VMP 139: Dr. Joy Fuhrman On How To Use Your Practice Software To Grow Your Practice

There are only a few things that I know without a doubt are going on in your veterinary practice. First, you are almost certainly understaffed or at the very least, extremely busy. Time is at a premium and this makes it difficult to think about running marketing campaigns, setting up email autoresponders or get to other stuff that will help your practice grow. Second, any marketing budget that is available (if one is available) is not unlimited so you need to find creative ways to pull from certain areas without taking too much. I get it. Running a business is tough, and when you add all the chaos that comes with running a veterinary hospital, it makes things even more difficult, which is why I have today's guest on. 

On this episode, I interview Dr. Joy Fuhrman, from Shepherd Practice Management Software on how to use your veterinary practice management so help to hlep you grow your practice, spend less time updating records and help you to stop missing charges. For those of you who don't know Dr. Fuhrman, she is originally from South Africa and has more than a decade of experience in financial consulting and corporate accounting. A graduate of Colorado State University’s combined MBA/DVM program, she brings with her a combination of veterinary practice management, financial analysis, business valuation, professional development and leadership training skills.

We dive into why Shepherd was started, and how their software really helps you to be more effective and efficient in your practice. Some of the most impressive things I think we cover include how many charges are simply missed, and as a result, your practice loses money. When you're running a practice where your clients are price sensitive, simply stopping missed charges is one easy way to get more revenue without having to raise prices. 

Another really important strategy that you're probably not using is not showing the value of the services that you are discounting or giving away. If you want to give the client a service for free, many times that isn't reflected in the billing, which completely misses the opportunity to show on their receipt how much you've given. Perceived value is a massive factor to help your clients feel like they're getting a good deal and are being well cared for.  If you want to hear more about Shepherd, you can reach out to Dr. Fuhrman or any of the Shepherd team at http://www.shepherdapp.com and even request a free 14-day trial.