The Wagging Tail

It seems like products come and go like the wind. In school I learned about isoflurane and halothane; now I use sevoflurane. I used to use cephalexin and now I use cefpodoxime. New products are constantly being released and old products are fading away. This raises a ton of issues–explaining change to clients, to associates, buying new books, attending CE meetings, etc. 

My most recent run-in with change was when I added a new flea product to my arsenal. I encouraged the associates to present the information factually and with enthusiasm without over-selling the product. I wanted them to be careful to not invest themselves or the practice’s reputation in the product. What exactly do I mean by that? Nothing is 100% so don’t put your reputation on the line. 

Don’t say things like, “I guarantee you’re gonna love it!” “You’ll never see another flea!” “This is the best thing out there and everyone is using it!” Or if you’re talking about anti-histamines, don’t say, “Your dog will never itch again!” Or if you’re talking about arthritis, don”t say, “Your dog will never limp again!” Nothing is 100%. 

There isn’t one anti-histamine that helps with all allergic Pets; there isn’t one anti-inflammatory that helps with all lameness; there isn’t one antibiotic that eliminates all infections. That’s why I carry several types of anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, and several anti-histamine products. Present the information with confidence, but don’t overdo it. Let the clients know that it’s a good product, has sound research behind it, you’ve had good luck with it in the past, etc. 

So far the transition to the new product is going smoothly. The associates seemed happy to try it and the clients seemed happy to have another alternative.

 

In this very difficult economy, there are ways we can all stretch our dollar to go further. 

Here are some ideas for your consideration:

Make it automatic. Before seeing your paycheck, divert a good portion of it to your 401(k) and savings.

Keep a low balance in your checking account. Make money work for you by funneling extra funds into a savings account where it will earn more interest than in a checking account.

Don’t pay banking fees. Use your bank for free bill pay, automatic deposits, free checks, and free reimbursements for ATM fees. Don’t pay for any of those services.

Use rewards credit cards. Get cash back on every purchase and pay the card off every month — don’t pay any interest fees. I recommend reward cards, but only if you have no current credit card debt, and can afford to pay the balance every month.

Search out deals. Try and find a better deal, or request a better deal from your service providers.

Use a programmable thermostat. Programmable thermostats save you an estimated 10-20% on your heating and cooling bills.

Use ceiling fans, floor fans, and space heaters. There is no sense heating an entire house while youre away at work or sleeping.

Install CFLs to save energy. Compact fluorescent lights use about a quarter of the electricity of normal incandescent bulbs. They also need to be replaced less frequently.

Drive smoothly. Accelerate smoothly and at a reasonable rate, and coast to a stop as often as possible. Use cruise control on the highway.

Plan and research major purchases. This little tip could save you thousands.
Buy quality products. Quality items may cost more up front, but they last longer and generally provide better results than cheaper, inferior products.

Buy generic where applicable. You can save a lot of money on generic items for which the brand name product is essentially the same as the store brand. Food and medicines come to mind as items where generic products are good deals.

Use coupons and rebates. Use coupons for oil changes, groceries, books, on-line purchases, and just about anything else you can find.

Use store rewards cards. Use grocery shopping reward cards and save 10-15% every trip.

Cook at home. Enough said!

Eat leftovers. Save a minimum of $20 a week by bringing your lunch to work.

Use the library. Borrow movies from the library. New releases aren’t always available, but you can wait a few months — right?

Use parks. The popular press calls this a “staycation.” It beats the hassle of going through the TSA Security line at your local airport — and it’s far less expensive.

Take care of things. Treat things you own with respect and take good care of them. Items last much longer when you take good care of them.

Buy insurance. Health insurance, home owner’s insurance, auto insurance, and other types of insurance are designed to save you money. Sure, you may end up paying premiums for years and never file a claim, but in the event you need to file a claim, your premium will likely be small compared to what you would have had to pay. You’ll be very happy if you ever need it.

Bundle cable and internet. You can save a lot of money by bundling these together rather than purchasing them separately.

Use cell phones – skip the landline. Assuming you have a cell phone, consider skipping the regular telephone.

Cancel subscriptions. Almost everything you want can be found on-line for free.

Home improvement. Learn to DIY (do it yourself) and you’ll save big bucks. However, hire out anything dangerous or that you don’t have the tools or expertise to do. (e.g. electrical or plumbing).

Try to avoid debt. Most traditional mortgages are OK, but working to quickly rid yourself of other high interest rate debt is always a good idea.

