Parasiticide Compliance: Tips for Making It Easy for Your Clients and Your Practice

We all know that client compliance should remain a topic of conversation throughout the year. But it’s especially important when flea, tick, and heartworm seasons get into gear.  For some regions of the country this is a year round battle where pet parents might need gentle nudges from your practice to keep their pets’ bug free.

This article is sponsored by MWI Animal Health.

Leveraging Communications Tools

Pet owners have many things on their minds. Sometimes, they miss their pets’ parasiticide dose because they simply forget. Targeted, automatic communications from your practice can help them remember. When pet owners get reminders from their veterinarian, they are more likely to open them, read them, and take action.

Consider these facts¹:

1. 98% of pet owners want to receive information from their vet via email
2. 94% of pet owners have, or would, open an email from their veterinarian
3. 41% of pet owners have never received an email from their vet

Communicating Effectively With Pet Owners

One of the biggest challenges that all veterinary practices face is client compliance.  Today, veterinary practices are busier than ever and may feel they just don’t have the time to communicate individually with pet owners. However, marketing technology is one way that practices can leverage their client information to reach out to pet owners to communicate effectively.  It’s something online retailers, like Chewy, Allivet, and others are already doing.

Using communications tools, like AllyDVM, lets you send a quick compliance message, reminding customers that they’re near the end of their prescription and need to refill, saving staff time that would normally be spent on the phone.  Or, in cases where there are new products that could be a better medical solution for the client, a message could recommend the client to come in to discuss it, and perhaps offer an incentive to purchase from the practice.

To stay in touch, it’s important to verify current email addresses for all active pet parents, and mobile phone numbers for two-way texting.  A software tool, like AllyDVM’s retention calendar, can streamline this process by alerting front desk staff to missing contact details in files, prompting them to proactively ask clients during check-in.

Utilizing technology to send targeted, automatic communications to pet owners not only drives compliance, but also adherence. Everyone needs a reminder now and again, and making your reminders digital, through both email and text, will result in more compliant clients.

Partnering With Manufacturers

Another reason pet owners may refrain from compliance is the cost of treatment. While your clients may be primarily focused on choosing low-cost options, patient care is the key differentiator when it comes to conversations about buying preventatives. When a pet owner orders from you, their trusted veterinarian, they are also buying the peace of mind that comes with knowing they are purchasing a product that is suited to their pet’s unique needs, directly from the professionals who care for them.

The manufacturers of parasiticide products understand that veterinarians’ recommendations are paramount. As a result, manufacturers often add promotions to incentivize veterinarians’ recommendations and are willing to work with them on price. Manufacturer-sponsored discounts help offset costs and are mutually beneficial to the practice and the pet owner. Your clients, then, are more likely to bring their pets in for vaccines and/or parasiticides, which is a win for both pet health and your practice’s financial health.

Programs That Deliver Results

Sending the right communication to the right pet owner at the right time is important for getting your messages heard and understood. No dog owner wants a reminder for a flea medication formulated for cats.

This is where a program like the Synergy Partner Program can help.  By utilizing this partner program, practices can “set it and forget it”, as automatic emails are sent to your clients on your behalf.  In addition to being personalized for each individual pet owner and their pet[s], each email is also customized with your practice details, logo, and online pharmacy information should you choose to add it.

And it works! Participating practices have seen a 33 percent growth in doses of parasiticides dispensed, leading to a 20 percent increase in revenue.² 

Here are a few of Synergy’s plug-and-play email campaigns:

1. Win back: Market to pet owners who have not purchased flea, tick, and/or heartworm prevention in over 12 months.
2. Compliance: Synergy’s reminder campaign reminds pet owners to refill their prescriptions.
3. New pet parents: Establish recommendations early for new patient care in your practice by automatically detecting new pet owners.
4. Introduce your practice recommendations: Ensure all pet owners are aware of your practice’s recommendations for preventive care.

Technology Helps Increase Compliance

Owner compliance isn’t just a checkbox — it’s a dynamic process requiring continuous communication and innovative solutions. See how the Synergy Partner Program, powered by AllyDVM, can improve client stickiness to your practice and foster a culture of compliance.  Learn more about Synergy here.