Think Tank Signals Increased Confidence In Future Of Independent Practices

9 years ago
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Posted
6th July, 2015 16h35

A Think Tank meeting of 30 independent veterinary practices held last month has produced a blue print for the next five years which, the group believes, will set the practices apart from the rest of the market and secure their future.

Facilitated by Vetsure, the Think Tank included a series of interactive workshops delivered by Zoetis, aimed at analysing the latest trends in the animal healthcare market and identifying opportunities for genuine collaboration over the next five years.

Ashley Gray MRCVS, managing director of Vetsure, comments: "Collaboration is not something that comes naturally to many people but there is an increasing swell of opinion, supported by new business models, in which cooperation, collective action and complex interdependencies are playing a more important role. In these models, competition is important but not all important.

"The aim of the Think Tank was to focus on the actions that our group of independent practices need to do together that they could not possibly do alone. We looked at how prepared Vetsure member practices are to face the various forces of change and what actions they should take to ensure they are resilient to threats and able to capitalise on the opportunities that the market evolution presents."

The ten-point action plan produced by the meeting covered all aspects of practice management from human resources and marketing, including new emerging digital technologies, through to finance and pricing - and in particular how the group can act together to achieve change.

Feedback from the vets that attended the Think Tank was very positive. Doug Alexander, AlphaPet Veterinary Clinics, comments: "There was a palpable buzz during the workshops as a flood of ideas were raised and discussed. These ideas have been distilled into a framework of practical, realistic solutions and processes that will allow like-minded practices across the country to work together for mutual benefit in a very challenging world."

This was the first Think Tank meeting for John Taylor, Mansion Hill Veterinary Practice, who comments: "It really opened my eyes to the power of collaborative working with our business partners and why concentrating exclusively on getting the best price for them ultimately results in a worse outcome for the supplier, the client and the practice. I look forward to Vetsure building a framework in which all members can mutually benefit from the experience of others in addition to accessing the power of cooperation."

Ashley concludes: "As well as a huge sense of entrepreneurialism within the Think Tank group, there was a clear confidence in the future of independent veterinary practice among our members. This confidence arises from their ability to provide high quality veterinary care coupled with an understanding of both the technical and emotional needs of the pet-owning public. It's an offering based on trust, client relationships and a growing demand in society for a premium level of service."

For more information on Vetsure Pet Insurance and the new Vetsure Platinum Buying Group, please email: [email protected], visit www.vetsurevet.com or call 01707 226672.

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