The Importance of a Veterinary Receptionist

Just as with any team member, the receptionist plays a vital role in the success of a business and its clients. This is especially true for veterinary clinics. Our loveable fur babies rely on us to provide them with food, shelter, love and care. We, in turn, rely on our veterinary staff to provide them with proper healthcare, provide us with guidance and answer any questions we may have. When we call the veterinary clinic, the first point of contact is always the receptionist. They are the first and last impression for any client, whether new or returning. They also serve as the information center for any clients who are calling or emailing regarding their concerns and questions. 

While there are many wonderful reasons a veterinary clinic should hire a veterinary receptionist, we have outlined a few of the most important reasons below. We hope this provides you with an important insight on the value of a great veterinary receptionist team! 

Having a veterinary receptionist is vital to the smooth operations of a clinic. They are a great resource to help schedule and maintain preventative care appointments, which are often forgotten about by pet parents. Generally, preventative care appointments are spaced months apart and so, it can be easy to lose track of when someone is supposed to come in for their next appointment. Having a veterinary receptionist ensures there is someone who is monitoring the schedule and reaching out to clients in a timely manner to get upcoming visits scheduled. They will also ensure that any reminders for upcoming appointments go out and follow up with any clients who have not yet confirmed their appointments. This service helps the clinic team make the most of their time and ensures they have a full, confirmed schedule to help as many pets as possible, while also ensuring the client gets an appropriate reminder for an appointment they may have scheduled months ago and possibly forgotten about! We all appreciate a reminder text, call or email about upcoming appointments, especially when juggling a busy schedule!

A veterinary receptionist is vital when it comes to client calls and inquiries. Having a fully trained and available receptionist means that no calls get missed. And those that do are promptly followed up with. This is important when it comes to animal health, especially during emergencies. Having someone available at all times to answer emergency calls gives pet parents an ease of mind and relieves any anxieties or concerns they may have regarding their pet’s health and care. While a vet receptionist is not a trained vet, they will be able to relay pertinent information and take any messages that will help ensure the best care possible for any pets seen by the clinic. They will be trained to ask the right questions and handle situations in a way that makes the operations of the clinic smooth and efficient. In addition, from a client’s point of view, a veterinary receptionist is the most reliable source of access to a pet’s vet. Having a professionally trained receptionist ensures consistent patient care and services for all clients. 

Your veterinary receptionist is the voice, the face, and the gatekeeper of your clinic. By training the vet receptionist in the specific ways your clinic handles things, it ensures that there is someone available to offer the proper, correct information to clients regarding their pets. Your veterinary receptionist will handle any and all situations exactly the way you train them to. You get to customize your customer service and administrative logistics by training your receptionist in a unique way that is most beneficial to your clinic and patients. This will not only ensure a consistent nature in which client needs are addressed, but also allow your clinic team the time they need to offer hands on care to pets and focus on what they love to do and what they do best.