As I waited for the tire repair folk at Shamrock tire on South Broadway to repair the tire on our rented RV to prepare us for our westward trek for the summer, my eyes wandered to a sign on the wall that read,” Fast, good, cheap. Pick two.” Though clearly directed to consumers, this sign nicely sums up the choice any business has to make as well.
Two of these combinations can be successful for the business and the customer. The third combination should be avoided, but sometimes isn’t. The key is not to get them confused and to realize what each has to offer. We will discuss this in the relevant context of veterinary medicine.
A good-cheap-not fast practice must operate with a volume that will make individualized care and convenience more difficult to deliver. This practice will need to see an increased number of clients to be compensated for the reduced fee per client. A good-fast (or convenient)-not cheap practice must invest in quality staff members, technology, and systems that allow them to deliver on their promise of quality and convenience. They must also schedule in such a way that they will sometimes have significant downtime just in case a client has a need. This is a more expensive way to run a practice and for that practice to survive will need to be charged for fairly. There is of course a third option. Though they do exist, no one would consciously choose the cheap-fast-not good practice when it comes to veterinary medicine for obvious reasons. Usually, clients end up in these practices by accident, believing them to be a good-cheap-not fast practice.
I think it’s obvious by now which road VCVC has chosen. We have chosen this road because it lines up with what we as pet owners ourselves would want and is the mode of practice we most enjoy. The result is a team that loves nerding out on the minutiae of veterinary medicine and the finer points of client care: our staff just finished reading, ”Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara (the managing partner for Eleven Madison Park–the number one restaurant in the world during his time there) in an effort to up our hospitality game. We are gradually remodeling our space to make it more comfortable and hospitable. It is by making our clients feel welcomed and by earning your trust that we are given the privilege of caring for your pets.
So, as we head into the summer, please know that we value each of you and your furry companions very much. We exist to serve you and them. If we can help, don’t hesitate to let us know.