CASE STUDY
How Vello helped Southside Animal Hospital increase their fecal samples from fewer than 5 per week to more than 5 per day
Southside Animal Hospital, a fast‑paced, one‑doctor practice in Lansing, Michigan, knew it needed a more modern, automated way to keep clients engaged and on track with preventive care. Using Neo as their PIMS, Owner Dr. Joyce Heideman and Practice Manager Teresa Marhofer turned to Vello to streamline communication, reduce staff workload, and increase compliance.
What they didn’t expect was just how quickly Vello would transform their practice: skyrocketing fecal returns, higher client engagement, more efficient workflows, and measurable financial impact—all within days.
Company
Southside Animal Hospital
Lansing, Michigan
Practice info
General practice, 1 doctor
Products
Neo since May 2024
Challenge
Before Vello, Southside relied on manual appointment reminders, confirmation calls, and staff-initiated follow‑ups. With a lean team, this consumed time and limited how proactive they could be with preventive care.
They needed a solution to:
- Save time on routine communication.
- Increase visit and fecal compliance.
- Make scheduling and pre‑appointment prep effortless for clients.
- Reduce phone volume and free staff for patient care.
Solution
Southside implemented Vello in April 2025, drawn to its seamless Neo integration and automated workflows. They saw immediate results:
- Automated reminders that drive action: No more manual follow-ups. Enabling the fecal reminder generated their highest single‑day fecal return rate.
“We stuffed the IDEXX box full that evening, and that’s just due to Vello reminders,” said Teresa. - Time‑saving communication tools: Two-way SMS, online scheduling, confirmation writeback, and the unconfirmed appointments dashboard dramatically reduced unnecessary phone tag.
“If someone hasn’t confirmed, we just give a quick call. No more phone tag." - Simplified pre-visit prep: Clients appreciate receiving reminders early enough to plan, budget, and ask about recommended services like pre‑anesthetic testing.
“Those things are very important—especially for the younger generation. They need things to be simple and quick.” - Effortless setup and workflow integration: Setup was simple and fast. Daily use was intuitive, with Vello notifications built right into the Neo workflow.
Results
By automating communication and eliminating manual processes, Southside saw significant operational and clinical wins.
- Fecal compliance surge: Fecal sample rates increased from 2–4 per week to up to 15 per day. Vello’s fecal reminder SMS also began driving first‑time samples and new conversations about preventive screening.
“It was absolutely amazing. I had not seen that much poop in 40 years.” - Revenue growth: Higher diagnostic compliance contributed to measurable revenue gains and new opportunities to recognize team impact.
47% increase in diagnostic revenue from wellness visit testing
7% increase in overall practice revenue - Visit growth: Vello helped bring more patients through the door.
13% increase in wellness visit volume
6.2% increase in patient visits - Major time savings: Automated confirmations, two-way texting, and online scheduling replaced time‑consuming manual tasks.
- Higher client engagement and satisfaction: Clients love the convenience of texting, on‑demand scheduling, prescription notifications, and easier access to records and instructions.
“The Vello app is great. It has made my life a lot easier.” — Southside pet parent
Tip: Southside even added their Vello QR code to every invoice to accelerate adoption.
Looking ahead
With Vello already improving compliance and communication, Southside plans to expand its use into diagnostic recommendations and proactive care pathways.
Teresa emphasizes the focus on education:
“It’s not about selling—it’s how you deliver education so clients can make the best decisions for their pets.”
And she encourages other practices to embrace that mindset:
“It’s so important to step outside our comfort zone and lean into educating our clients about the ‘why’ behind our recommendations. If they decline, that’s okay. But they deserve the opportunity to make an informed choice.”
Her advice to other practices?
“Be bold. Step outside your comfort zone. Give clients every opportunity to do the right thing.”
Dr. Joyce summed up Vello’s impact:
“Client visits are up, our client compliance is up, our revenues are up. We don’t have to work as hard. It’s wonderful, and we’re just really enjoying everything that Vello has done for us.”
“It is never bad medicine to recommend checking a stool sample or doing bloodwork—I don’t care how old your pet is. If it comes back normal, great. It still gives us a baseline. Vello enables us to do the right thing for our patients in a whole new way.”
— Teresa Marhofer, Practice Manager
Conclusion
Vello didn’t just streamline communication at Southside Animal Hospital—it unlocked a new level of preventive care compliance, client engagement, and operational efficiency. From record-setting fecal samples to happier clients and a more focused team, Southside’s experience shows how powerful automated, connected communication can be for small veterinary practices.
*Data accurate as of January 2026.
† Vello provides functionality that may increase fecal compliance; actual results will vary dependent on facts and circumstances specific to customer.
See Vello in action: Southside Animal Hospital