For a veterinary team, the only statement more dreaded than “Why is it so slow today?” is the boss returning from an industry conference with, “Guess what, guys? I have a new idea!” Those eight words could throw any team into a tailspin faster than a pug melting down during a nail trim. For the practice owner or manager, rolling out an initiative — whether a software platform, a medical protocol or a different way of handling client communications — can feel like wrangling a room full of excited puppies. Without an implementation plan, you end up with a mess and lots of frustration. However, with a structured approach, you can execute changes smoothly while keeping your team engaged and your clients happy.
I helped thousands of practices launch a new technology platform through my former company, Vet2Pet, and along the way, I’ve seen what works and what doesn’t. I’ll tell you about my go-to rollout framework. And the best part? It’s not just for technology. You can use it for almost anything — new medication protocols, operational changes and (if you’re ambitious) getting your kids to clean their rooms.
So, let’s break everything down step by step to set you up for success.
Step 1: Pick Your Champions
Select two or three team members to champion the initiative. They are your early adopters, the ones who bring enthusiasm and a can-do attitude. You don’t want a Negative Nancy who pokes holes in the process before you start.
Ideally, the veterinarian-owner should not be one of the champions. Owners are usually too busy, and their presence can stifle honest feedback. Instead, choose employees with influence and energy — people excited about trying new things.
Once you have your champions, set the expectation that they will be the first to try the new system, protocol or process. And if possible, compensate them for their extra time and effort. (No one complains about getting cash!)
Step 2: Train Your Champions
Your champions are the scouts heading into the unknown. They need to fully understand the initiative before rolling it out to the rest of the team. This is when they:
- Complete any necessary training.
- Test the new system, protocol or process.
- Identify potential hiccups.
Finding out what the champions discovered when trying a new program is always surprising and enlightening. Their reactions will range from wanting to add bells and whistles to pointing out serious workflow adjustments unique to your veterinary practice. You might feel like skipping this step because it adds time to the rollout, but in my experience, if you do that, you will pay the price later when things don’t go as smoothly as you expected.
Step 3: Keep It or Kill It
This moment is the most critical. If your champions say, “This is awesome, but we need to tweak X, Y and Z,” then adjust accordingly. If they say, “This is a disaster waiting to happen,” cut your losses. It’s better to find out now than after you’ve invested time and energy into something doomed to fail.
If it’s a go, move on to Step 4.
Step 4: Teach the Entire Team
The classic training method in clinics is the lunch-and-learn. While it can work for simple topics like a new flea and tick product, it’s not ideal for complex rollouts (think digital radiology systems and online booking platforms).
- Instead, consider:
- Online training modules that team members can complete at their own pace. Most product sellers and service providers provide the resource as part of a subscription or purchase.
- Small-group training sessions (three to five people) that allow for hands-on practice. Pair resistant team members with positive, enthusiastic colleagues to balance the energy.
- Scheduling time off the floor for training. That means no multitasking and no distractions. Tweak the schedule so no one feels guilty for stepping away. If they’re in training and think a co-worker is drowning, they’ll mentally check out before the session starts.
And yes, you absolutely should pay them for their training time.
Step 5: Meet Prior to Going Live
Before flipping the switch on your new initiative, gather the team for a conversation, not a quick announcement. Now is the chance to get everyone on the same page and address any fears before full-blown resistance erupts. Structure the discussion like this:
- What excites you about this initiative? (Start with the positives to build momentum.)
- What concerns do you have? (Anxiety voiced in the open is better than whispers in the breakroom.)
- How often might these concerns happen? (Most are rare worst-case scenarios rather than daily issues.)
Now, let’s talk about those fears. Your team will have them, so air out and address everything. Some of the most common worries include:
1. “THIS IS GOING TO ADD WAY MORE WORK TO MY PLATE.”
People naturally think a new system or process will mean more work, not better work. Instead of dismissing the concern, acknowledge it and clarify what the change will improve.
This is where your champions come in. They were trained, they tested the system, and they can provide firsthand reassurance. Have them share their experiences. For example, “I thought the same thing at first, but after using it, it made my life ____.”
By now, that blank should be easy to fill in with words like:
- Easier
- Faster
- More efficient
- Less stressful
- Smoother
- More fun
Hearing from peers (instead of just leadership) makes a huge difference. When team members see that the new system improves workflow instead of making their jobs harder, they’ll be more open to getting on board.
2. “WHAT IF CLIENTS DON’T LIKE IT?”
It’s a valid concern, but let’s reframe it. The worry usually comes from the idea that some clients (rather than the majority) won’t like the change. And honestly? That’s probably true. Not everyone will be thrilled, but that doesn’t mean progress should come to a screeching halt.
Instead of focusing on the unknown, flip the question: “How many clients do we think won’t like it?” Then, do the math. Divide that number by how many active clients you served last year. The odds are that the result will land somewhere between 1% and 5%.
At that point, the real question becomes: Is it better to improve the experience for 95% to 99% of your clients or avoid upsetting a handful? Most of the time, the answer is clear: Keep moving forward.
3. “WHAT IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG?”
Let’s be honest. Something will go wrong. Hiccups are part of any new process. The best rollout plans overcome this hurdle by asking the team to list potential issues, estimate how likely they are to happen and decide on a game plan for each.
It’s also smart to have clear, written instructions for worst-case scenarios, especially for the times when leadership isn’t around. Instead of crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, give your team members the confidence to know what to do if and when challenges pop up.
4. “I DON’T HAVE TIME TO LEARN THIS.”
Fair enough. Everyone’s busy. But here’s the thing: Learning a new system or process isn’t about adding work; it’s about less work in the long run. The key is to explain why you are making the change. What are you trying to solve? Instead of saying, “This will help,” ask, “What would your day be like if you didn’t have to do X anymore?”
