How to Create an Effective Veterinary Loyalty Program for Your Practice
Who doesn’t love a loyalty program? Consumers, including pet owners, like to be acknowledged and rewarded for giving you their business. A well-designed veterinary loyalty program encourages repeat visits and shows clients you care about keeping them. When you actively reward pet owners for purchases, client engagement goes up and complaints about pricing go down.
A successful veterinary loyalty program improves the client experience and encourages long-term veterinary client loyalty. And because loyalty programs are customizable, you can use them to target specific services, such as wellness check-ups, dental cleanings, or routine vaccinations. Here’s how the right incentives can keep pet owners engaged.
Why do you need a loyalty program?
A veterinary loyalty program can strengthen relationships and build trust between veterinarians and pet owners. Retaining clients is more cost-effective than attracting new customers, and a well-executed loyalty program can keep your clients coming back. A rewards program can be used to promote specific services or simply let clients know you’ve got their back.
Adopting a loyalty program can:
- Encourage repeat visits
- Improve client compliance
- Differentiate your veterinary clinic from competitors
Veterinary loyalty program tips
Here’s how to build a program that turns pet owners into repeat customers.
1. Offer rewards pet owners want
Loyalty rewards must be meaningful for pet owners to participate. Everyone loves saving money on veterinary care, but take care to avoid devaluing services like wellness exams or diagnostics. Instead, think outside the box. A few ideas include:
- Discounts or “dollars” to spend on services
- Free nail trims
- Priority scheduling
- Boarding or grooming upgrades
2. Keep it simple
A complicated rewards program with too many moving parts or difficult-to-redeem rewards will discourage clients from using it. A simple program is best so clients understand how to amass and use rewards. Using a mobile app is an ideal option, but tech-averse clients should also have an opportunity to participate. Try a points system, where clients earn points based on the amount of money they spend in your clinic.
3. Incentivize services and spending
Veterinary loyalty programs allow you to selectively incentivize services to improve compliance and revenue—a win-win for the hospital and pet health. Give clients points for each dollar they spend, and then offer strategic bonuses so they can earn even more. For example, reward clients when they:
- Opt for well-pet diagnostic screening tests
- Buy a year’s worth of parasite prevention
- Refer other clients
- Forward book their pet’s next visit
- Leave a review
A loyalty program can give clients the push they need to stay on track with preventive pet care while boosting overall client retention.
4. Leverage social media and client communication tools
A successful veterinary loyalty program requires consistent promotion to get clients involved. Use your veterinary practice’s social media platforms to educate pet owners about the program and how it can positively impact them. You can also use email or text to get the word out, although this works best when using automation or AI through your practice management software.
Ensure clients know how to join, earn, and use rewards by:
- Using your website and blog to highlight benefits
- Sending reminders about expiring rewards
- Posting updates about special promotions
5. Use a program platform that integrates with your PIMS
Choosing a platform to administer your loyalty program starts with determining which applications work well with your veterinary practice management software. Modern, cloud-based systems allow popular third-party applications to integrate directly with the software, making operating a loyalty program easier and more efficient. Some popular options with integrations across multiple software systems include PetDesk, VetSource, and AllyDVM.
A veterinary loyalty program might be just what your veterinary practice needs to boost compliance and loyalty. Offering relevant incentives shows clients you care about more than the bottom line—you care about helping people and pets. Simple plans encourage multi-generational client participation, drive new business, and lead to better compliance and pet health outcomes.
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