{"componentChunkName":"component---src-templates-blog-post-js","path":"/blog/protect-our-veterinary-receptionists-upon-whom-so-much-depends","result":{"data":{"post":{"content":{"childMdx":{"body":"function _extends() { _extends = Object.assign || function (target) { for (var i = 1; i < arguments.length; i++) { var source = arguments[i]; for (var key in source) { if (Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(source, key)) { target[key] = source[key]; } } } return target; }; return _extends.apply(this, arguments); }\n\nfunction _objectWithoutProperties(source, excluded) { if (source == null) return {}; var target = _objectWithoutPropertiesLoose(source, excluded); var key, i; if (Object.getOwnPropertySymbols) { var sourceSymbolKeys = Object.getOwnPropertySymbols(source); for (i = 0; i < sourceSymbolKeys.length; i++) { key = sourceSymbolKeys[i]; if (excluded.indexOf(key) >= 0) continue; if (!Object.prototype.propertyIsEnumerable.call(source, key)) continue; target[key] = source[key]; } } return target; }\n\nfunction _objectWithoutPropertiesLoose(source, excluded) { if (source == null) return {}; var target = {}; var sourceKeys = Object.keys(source); var key, i; for (i = 0; i < sourceKeys.length; i++) { key = sourceKeys[i]; if (excluded.indexOf(key) >= 0) continue; target[key] = source[key]; } return target; }\n\n/* @jsx mdx */\nvar _frontmatter = {};\n\nvar makeShortcode = function makeShortcode(name) {\n  return function MDXDefaultShortcode(props) {\n    console.warn(\"Component \" + name + \" was not imported, exported, or provided by MDXProvider as global scope\");\n    return mdx(\"div\", props);\n  };\n};\n\nvar layoutProps = {\n  _frontmatter: _frontmatter\n};\nvar MDXLayout = \"wrapper\";\nreturn function MDXContent(_ref) {\n  var components = _ref.components,\n      props = _objectWithoutProperties(_ref, [\"components\"]);\n\n  return mdx(MDXLayout, _extends({}, layoutProps, props, {\n    components: components,\n    mdxType: \"MDXLayout\"\n  }), mdx(\"p\", null, \"In our most recent blog post pack member Naomi looked at Caravaggio. Using AI I've generated a Caravaggio-esque depiction of one of my favourite poems 'The Red Wheelbarrow' by William Carlos Williams.\"), mdx(\"p\", null, mdx(\"img\", _extends({\n    parentName: \"p\"\n  }, {\n    \"src\": \"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/5BhSHpfUWGpDHRpsan5a3v/94a5b71965c346d33bff7b9e228d5a9f/Screenshot_2025-03-14_at_2.29.08_PM.png\",\n    \"alt\": \"The Red Wheelbarrow\"\n  }))), mdx(\"p\", null, \"So much depends\\nupon\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"a red wheel\\nbarrow\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"glazed with rain\\nwater\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"beside the white\\nchickens\"), mdx(\"h1\", null, \"Who is Your Red Wheel Barrow?\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"It\\u2019s a short one and asks more questions than it answers really. But, read it again and then answer for me the following question: Who is the red wheelbarrow in your clinic? Take a minute to think about that carefully, honestly - who do you think it is?\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"Well, let me give you a clue as to who I think it most often is\\u2026\"), mdx(\"p\", null, mdx(\"img\", _extends({\n    parentName: \"p\"\n  }, {\n    \"src\": \"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/7K6NISG41qhvOYr8XMK4Po/31d7ada919ccdc1ce5e9a5abdfa60a1d/Screenshot_2025-03-14_at_2.34.04_PM.png\",\n    \"alt\": \"The Red Wheelbarrow\"\n  }))), mdx(\"h1\", null, \"Your Pet Owners Are Already AI Proficient\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"And yet, imagine what will happen when pet owners start asking their AI assistants to phone each of the 5 local vet clinics to check for availability, or compare prices or opening times. Your calls will increase by five times too. Today AI agents can-and do-call multiple businesses at once. Suddenly you\\u2019re inundated. What\\u2019s the solution? More receptionists? More phone lines? Do you plan on growing more arms? Or something better for everyone. The key here is to protect your receptionists by arming they with tools to tackle the rising demand effortlessly.