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Curbside Tips & Recommendations

  • Updated

In the wake of COVID-19 and the operational changes implemented by veterinary practices nationwide, PetDesk prioritized and built features that help your staff save time and phone calls, while keeping you and the patient at the center. After helping thousands of practices navigate curbside appointments with our tools, we learned a thing or two.  

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Check-in process:

  1. Draft clear and concise pet parent check-in instructions. 
      • Be sure to include instructions for routine/walk-in appointments, medication/food pick-ups, surgery/drop-off appointments, and/or other applicable services such as boarding, grooming, euthanasia, etc. 

  2. Post your pet parent check-in instructions in multiple places.
      • Your website and social media 
      • Your phone hold music/message
      • Appointment reminders (ask the PetDesk Customer Support team for assistance)
      • On your clinic's front door
      • Near designated parking spots, visible to clients from their vehicles

  3. Digitize client forms to reduce appointment times.
      • Types of forms can include New Client, Surgery Consent, History, Update Contact Information, etc. 
      • Create free online forms through JotForms or Google Forms.
      • Ask the PetDesk Customer Support team to add your digital forms link to your provider card on the PetDesk mobile app. 

  4. Sign-up for Two-Way Messaging to reduce phone calls.

Allow clients to check-in via text message and create templates to save staff time:

        • Curbside Appt - Once you’ve arrived for your appointment, please remain in your vehicle and text this number [PRACTICE PHONE] with the parking spot number you're in. A team member will assist you shortly.
        • Procedure Drop Off - Great! We'll have a technician call or come out to you shortly to get the appointment started.
        • Contact Precautions - Due to COVID-19, we ask that you pre-pay for your items to further limit contact for extra safety precautions. Please text when you arrive and we'll bring the items outside.
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Send digital forms to clients before their appointment to reduce their wait time by creating and utilizing templates such as:

        • New Client Intake Form - Hello! Welcome to [PRACTICE NAME]. Please fill out the following form to help us prepare for your appointment tomorrow. [LINK TO FORM]
        • Patient History Form - Hello! Please fill out the following form to help us prepare for your appointment tomorrow. [LINK TO FORM]
        •  

Check-out process:

  1. Send estimates to clients via Two-Way Messaging.
      • Reduce paper usage and face-to-face contact by sending clients an estimate via text message. Create a Two-Way Template to save staff time: 
          • Attached you’ll find an estimate for your pet's treatment/procedure/visit. Let us know if you have any questions.
      • Ask pet parents if they’d like to redeem any unlocked loyalty rewards.

  2. Ask your current payment processor if they can provide a link to collect payments. 
      • Sending a payment link via Two-Way Messaging is an efficient way for clients to pay while waiting for their pets. Create a Two-Way Template to save staff time:
          • Click our secure link to pay for today’s appointment/medication refill at [CLINICNAME]. [LINK]
            If payment links aren’t an option, ask clients to have a payment method ready during check-in. 

  3. Keep clients engaged while they wait for their pets.
  4. Send invoices and post-care instructions to clients via email and Two-Way Messaging. 
      • Sending a digital copy of the invoice and/or post-care instructions can reduce face-to-face contact, gives the client a searchable record, and provides an opportunity to collect the most up-to-date contact info.

  5. If going digital with invoicing, estimates, or payment links is not an option, consider companies that our customers currently partner with: Clover, Paypal, Square, or Stripe.



Helpful Resources:
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