Management Tip: Recruit The Right Way

Finding and keeping good employees has arguably been the most difficult task facing the veterinary profession for some years. The first step in retaining employees is effective hiring. Interviewing and hiring employees is not an easy task. Mike Best, President and CEO of MJDesigns recently said about their holiday hiring program, “If the person came in and filled out the application, we basically hired them unless they were followed by a policeman.” While veterinarians often feel this same level of desperation when looking for employees, it isn’t the way to get the ones who will truly be an asset to your practice. 

It’s amazing how far a little spin will go – especially when advertising a vacant position. Let’s say you’re recruiting for a new receptionist: classify the position as “Client Care Specialist” – this way, you’re sure to get a stronger variety of candidates by giving the job the title it deserves. Many people view a receptionist as someone who simply answers the phone and transfers calls. In reality – especially in a veterinary practice – a Client Care Specialist must have excellent organization, clerical, and communications skills. Make the posting anonymous by requiring interested candidates to submit their resumes to an anonymous email address.  That way, you are in the driver’s seat with managing your time and screening the ideal candidates.  Implement these simple, yet successful, tips and you’re down the road to recruiting the right way.

Management Tip: Prevent Sticky Fingers

No one likes to think that their employees are capable of ripping them off, but in some unfortunate cases it’s a reality. To protect yourself, your practice, and your staff, incorporate the daily printing of an “audit trail” that tracks every transaction, service item, or inventory item that was entered into the practice management software system throughout the day. This data should include all deletions, fee modifications, and invoiced transactions, and should be scanned daily by either the practice manager or owner in order to identify any unusual activity. It also serves to highlight any issues or glitches associated with items such as provider codes and fee-capture functions.

Management Tip: Save For A Rainy Day

Is your team screaming for you to make a purchase, and you’re a little short on funds?

Start saving just a little bit at a time.

Here’s how:

Pay all expenses that are due in a particular month with only the income you made during that time period. At the end of the month, transfer any leftover funds from your business checking account into an interest-bearing savings account. Sound simple? It is – and you’ll be surprised at how fast your little nest egg will start to add up.

Management Tip: Resolving Conflict in the Workplace