Is there anyone out there who isn’t feeling additionally stressed from the recent dip in our country’s economic state? If there is, I sure haven’t met them. As I’ve talked to my clients over the last several weeks, I’ve heard a common theme:  anxiety and worry about the future, specifically, people want to know what and how the financial implications of what happened on Wall Street will impact their future. I bet as a veterinarian you’re in the same boat. You’re probably wondering, “Will my clients be spending less on vet care?” , ”Should my team reconsider travel for meetings or continuing education?”

Ah, if I only had a crystal ball, I could predict how this will all play out, but since I don’t see one landing in my lap anytime soon, I am limited to offering you some good advice that can help offset the mental anguish you might be experiencing, due to the recent financial challenges of today.

I think it’s important to avoid over or under reacting by facing the current financial situation head-on. It’s easy to fall into one of two very extreme ways of responding when you’re faced with something that causes you to be afraid — shear fear or total denial. Don’t freak-out and don’t go to the other extreme either, by refusing to believe there has been a change in our economy and pretending it won’t affect you, on some level. Your practice or hospital, too, must account for some of the same cost increases as households. As in any situation that creates alarm or causes you to worry, if you can keep your head on straight, you will be more apt to make better decisions. Maybe you’re worried you may be losing some of your revenue streams, such as prescription drugs and vet-only products that your clients are finding on the Internet. Stay calm and approach these times with a realistic-optimistic attitude.

We all know that there are no absolutes in life and the winds of change can happen, good or bad, personal or professional, at any moment. Sometimes, I think we need to be shaken up a bit and remember the wisdom of Forrest Gump when he compared life to a box of chocolates — you never know what you’re gonna get. No matter how well you plan, you can never be sure the plan is going to work the way you want it to. As much as we wish it wasn’t so, life is a series of changes, phases and uncertainty.

I like what Tony Robbins, authority on psychology of leadership, says about keeping perspective during uncertain times. “There are two choices in life when it comes to facing uncertainty: fear or faith. They’re fundamentally the same thing — a product of our imagination. No one knows what the future holds, but the difference between fear and faith is that fear is imagination undirected. It grows like destructive wildfire, devastating our emotions and oppressing our sense of well-being. Faith is imagination directed. We have the choice to create a vision and move toward it confidently, ready to accept whatever the outcome will be. Mastering your fear doesn’t mean that it never shows up. It just means that you take control of it rather than it takes control of you. So when everyone else is running, you’ll be ready to see the possible advantages to what others only see as a bleak situation.

There is no doubt, our economy is down and people are worried, but history has shown that our country has gone through times like these before and, more than likely, will bounce back again. And at the risk of sounding too Pollyanna, remember that times of struggle are what make us think and help us grow. What may seem like a dismal situation is often an opportunity to learn and succeed. It seems you can’t always alter lif’s circumstances, but you can alter the way you deal with them by deciding how you will react.

How are you dealing with the recent changes in our economy?

Anthony Robbins is an authority on the psychology of leadership, negotiations, organizational turnaround and peak performance. He has been a personal adviser to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, the United States Army and Marines and Grammy-award winning musicians. For more information on strategies to thrive even in harsh economic times, visit thepowerofcrisis.com or tonyrobbins.com.

Volunteering your time (and energy) is a great way to give something back to the community you serve. I have a personal interest in reaching out and educating our youth by introducing them to the veterinary profession. I happen to feel that there will always be a need for competent compassionate veterinarians in the future.

Through my hospital, for example, I participate in what we call future vet presentations for my friends’ kids at their schools. The program addresses what being a Pet doctor is all about while stressing the importance of the human-Pet bond. Depending on the age group, kids are given goodie bags and:

- are encouraged to assist with tests and using instruments
- participate in discussions and mini labs
- look at x-rays and
- play the role of veterinarian

We’re all crazy-busy these days, juggling simultaneous work-family commitments. But I think it’s important to make time to support the people who support you. The hard part is how you choose to give and to whom. To help you with this task, I first recommend you take a look at your calendar for the next month and figure out how many hours you would have in a week or a month to give. Do you have regular open blocks of time?

Secondly, make a list of your talents and interests and match them up with organizations you are interested in. Consider your local humane society or shelter?

You can also attend a meeting or event held for the organization you’re interested in to meet its members and see if you fit in personality and culture-wise. Be sure to find out how much time other members or volunteers contribute so you can see if you have enough available time to give.