VHMA Managing Well Blog

Latest Posts

Innovative Ideas for Bringing in Clients During the Holiday Slump

Christine Q. Shupe, CAE, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association , November 26, 2012

As we all know, when we are spending our discretionary income on gifts and entertaining, we are more likely to put some essential care and services on hold until the holiday frenzy is behind us. If you’ve noticed at your clinic that appointments, inquiries and other visits are waning, it’s time to consider strategies to increase traffic to the practice during the holiday season.

Using innovation, imagination and inspiration, the VHMA has shared with me some effective approaches for getting clients in the door.

Follow that Trend!

Christine Q. Shupe, CAE, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), October 21, 2012

Understanding consumer trends can inspire practice management professional to introduce profitable changes in their practices.

Relationship Advice for Emergency and Specialty Practices

Christine Q. Shupe, CAE, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA) , September 13, 2012

Good relationships benefit business. A simple statement, but true nonetheless. More challenging is adopting the right approach to ensure that emergency and specialty practices cultivate good working relationships with their target audiences. In this entry, I focus on the issues that practices should consider implementing to nurture productive, professional relationships.

The Right Stuff: Tips on Strengthening the Owner-Manager Connection

Christine Q. Shupe, CAE, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association (VHMA), August 31, 2012

The teachings of Confucius form the foundation of how individuals should live life and interact with others. His sage advice lives on. To examine how the practice owner and manager can develop strong productive relations, one saying stands out “Seek to understand and then be understood.”

Firing an Employee: Human Resources Issues

Christine Q. Shupe, CAE, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, July 13, 2012

The Scouts certainly got it right! The motto “Be prepared,” admonishes members to equip themselves to successfully deal with the difficulties they confront.

And while I hardly think the Scouts were concerned with addressing human resource issues related to hiring and firing and preventing a legal quagmire, the advice, nonethelss, is particularly relevant to managers responsible for personnel issues. Avoiding legal and emotional fallout from a sloppy hiring or firing requires managers to proactively address legal and ethical issues.

Now We Know What Keeps Them Up at Night

Christine Q. Shupe, CAE, Executive Director, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, May 30, 2012

In my previous blog, I wrote about the importance of asking your employees to identify what keeps them up at night. The question was posed to VHMA members in a series of surveys known as “The Demon Exchange.” I shared with the readers the how and why of surveying stakeholders, employees, members and clients as a barometer of their level of satisfaction.

What Keeps You Up at Night?

Christine Q. Shupe, CME, Executive Director, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, April 29, 2012

“What keeps you up at night?” is almost a universal question. When used in a business context, once you get past the glib responses from employees, colleagues, or clients (ie, crying babies, a drippy water faucet), you will have information that can be used to improve your response to the concerns of your staff and clients.

Mentoring is a Two-Way Street

Christine Q. Shupe, CAE, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, Inc., April 14, 2012

The mentoring process is much more than a senior member helping a junior member. It is a relationship between colleagues in which the experienced member lends his or her expertise to the protégé and in the process, learns and grows during the experience.

Go Ahead, Blow Your Horn

Christine Q. Shupe, CAE, Executive Director, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, February 14, 2012

Humility May Be a Virtue, But It Won't Help You Promote Your Practice

Congratulations…you’ve earned it, been awarded it, achieved it! And whatever “it” is—an award, a professional designation or certification—it’s time to make sure your hard work pays dividends.

The Importance of Knowing Where You Stand in an Unstable Economy

Christine Q. Shupe, CME, Executive Director, Veterinary Hospital Managers Association, January 8, 2012

As we enter the New Year, wouldn’t it be great to ring in 2012 with some good news? In the field of veterinary management, the economy has presented many challenges in the area of salary and compensation.

But surprisingly, not all news on the salary front is negative. In fact, some news is encouraging. The recently completed VHMA 2011 Survey of Compensation and Benefits for Veterinary Managers offers food for thought for veterinary managers. An overview of the results and findings are discussed below.

The VHMA Survey, Laying the Foundation