Effective Veterinary Client Communication: From First Call to Follow-Up

Veterinary client communication is a common focus for many veterinary clinics, largely because it’s a foundation of a thriving practice. From patient outcomes to business growth, so much rests on your team’s ability to listen, speak and build authentic, trusting client relationships.

Each aspect of the client journey presents opportunities to strengthen client communication skills and help turn ordinary interactions into moments of deeper connection, greater understanding and stronger compliance.

Why Good Communication Matters

When communication flows smoothly, so do success and satisfaction for everyone involved.1

• Pets. With clear communication, teams may be better able to understand the pet’s history, respond to the client’s concerns and explain recommended care in ways clients can understand. This may help lead to more consistent care — in-clinic and at home — and better pet health.
• Clients. Empathetic, two-way communication can help contribute to trusting relationships, promote shared decision-making and reduce misunderstandings. When clients feel heard, informed and supported, they’re often more confident in making care choices.
• Veterinary team. Clear and consistent messaging within the team and with clients can help reduce miscommunication, improve efficiency and lower job-related frustration, especially during busy or emotionally charged times.

Common Communication Challenges in Veterinary Medicine

Communication may seem natural and easy, but in the veterinary environment, it’s layered with challenges that can turn good intentions into costly misunderstandings, among them:

• Communication styles. Verbal communication is commonly used to explain pet health conditions, but not all clients absorb information the same way. Without visual aids or written materials, key details may be misunderstood or forgotten.
• Cultural differences. Not all clients view pets or veterinary care the same way. Assumptions about values or expectations can potentially create disconnects in conversation.
• Emotional situations. Failing to provide clients with time to ask questions and process difficult news or a concerning diagnosis may cloud their thinking and decision-making.
• Inconsistent messaging. Conflicting instructions or mismatched verbal and nonverbal cues can potentially instill a sense of doubt and distrust in the veterinary team.
• Lack of clarity or alignment. Veterinary teams may focus on explaining the value of services in clinical or technical terms, while clients may be more concerned with how the services benefit their pet.
• Technical language. Veterinary jargon can overwhelm clients, potentially leading them to agree to something they don’t fully understand or hesitate to move forward when they think they should.
• Time pressures. Short exam times and back-to-back appointments can make it difficult to have thoughtful conversations.

Recognizing these difficulties can help your team address them and build stronger client relationships through effective communication.

Client Communication Best Practices at Every Step

Stronger client communication doesn’t mean you need to overhaul every aspect of how you and your team interact with pet owners, but rather that you act with intention at every touchpoint.

Initial contact and appointment scheduling

The first phone call, email or face-to-face interaction can set the tone for what new clients can expect and reinforce the veterinary practice’s values for existing clients. From the start, use clear, easy-to-understand language — avoiding clinical terms — and speak at a calm, natural pace. Whether in person, on the phone or online, clients should feel respected, informed and at ease.

Encourage team members to be fully present and not distracted during client interactions to ensure clients feel valued. Use multiple formats to confirm key scheduling details (text, email or your website) and share any pre-visit instructions or resources, such as financing options your practice offers. Setting expectations early can help clients feel more prepared and confident in their pet’s care.

In-room communication

Client trust can be won — or lost — in the exam room. In-room conversations serve as pivotal opportunities for gathering detailed patient histories, understanding client concerns and establishing or maintaining a collaborative relationship.

• Tone and communication style. Speak with a calm, inviting tone coupled with open nonverbal cues — such as a relaxed posture and occasional, comfortable eye contact — to convey attentiveness and empathy. Connect with clients by mirroring their expressions or position (e.g., join them if they’re seated on the floor with their pet). Such small signals can show clients that you are fully present and interested in what they have to say. Use open-ended questions to encourage expanded responses, welcome pauses and silences, and summarize what you’ve heard to confirm understanding.
• Delivering the diagnosis. Create better clarity when sharing test results or diagnoses by meeting clients at their level. Determine a client’s existing knowledge by asking, “What do you already know about [insert condition]?” and use their response to tailor your explanation. However, remember that in emotionally difficult situations, even well-informed clients may benefit from having complex concepts explained in basic terms. Be prepared to repeat key information and make space for clients to process and ask questions.
• A partnership approach. Veterinary clients generally prefer a collaborative approach to their pet’s care and want to be included in decision-making.2 Inviting clients into the decision process acknowledges their perspective as well as their expectations and constraints, allowing the team to present tailored care options that fit the patient’s needs and the client’s situation.

