How did our host, Nicole Clausen, come to be a thought leader for veterinary practices nationwide? On this episode of The Inventory Nation Podcast she shares with us her origin story and lessons learned on her professional journey from logistical overwhelm to veterinary clinic management mastery. We are learning about the “aha” moments and highly successful systems Nicole developed through trial and error, along with roadblocks we can all expect to encounter along the way. You’ll hear about Nicole’s Top 5 Inventory Gamechangers – practices that she initiated after hard-won lightbulb moments as an inventory management newbie. Don’t miss out on predictable speed bumps and things to remember as you take on this highly challenging – but equally rewarding – role. And remember: Your inventory management systems won’t be perfect right out of the gate. But you WILL reduce chaos and improve quality of life for everyone across your veterinary practice. So be kind to yourself, keep the faith and take notes from Nicole – someone who has been there and is ready to show you the way!

Also: Big news! Our Inventory System Deep Dive now offers six hours of RACE-approved continuing education (plus earn a Certificate of Veterinary Inventory Fundamentals) and our Certified Veterinary Inventory Professional Program includes 34 hours of RACE-CE.

KEY QUOTES:

• “In those first days and weeks (in inventory management) I really struggled because I was brand new to the practice and … was truly coming into a blank slate where I had no idea what was going on.” (Nicole)

• “My brain works best when I have a full picture and I know all the information. I don’t really do well when I have to guess and hope for the best.” (Nicole)

• “Setting up re-order points was the first project that I tackled and it was the thing that moved the needle the most for me … even if I did have to make some iterations.” (Nicole)

• “The biggest benefit of setting up your inventory systems is just the level of clarity, confidence and predictability where we often have this low-level hum of chaos and uncertainty.” (Nicole)

• “As inventory managers we’re never going to be 100% perfect because there’s so many things out of our control. Supply issues. Back orders. We can try to anticipate, but we can’t predict everything.” (Nicole)

• “Remember that the reason we put all this time into setting up inventory systems is so that it’s easier, so that we spend less time and save money!” (Nicole)

ABOUT VCL:

Veterinary Care Logistics serves veterinarians and their teams who are frustrated that their current inventory system is not functioning correctly and are facing out of control inventory costs and improperly stocked hospitals. VCL helps veterinarians through inventory analysis, comprehensive step-by-step action plans, and thorough team member training. My clients experience great success and rave about my work because I roll up my sleeves and get dirty working with your hospital to improve your inventory as if it was my own hospital.

FOLLOW OR CONTACT US:

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

What is it about “back to school” season? It just feels like a great time to start fresh! And if you’re a veterinary inventory manager, that probably means taking control of unnecessary guesswork – and stress! Nicole Clausen, host of The Inventory Nation Podcast, gets us started with a strategy for reliably managing reorder points. You’ll learn about tried-and-true methods for keeping your inventory operation running smoothly, with some help from things like reorder tags, bins, or shelf labels. Find out about simple – but game-changing – ways to establish best practices and preserve your peace of mind. Much of it comes down to what works best for your team’s culture and with the flow of your daily veterinary procedures. If you’re looking for a terrific step-by-step approach, consider trying Nicole’s Reorder Tag Magic. It’s an online course that walks you through how to implement various options, secure your team’s buy-in and ensure your system’s long-term success. (The course is only $9 and includes all kinds of videos, templates, and other amazing resources!) Managing the goods our practices consume and dispense is a never-ending job, but there are ways to ease that burden. Small measures make for big reasons to celebrate the support inventory managers provide their practice team and patients every single day!

Are you up to date on everything Veterinary Care Logistics has to offer? Click here to learn about our 1:1 consulting and strategic services, online education, and certification options, and to keep up with Nicole’s upcoming programs!

You can also join the Inventory Strategy Network – our free virtual neighborhood for inventory managers and other veterinary professionals – by visiting this link.

Do you have any feedback or stories to share about what works (and doesn’t) in your practice? Nicole loves hearing from you, so please reach out to her @Instagram or via this email.

KEY QUOTES:

• “My only training as an inventory manager was: When you shake a bottle and it feels low, you order more. And I remember sitting there in the pharmacy and thinking, ‘But what does that actually mean?’ ” (Nicole)

• “Figuring out ways to know when we’re low (on medications or supplies) and how to order easily and quickly can be so, so helpful.” (Nicole)

• “We can’t run in-house lab work if we don’t have the proper equipment or supplies for that. So if we leave it up to our team to tell us when things are low, we’re playing somewhat of a dangerous game.” (Nicole)

• “Think about what your order flags look like now … not only for your most commonly used items but for those items where we might use them only every one or two months but that are super-critical to our practices.” (Nicole)

• “One of the things about inventory is that there’s never an endpoint ... It never stops. We always have to replenish. We’re always trying to make improvements and adjustments.” (Nicole)

FOLLOW OR CONTACT US:

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

SUMMARY:

There it is: The dreaded “payment due in full at time of service” sign at your front desk. For many pet owners it can make the difference between seeking treatment and walking away. Sad, uncomfortable conversations about the financial bottom line are a huge cause of burnout for care providers, but it doesn’t have to be that way! Our special guest on this episode of Inventory Nation is sharing a systematic approach to tailoring a clear, flexible financial strategy that fits your particular practice’s values and resources.

Aimee St. Arnaud, practice owner and founder of Open Door Veterinary Collective, walks Host Nicole Clausen through a new way of tackling the realities of pet care costs and collaborating to create a win-win financially and emotionally. Her team offers both consultation and courses to help practices put in place practical tools to soften the biggest barrier to care. Clients and practices alike can benefit from Open Door’s step-by-step guidance around things like pay-over-time options that put the care pets need within the reach of clients on a budget.

You’ll come away inspired to explore new online payment platforms, train team members to have frank (but supportive) conversations and put in place a plan that takes into consideration all the variables and modulates spectrum of care and pricing accordingly. It’s exciting stuff that can be transformational for practices struggling to find the balance between profitability and compassionate care in an inflationary world!

Curious to know more about what the Open Door Veterinary Collective is all about? You can find out about all their resources and partnerships at this link.

You can also join the Inventory Strategy Network – our free virtual neighborhood for inventory managers and other veterinary professionals – by visiting this link.

KEY QUOTES:

• “Telling clients that you can’t help them because they have no money is one of the leading causes of burnout in the vet profession.” (Aimee)
• “As many times as you have (the money conversation) it’s still heartbreaking. How can we build a bridge to make sure not only that patients are cared for but our teams feel cared for as well?” (Nicole)
• “Giving (clients) a wealth of options and resources to truly make it a collaboration feels very exciting to me because it’s not just a one-way conversation anymore.” (Nicole)
• “It takes less time to go over these plans with people and present this then it does to deal with when they can’t afford the care and they give a negative one-star review.” (Aimee)
• “As more practices try to do (pay-over-time) and it becomes the norm, it’s really going to help break this barrier to care.” (Aimee)

ABOUT VCL:

Veterinary Care Logistics serves veterinarians and their teams who are frustrated that their current inventory system is not functioning correctly and are facing out of control inventory costs and improperly stocked hospitals. VCL helps veterinarians through inventory analysis, comprehensive step-by-step action plans, and thorough team member training. My clients experience great success and rave about my work because I roll up my sleeves and get dirty working with your hospital to improve your inventory as if it was my own hospital.

FOLLOW OR CONTACT US:

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram