Do I have to make any changes to my existing phone lines or numbers?
How do I start implementing the new phoneword?
Where should you advertise your phoneword?
What call fees are associated with this service?
What are the future benefits of joining the network?
Who can join?
How can this work for multi-clinic practices?
Our phone is diverted to an answering machine / mobile service when the clinic is closed. What happens when clients ring then?
Is this service available from mobile phones?
Shouldn't we be concentrating our marketing efforts on existing clients?
Question not listed here?
Do I have to make any changes to my existing phone lines or numbers?
No. Nothing needs to change at all. You still keep and continue to promote your existing numbers as you wish. 1300 VET CLINIC will be just an addition to your existing numbers.
How do I start implementing the new phoneword?
Include your new phoneword on:
- Business cards
- Letterheads
- Uniforms
- On hold messages
- Vehicles
- Website home page
- Promotional products
- Magnets
- In store posters
Where should you advertise your phoneword?
- Local Newspaper
- Yellow pages
- Direct mail (reminders, accounts)
- Exterior signage (Particularly effective as customers drive by)
- Radio
In general, the more you advertise your phoneword the more chance your response rates will increase for both the short and long term.
What call fees are associated with this service?
The carrier we use for this network is Zintel. Calls made to your 1300 number are billed at $0.08 per minute with the first 15 minutes being free. Given that most queries and appointment scheduling require less than 15 minutes, many of these calls will not attract a call fee.
Currently this service is only available from landlines in all areas with the view to adding mobile capability in the near future.
What are the future benefits of joining the network?
If this concept is embraced by sufficient individual practices on a national level the benefits will include:
- Large scale advertising to include radio and magazines
- Resource sharing across areas as training, coaching, staff education, marketing and practice promotions
- Access to training and practice development materials and information.
- This site will be converted to a pet owner resource for accessing veterinary services in their area. Each member will receive a FREE listing of their practice profile on this site. 1300 VETCLINIC members will be able to run regular promotions with support from suppliers which will be advertised through this site.
- Support valuable not for profit animal welfare organisations and do our bit for planet earth
Any practice which currently offers a comprehensive veterinary service available 7 days a week.
How can this work for multi-clinic practices?
This is perfect for multi clinic practices as it provides a single easy to use number which galvanizes and identifies the group.
Individual postcodes can be routed to the closest site or to the main clinic as you prefer.
Why not give your clients a single, unforgettable number to connect to their nearest clinic?
Our phone is diverted to an answering machine / mobile service when the clinic is closed. What happens when clients ring then?
The service follows all diversions so you never miss out on calls to your clinic from this number if they are dialled from a landline in your nominated area.
Is this service available from mobile phones?
Currently this service is only available from fixed lines within each postcode area. Advances in technology will soon allow postcode routing from mobile phones.
We will advise when this feature becomes available from the carrier.
Shouldn't we be concentrating our marketing efforts on existing clients?
Absolutely! This is generally achieved through a well constructed reminder system, newsletters, client feedback and patient follow up systems.
However, statistically customer attrition rate for most small businesses is around 20% which means that they need to constantly attract new customers to replace this loss.
This is generally achieved through referrals from existing customers and appealing to new customers through a focused marketing strategy.
Given that it is 6 times more expensive to attract new customers and lead them up through the loyalty ladder it is beneficial to the business to minimise costs associated with new customer acquisition.
An easy to remember 1300 phoneword can cost effectively provide a link between your business and potential new customers in your area.
Please use the Contact Us form and email us your question. We’d be happy to explain any part of this service to you.