That approach gets the team thinking about relief instead of resistance. Yes, training takes time, but that time is an investment in a smoother, more manageable workflow. A great analogy? Training a new team member. It’s often faster to do the work yourself than to show someone how, but does that mean we should stop hiring new people? Of course not.
The goal is always to improve efficiency, reduce stress, and ideally, increase revenue so everyone benefits, including with bigger pay raises down the road. Stepping outside the comfort zone takes effort, but the payoff is a better workday for everyone.
5. “WE TRIED NEW THINGS BEFORE BUT THEY DIDN’T STICK.”
That concern is valid, especially in teams that experienced a lot of change. Acknowledge the sentiment rather than dismiss it. Change fatigue is real, and if past initiatives fizzled out, you can understand why the team is skeptical.
Instead of saying, “Trust me, this time is different,” show everyone why. For example:
- It’s a well-thought-out plan, not just an idea. You’re not rolling out something on the fly. A structured process is in place to ensure a smooth transition.
- Champions tested it first. A small group was trained, the new system, protocol or process was tried out, and the early adopters confirmed it makes life easier.
- Feedback loops are built in. Team members will have opportunities to share their concerns and help fine-tune the change rather than being ordered to follow along.
- Leadership is committed. This one isn’t another experiment. Practice leaders are fully invested in making it work over the long haul.
Step 6: Set a Go-Live Date and Stick to It
Pick a firm launch day and communicate it clearly. No waffling. No “Well, maybe next week.” You want your team to know, “On this date, it’s happening.”
Once you go live, don’t backtrack. Committing fully builds momentum and confidence.
Step 7: Gather Feedback in the First Two Weeks
Encourage team members to share their experiences right away. Provide an easy way to collect feedback, such as:
- A shared Google Sheet
- A dry-erase board in the breakroom
- A simple email thread
The key is for everyone to understand that feedback should come to you, not be whispered among team members in the treatment area. You want to control the narrative and address concerns proactively.
Step 8: Evaluate and Adjust
After two weeks, review the feedback. Are there legitimate issues? Fix them. Are people resistant just because they don’t like change? Keep moving forward. By now, you should have worked out most of the kinks, and you should have a clearer picture of how the initiative will perform in real life.
Step 9: Celebrate the Win
Change is tough, and your team members deserve to feel appreciated for pushing through it. A successful rollout isn’t just about implementing new systems, protocols or processes. It’s also about teamwork, adaptability and making the practice better. Take a moment to recognize the effort.
I’m not saying you need to make grand promises of a prize if everyone “behaves” through the transition; your team isn’t a group of kindergartners. Instead of dangling a reward, make the celebration a genuine, unexpected thank-you once the dust settles. Maybe it’s a surprise coffee run, an early out on a slow day or a spontaneous team lunch. Perhaps it’s a heartfelt shoutout during a meeting or a handwritten note recognizing specific contributions.
The key is to make sure your team feels seen and valued.
People want to know their hard work matters. A sincere “We did it, and I couldn’t have done it without you” will go further than any preplanned incentive.
Don’t skip this step. Celebrate the win and reinforce the culture of teamwork and progress.
Final Thoughts
A structured rollout takes the guesswork out of launching initiatives. It ensures your team is engaged, the rollout is smooth, and you don’t end up with half the staff refusing to use the new system because you didn’t onboard them adequately.
So, the next time you return from a conference with an ambitious idea — new software, a shift in clinic protocols or a better way to organize the breakroom — use the framework above to make it stick. Your future self (and your team) will thank you.
INNOVATIONS
Innovations you should already have
- Texting with clients: It’s faster, easier and what pet owners expect.
- Online appointment booking: If clients can go online to schedule a haircut, they should be able to book a pet’s checkup, too.
- Automated pre- and post-appointment emails: They save time, reduce no-shows and boost compliance.
- An online pharmacy partner: Keep revenue in-house while giving clients more convenience.
Innovations you should implement now
- AI-powered medical recordkeeping: Less typing and more patient care.
- Cloud-based practice management software: Work from anywhere.
- No server headaches.
- Inventory management software: Stop the guessing game. Optimize ordering.
- New veterinarian support and mentorship: Keep young doctors thriving (and sticking around).
THE SECRET TO ACHIEVING BUY-IN
The last step in rolling out a new product or service is selling it. Remember that with internal changes, your team is the target audience. If the change affects staff and pet owners (like switching to texting for client communication), you must market it to both groups. Here’s how.
1. Hype up the wins.
Nothing sells like success. If a client raves about the ease of using your new online pharmacy, shout it out at the staff meeting. If an associate veterinarian has a smooth experience SOAPing with a new AI-assist tool, have the doctor add it to the “Wins of the Week” whiteboard list. When success stories come from them, not just you, it motivates the rest of the team to give it a real shot.
2. Get leadership on board.
Change is doomed if your senior team — doctors and lead technicians — doesn’t back it. Get their buy-in early. At the very least, make sure they don’t trash-talk the initiative in front of the team. Instead, listen to their concerns and reassure staff members that their feedback is important, too. You don’t want a senior team member saying, “Ugh, I hate this.” That’s a guaranteed morale killer.
3. Keep selling it even when you’re sick of talking about it.
A significant change doesn’t stick just because you announced it one time. You must keep pushing it until you’re tired of hearing yourself talk about it. The key is to keep tying the change to tangible benefits. If you switched to an inventory management system, don’t just say, “It’s better.” Say, “Look how nice it is that Sally doesn’t have to come in on weekends anymore. We don’t run out of supplies constantly. And a bonus: Our finances are healthier.” Keep showing how the change is working.
Change is hard. But with the right messaging and a little persistence, your team members won’t just tolerate a new system, protocol or process. They will use it.