Soothing pet owner pricing frustration

Vet pricing tips to avoid aggravated pet parents.

Veterinary care is expensive.

Most pet owners understand that reality.

 That said, someone will always get frustrated when a routine check-up and vaccines are 75% more than the last visit and will take out their frustrations on your front desk staff.

 I insist that all the vets I work with put incremental increases in place to avoid angry pet parents.

Instead of suddenly hiking up prices because you realize you aren’t charging enough, increase them yearly or quarterly in increments of 2% to avoid overburdening pet owners.

Help avoid pet owners’ frustration about pricing.

Take these steps:

1. Communicate With Pet Owners Clearly and Transparently

Communicate the reasons behind the fee increase. This could include rising operational costs, investments in better equipment, or improved services.

Ensure transparency in your communication to build trust with your clients. Provide detailed information about how the increased fees will benefit their pets and the overall quality of care.

2. Offer Payment Plans

Introduce payment plans for clients who may find it challenging to pay the increased fees upfront. This can make the financial impact more manageable for them.

You can also offer wellness payment programs. These allow pet owners to make a small monthly payment that contributes to or covers the cost of routine care later.

3. Client Loyalty Programs

Implement loyalty programs to reward clients who continue to choose your veterinary practice. Offer discounts, free services, or other perks for long-term clients to show appreciation.

4. Benchmarking

Look at the fees charged by other veterinary practices in your area to ensure your prices are competitive and not significantly lower or higher.

You’re never going to make every pet parent perfectly happy when it comes to pricing.

What you can do is ensure your fees increase slowly rather than all at once, offer amazing care, and be open and honest about pricing.

 Use my formula for quarterly increases in my guide to setting up incremental fee increases in your practice.