If you didn’t get a pandemic puppy, you probably know someone who did. That’s because, for an entire year after the onset of the pandemic, the veterinary industry experienced the most significant spike in new pet owners in modern history. More people were stuck at home and wanted a companion. In the first half of 2021, for example, pet care appointments rose by 6.5%, according to the analytics company VetSuccess. Meanwhile, industry consultant Dr. James Lloyd predicts that U.S. pet health care spending will jump 33% by 2030.
With the increase in pet owners, specifically younger ones, comes a long-awaited change in the veterinary industry. Generation Z and millennials are ushering in a new standard, expecting more out of veterinary professionals and changing the standard of care for their beloved pets.
Many Gen Z clients believe their veterinarian is outdated. They want to see veterinary practices use technology routinely deployed in human medicine, such as digital portals for communicating with doctors, scheduling appointments and receiving quick tips.
These younger generations are looking for a modern experience and want offerings like buy now, pay later (BNPL), digital forms and more, according to data from Weave.
A Call to Action
Younger generations today are obsessed with their pets, which shouldn’t surprise people if you consider that many Gen Zers and millennials refer to their cats and dogs as fur babies and themselves as pet parents. To these passionate pet parents, their fur babies’ health matters just as much as their emotional well-being. Given the power of social media, veterinary practices must adapt to what younger generations want for their pets, starting with an innovative digital experience and ways to communicate with veterinarians easily.
Veterinary hospitals face the same staffing shortages as the rest of the health care industry, but many overwhelmed practice owners don’t believe they have the time to change what they have always done. Thinking about change can be challenging for them, but they should look for opportunities to target their services and marketing in ways that attract and retain new pet owners and sustain growth.
The unfortunate reality is that nearly 2 in 5 Gen Zers say their veterinary practice is outdated. As Gen Z continues to collect more buying power, veterinarians who don’t adapt to the demands of the new generation could risk losing their business altogether.
Modernizing Is the Way Forward
For decades, veterinary practices have aimed to offer the best possible client experience. Now, to attract the younger generation, they must go beyond the physical experience and consider how technology plays a role even before the pet owner steps into the clinic.
From the moment pet owners browse your website or call your practice, they form an opinion about your hospital. That opinion, whether good or bad, will shape the type of appointments they book, how often they schedule, whether they simply give up before an appointment is made, and whether they spread positive word of mouth about your practice.
What’s also essential for veterinary professionals is to know what your practice brings to the table and what pet owners value when choosing veterinary care. For some clients, convenience and cost are the most critical factors, while others value the quality of care above everything else. Regardless of why pet owners seek specific animal care, veterinary professionals must have the tools to deliver impressive experiences so that their clients want to return.
With much more of the client experience moving into virtual spaces, optimizing the digital experience is critical. The same Weave survey found that 20% of the respondents claimed that scheduling an appointment, which should be a simple and efficient effort, isn’t easy at their veterinary clinic.
Appointment scheduling is one area in which many veterinary clinics need improvement. The rapidly fading practice of manually scheduling patients by phone to fill the day doesn’t provide younger clients with the modern experience they desire. While front-desk employees can handle most of the daily scheduling, opting for digital tools will smooth the process and take some pressure off receptionists to answer every phone call quickly.
Additionally, when clients check in for an appointment, they want the process to go as fast as possible. The use of digital forms allows pet owners to fill out the necessary appointment information before they even walk in the door, saving time for you and them.
In the end, most pet owners want to return to the same animal clinic because building a longstanding, comprehensive history with the same doctor ultimately enables more effective care. This is even more critical for smaller veterinary practices that depend on repeat business and loyal clients. Therefore, adapting to modern communication and practice management methods is the way forward for all veterinary hospitals.
Second Thoughts
Amid high inflation, pet owners face tough decisions about where and how to spend their money. You might think the pet-obsessed generations would keep a veterinary appointment despite the rising costs, but that is not the case. Nearly half of millennials have canceled or rescheduled a veterinary appointment or procedure due to the associated expense, compared to only 20% of baby boomers. Pet owners need to trust that veterinarians who expect payment in full at the time of service will deliver quality care.
Appointment cancellations aren’t good for the animal or veterinarian, so how can practices find an alternative for pet owners without lowering fees? One solution is to offer BNPL payment plans. Pivoting to a BNPL model ensures client confidence, demonstrates swift adaptability and lays the foundation for a more resilient and future-proofed business.
As veterinary professionals reimagine how their practices will thrive in a post-pandemic world, they must adopt new ways of thinking, solving problems and identifying opportunities to meet changing client needs. The younger generations want changes in their digital experience. The rest of the world is modernizing, and the veterinary profession cannot risk being left behind.
Adaptability and modernizing practice management and veterinary care are among the industry’s most essential needs. Adaptability makes every other innovation possible, whether it’s evolving your practice alongside new safety measures, operating virtual consultations or implementing new clinic designs to accommodate new ways of working.
WHAT ARE YOU?
Pew Research Center identifies these five generations by birth year.
- 1900-1945: The Silent Generation
- 1946-1964: Baby boomer
- 1965-1980: Generation X
- 1981-1996: Millennial
- 1997-2012: Generation Z