives for signing up our clients - our first being a Gourmet Taste Card for all staff members once we reached a particular number. Signing them up on paper is a bit of a ball-ache in the middle of a busy waiting room, so we try and encourage people to make use of the free telephone number, so they register directly with Denplan, and the first payment can be taken anyway. All in all, I've found it a really popular and beneficial scheme to our clients - it encourages regularity for preventative care, and rewards those who are already on top of worming/flea treatments etc for being so consistent.

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

steph fursland — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 15:32:38 GMT

We use a company called 'Denplan' - I'm not really involved in the admin side of it at all, but my impression is that they are fairly easy to deal with, they come in and do training for us every so often, and the clients can call them directly to set up payments etc.

Included is yearly vaccination, flea/worming treatment (most of them on Advocate monthly and 3 monthly wormers) and a 6 month health check with the nurse (six months after the booster, as our practice policy is to see all patients twice yearly if possible). They also get 10% off neutering, dentals and KC vaccination. If they need something different like Comfortis or Frontline that is usually covered, but some other treatments like Scalibor collars or Panacur for pregnant bitches wouldn't be.

I find the clients do really like it, as it helps spread the cost and helps them keep up to date with the regular treatments, and my impression is that we have quite a good retention rate (it's by direct debit so doesn't need renewal as such).

There are occasional problems but overall I think it's a good thing to offer. It is good to be very clear at the outset about what is included and what isn't (they still need to pay for consults when the animal is unwell!), and that it doesn't replace insurance.

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

Sal the 1st — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:27:03 GMT

I have a little experience of them through corporate ie the lifetime vaccination policies - its easy money for the practice but then you find a lot of clients will still shop around for everything else and go back to the corporate for their vaccinations (because most of them work out pretty quickly the independents are cheaper if the pet is actually ill)

Independents - again easy money and can help to 'bond' a client to the practice but not many independents doing them. Monthly payment schemes run by a few independents I have come across can take quite a bit to set up and maintain but once they are established and running they seem to be ok. They do help to even out the 'flush' months and the lean months a bit takings wise. Sorry thats all I really know

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

SharonSP — Sun, 08 Jan 2017 22:26:06 GMT

ANY feedback would be really appreciated

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

SharonSP — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 18:15:49 GMT

Thanks Arlo

RE: Need your help with practice pet healthcare schemes

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 05 Jan 2017 17:34:38 GMT

Hi Sharon, can't help much with the question, but hopefully someone will be along soon enough.

I did edit your post title, though. It originally just said 'need your help'. Think it is helpful to be more precise with titles, as more likely that someone with knowledge in this area will click and help if they see what you need help with, if that makes sense