Navigating financial conversations

Cost conversations can sometimes feel uncomfortable, but veterinary teams can draw confidence from knowing that clients desire up front communications about their pet’s present and future care costs.2

To make financial care conversations easy and more natural, make them part of everyday interactions. Introducing transparent treatment plans and pricing conversations, along with recommended financing tools like the CareCredit credit card as part of the pet’s regular care, can help build a foundation of trust and support that can streamline future discussions and help relieve client stress in urgent or emergent situations.. By normalizing these conversations, teams can help clients prepare for unexpected expenses and the costs of lifetime care, allowing them to feel supported — not overwhelmed — and know that quality care is achievable and focused on their pet’s best interests.

Client education and instruction

The veterinary-client relationship doesn’t end when the pet goes home. Providing verbal and written communication that is clear and thorough helps clients feel supported, informed and empowered about their pet’s next steps. Effective discharge and post-visit communications should:

• Confirm understanding. During discharge, ask clients to explain or demonstrate key care steps to verify they’ve grasped the essentials, and clarify points of confusion.
• Simplify care into manageable steps. Use checklists or bullet points instead of long paragraphs to make written directions easy to follow.
• Speak to all learning styles. Email a concise visit summary and include links to videos, infographics or tutorials to support different learning styles and reinforce key information.
• Encourage further communication. Timely check-in calls or emails show you care and give clients a chance to ask questions.

Follow-up and ongoing communication

Keep the conversation flowing year-round and promote client loyalty and pet health with consistent, targeted outreach. Personalize messaging by using the client’s or pet’s name and sharing only relevant information (e.g., dog-focused content to dog owners). Referencing past visits or upcoming services can further help clients feel known and valued.

Strategies for effective non-clinical communications include:

• Encouraging self-guided learning. Resources like practice blogs, video tutorials and helpful links support ongoing learning and reinforce your role as a partner in pet care.
• Focusing on the benefits. When promoting services such as vaccines or wellness testing, benefit-first language can help boost client responsiveness and prompt action.3
• Providing value with financial tools. Educating clients about flexible financing options before they want or need them shows that you’re focused on their pet’s future — and theirs.

Effective Communication Takes a Village

Successful client communication is an ongoing, dynamic process that thrives on flexibility, patience and a willingness to see situations from the client’s perspective. Along the client journey, every member of the veterinary team plays a vital role in maintaining clear, compassionate and effective communication. While their roles as communicators are often fluid and overlapping, each team member — veterinarian, technician, receptionist or client service representative — contributes unique skills and insights that can enhance the client experience.

Client Communication Is Clinical Care

Strong veterinary client communication isn’t just about providing good customer service; it’s an essential part of delivering excellent veterinary care and supporting the human-animal bond. By improving how your team communicates with clients, each touchpoint can create a ripple effect of positive change across the entire clinic.

Because better communication isn’t just a goal — it can be where everything begins.

A Veterinary Financing Solution for Your Clinic

Looking for a way to help your clients manage the cost of care that is needed for their pets? Consider accepting the CareCredit health and pet care credit card. CareCredit is a flexible financing solution that allows cardholders to pay for veterinary services over time, while you get paid within two business days.

When you accept CareCredit, you will receive a custom link that allows clients to see if they prequalify with no impact to their credit score. Those who apply, if approved, can take advantage of special financing on qualifying purchases.* The entire process is mobile-friendly, leaving you free to focus on providing the care pets need.

Learn more about the CareCredit credit card as a veterinary financing solution or start the provider enrollment process by filling out this form.

Author Bio

Angela Beal, D.V.M., has more than 20 years of experience as a veterinarian. Leveraging her background in private practice and academia, she uses her writing to provide veterinarians with strategies for making practice life more efficient and less stressful.

Healthcare payment and financing solution

The CareCredit health and wellness credit card helps improve the payment experience for patients and clients, and your financial performance.

Get Started