Profitability is top of mind for veterinary practices, especially as some clinics experience a dip in patient visits. Small businesses everywhere are facing financial pressures, and veterinary practices are no exception. The good news? Your practice management software can help you improve profitability while enhancing efficiency and client satisfaction.
Here are four practical ways to use your software to improve profitability in 2025:
1. Use Online Appointment Requests
Online appointment requests allow clients to schedule visits conveniently via a landing page or widget on your website. These requests sync with your practice management software, showing only the available time slots to your clients (which you control).
When requests come in, you can review and approve them before they’re confirmed, maintaining control of your calendar while offering clients an added level of convenience.
How does this improve profitability?
- Reduces time spent on the phone: Your team can focus on patient care instead of fielding calls.
- Fills gaps in your schedule: Clients can view and book appointments during open slots – including any slots made available by cancellations.
Pro Tip: Try implementing forward booking—schedule the next appointment before the current one ends. Borrowed from the dental industry, this strategy keeps your calendar full and ensures regular client visits.
2. Leverage the Power of Bundles
“Bundles” group together related services and inventory items, linking them to specific appointment types. When set up in your software, these bundles automatically populate invoices, minimizing missed charges and boosting efficiency.
For example, a “puppy wellness bundle” could include vaccinations and a flea and tick preventative. When an appointment is booked for a puppy wellness exam, those items are automatically added when the invoice is generated.
To maximize the ease and profitability of bundles, don’t “set it and forget it.” Inventory costs fluctuate, so review your bundle pricing quarterly to account for changes. Bundles based on percentage markups are more resilient to cost changes. Flat-fee bundles require closer monitoring.
3. Optimize Inventory Management
Inventory mismanagement is a hidden profitability leak. Selling products below cost, overstocking, or understocking can quickly erode your margins.
The old approach of eyeballing stock levels on the shelf or shaking bottles to see how much product is available is inefficient and prone to errors. Modern practice management software automates inventory tasks by:
- Tracking quantities and alerting you when stock falls below a pre-set threshold.
- Adjusting pricing and automatically marking up sales prices based on purchase prices.
Pro Tip: If you’re using NaVetor software, it integrates with Patterson’s eShelf to streamline inventory ordering and management. Give it a try!
4. Add Home Delivery
Home delivery services like Vetsource eliminate the need to stock certain products, reducing upfront costs and freeing up cash.
Here’s how it works:
- You recommend products or medications.
- Clients order directly through Vetsource.
- Products are delivered to their door.
Your practice still earns a share of the sale, without the overhead of purchasing and storing inventory. NaVetor’s recent integration with Vetsource makes this process seamless.
Pet owners rely on your practice to keep their pets healthy, and they want to see you thrive. By leveraging your practice management software effectively, you can boost profitability, improve efficiency, and continue providing top-notch care.
Take time to evaluate your processes and identify areas where revenue leaks can be plugged. A few simple changes could make 2025 your most profitable year yet.