With overbooked schedules and overflowing email inboxes, it can be difficult to find the time to implement new technology in your veterinary practice.
By planning ahead and following some simple best practices, you can set your team up for success. We’ve gathered tips to consider throughout the process.
Step 1: Prepare your team
Collaboration and communication are the most vital parts of the preparation phase. Establishing a collaborative work culture leads to trust and an open dialogue, which will make transitions significantly easier. Here are some ways you can prepare your team for new technologies and systems:
- Work closely with your account manager at the technology provider you selected — They will help you understand the ins and outs of your new service and ensure your practice has the proper infrastructure to support it now and well into the future.
- Involve your team as early as possible — Talk with them to find out what they would like to improve or accomplish with your new service. Hold sessions to encourage questions and address concerns. Also, keep your team looped in during the entire process. This helps them stay involved and invested throughout the process.
- Create an implementation plan — This should be based on your practice’s unique culture and team members. By acknowledging the dynamics of your team and each member’s strengths, you can set up a plan that works for everyone and helps them understand how they contribute to the team’s success.
Step 2: Implement your plan
Now it’s time to put your prep work into action and start implementing your new service. Here a few are ways to set your plan into motion:
- Be transparent — Clearly communicate the next steps to all team members and keep them informed.
- Choose a champion — Select a training champion to spearhead the transition and help establish protocols. The champion should be a team member that is willing to learn and lead.
- Tailor your training — Try to accommodate different learning styles and levels of expertise. Training is most effective when it is tailored to each team member.
- Take advantage of the resources from your partner company — Pass along any newsletters, FAQs, help pages, or live training sessions to your team.
- Keep the lines of communication open — Talk with your staff to set expectations, delegate responsibilities, address questions and concerns, and refine protocol. Active collaboration and continuous communication will make the transition easier.
Step 3: Maintain the momentum
After you and your team have successfully started using your new technology, it’s time to focus on maintaining your momentum. Here are a few ideas to continue growing after implementation:
- Encourage feedback and transparency — Try proactively asking your team if they are experiencing issues and listen to their suggested solutions so they can quickly be addressed.
- Maintain a relationship with your technology provider — Your account manager can provide useful information about updates to your services and pass along any new resources that they have.
- Periodically revisit training — This will help keep knowledge fresh and top of mind.
- Leverage data to track your success and identify pain points. Your account manager can also provide insight and feedback.
- Reflect on the goals you set during the preparation phase — This is an excellent opportunity to not only plan improvements, but also celebrate successes.
Promoting strong communication and collaboration among your team will help you continue the hard work everyone has completed up to this point. With the proper implementation and training, your team will be able to successfully use new technologies to their full potential.
Step 4: Lean on your service providers
Whether you are in the preparation, implementation, or maintenance stage, your service provider can be a valuable resource. The best partners will provide you with the tools you need to succeed with your new service. Lean on your account manager for insightful help and guidance at every step of the process. At Vetsource, our account managers are here to set practices up for success.
Are you a Vetsource customer? You can contact your account manager directly or email [email protected] to learn about available training resources.
Not yet a Vetsource customer? Learn how we support our partners and help them get their team on board by filling out this quick form or emailing [email protected].