\"), mdx(\"p\", null, mdx(\"a\", _extends({\n    parentName: \"p\"\n  }, {\n    \"href\": \"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5VN56jQMWM\"\n  }), mdx(\"img\", _extends({\n    parentName: \"a\"\n  }, {\n    \"src\": \"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/4Ze9cnTK8snImR0QMfiJaz/8c714561d5dab745fc03b61112b6a5da/Screenshot_2025-03-18_at_12.48.13_PM.png\",\n    \"alt\": \"Pet owner AI Concierges are here\"\n  })))), mdx(\"p\", null, \"What if AI assistants could book appointments, pay invoices, and reorder medications directly\\u2014without ever tying up your phone lines?\"), mdx(\"h1\", null, \"Your People in Practice are Key\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"Serving bots is no fun. No fun at all. Just think of what doing a good job looks like. In general, clients like to feel known. Thats why the people you have in your practice are key and I'll say it again, you need to protect your receptionists! Pet owners want a service tailored to their needs by people they know and that know them. In short, people like people.\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"But you can't impress an AI assistant by remembering their sick aunt or asking about their son's graduation. There are simply fewer opportunities to value-add through personalization, to build a relationship, and to maximize client retention.\\nThink about what an AI assistant is programmed to \\u201Cwant\\u201D. They don't want to feel known. They just want to know. Their job to be done is much more straightforward. Your client\\u2019s AI assistant wants to know if you have a slot that matches with the time they've been asked to book. If they could bypass your service representative altogether, reach into your scheduling software and book the slot themselves based on the rules you\\u2019ve set, they would.\\nI say, let them!\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"Not even an artificial half-wit would risk getting rumbled in a human-interaction if it could get the same job done completely digitally. AIs can speak pretty decent English but every single one of them speaks even better binary. Let AI talk with your digital systems. Embrace online payments, purchases, scheduling and digital subscriptions to facilitate this automation. And keep your people for what they do best: serving other people (and their pets!).\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"If the advent of talking AI assistants isn't incentive enough to digitize your veterinary business's systems and processes then I don't know what is. Do you really want to be paying highly trained team members to provide high touch customer service to a software program? Will you be able to find people willing to do so even if you do? Better to reserve their time for those compelling human touchpoints that digital-only businesses cannot replicate.\"), mdx(\"h1\", null, \"Vet Teams Belong at the Heart of the Petcare Journey\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"Our hand is being forced by the likes of Google, and ultimately by curious, convenience-seeking, constrained consumers just like ourselves. And, in the words of another poet (Robert Frost) \"), mdx(\"p\", null, mdx(\"em\", {\n    parentName: \"p\"\n  }, \"\\u201CThe best way out is always through.\\u201D \")), mdx(\"p\", null, \"This is a discomfort that we must push through together to retain the place of the local veterinary clinic at the heart of the pet care journey. And I\\u2019m sorry to say it but that\\u2019s the easy bit. There are harder challenges ahead.\"), mdx(\"h1\", null, \"Coming Soon\"), mdx(\"p\", null, \"The Wheel barrow appreciation society - \", mdx(\"a\", _extends({\n    parentName: \"p\"\n  }, {\n    \"href\": \"https://fb.me/g/35qF6D3fH/ZqRSb1LT\"\n  }), \"join our community of forward thinking receptionists\"), \" all geared toward becoming more AI proficient so that they can stay a head of the curve with their own team of AI agents.\\n\", mdx(\"a\", _extends({\n    parentName: \"p\"\n  }, {\n    \"href\": \"https://petsapp.com/blog/category/academy\"\n  }), mdx(\"img\", _extends({\n    parentName: \"a\"\n  }, {\n    \"src\": \"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/5SpBBL1lSCb10Ozp3bp1dO/b932fa6c28f3406372bc9c3448598e91/Screenshot_2025-03-18_at_1.17.35_PM.png\",\n    \"alt\": \"Screenshot 2025-03-18 at 1.17.35 PM\"\n  })))));\n}\n;\nMDXContent.isMDXComponent = true;","excerpt":"In our most recent blog post pack member Naomi looked at Caravaggio. Using AI I've generated a Caravaggio-esque depiction of one of my…"}},"showOnSearchEngines":true,"publishedDate":"2025-03-18T13:35+02:00","slug":"protect-our-veterinary-receptionists-upon-whom-so-much-depends","title":"Protect Our Veterinary Receptionists: Upon Whom so Much Depends","excerpt":{"excerpt":"So much depends\nupon\n\na red wheel\nbarrow\n\nglazed with rain\nwater\n\nbeside the white\nchickens\n\nIt’s a short one and asks more questions than it answers really. But, read it again and then answer for me the following question: Who is the red wheelbarrow in your clinic? Take a minute to think about that carefully, honestly - who do you think it is?\n\nWell, let me give you a clue as to who I think it most often is…"},"author":"Dr. Thom Jenkins","createdAt":"2025-03-18T11:34:50.522Z","featuredImage":{"file":{"url":"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/737cHcJoW8I1MKmMB3Iwwl/91b3daab7da1a73eada672556973a593/Copy_of_Copy_of_DUPLICATE_THIS_-_Blogpost_cover_image__36_.png"},"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.9047619047619047,"src":"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/737cHcJoW8I1MKmMB3Iwwl/91b3daab7da1a73eada672556973a593/Copy_of_Copy_of_DUPLICATE_THIS_-_Blogpost_cover_image__36_.png?w=870&q=50","srcSet":"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/737cHcJoW8I1MKmMB3Iwwl/91b3daab7da1a73eada672556973a593/Copy_of_Copy_of_DUPLICATE_THIS_-_Blogpost_cover_image__36_.png?w=218&h=114&q=50 218w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/737cHcJoW8I1MKmMB3Iwwl/91b3daab7da1a73eada672556973a593/Copy_of_Copy_of_DUPLICATE_THIS_-_Blogpost_cover_image__36_.png?w=435&h=228&q=50 435w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/737cHcJoW8I1MKmMB3Iwwl/91b3daab7da1a73eada672556973a593/Copy_of_Copy_of_DUPLICATE_THIS_-_Blogpost_cover_image__36_.png?w=870&h=457&q=50 870w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/737cHcJoW8I1MKmMB3Iwwl/91b3daab7da1a73eada672556973a593/Copy_of_Copy_of_DUPLICATE_THIS_-_Blogpost_cover_image__36_.png?w=1200&h=630&q=50 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px"}}},"related":{"nodes":[{"content":{"childMdx":{"excerpt":"We all know why we ask pet owners to select an \"appointment reason\" when booking a visit online. 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All too often, I hear from clinics that feel it’s perfectly reasonable for appointment booking to involve multiple…"}},"slug":"veterinary-practice-management-why-your-booking-process-shapes-clinic-culture","title":"Veterinary Practice Management: Why Your Booking Process Shapes Clinic Culture","author":"Naomi Jenkins","createdAt":"2026-08-19T11:20:06.347Z","featuredImage":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.9047619047619047,"src":"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/49l4xDHahcYBFTHMEdBunM/217aec7be18c4aec678d72774d32485a/Copy_of_Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__6_.png?w=870&q=50","srcSet":"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/49l4xDHahcYBFTHMEdBunM/217aec7be18c4aec678d72774d32485a/Copy_of_Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__6_.png?w=218&h=114&q=50 218w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/49l4xDHahcYBFTHMEdBunM/217aec7be18c4aec678d72774d32485a/Copy_of_Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__6_.png?w=435&h=228&q=50 435w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/49l4xDHahcYBFTHMEdBunM/217aec7be18c4aec678d72774d32485a/Copy_of_Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__6_.png?w=870&h=457&q=50 870w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/49l4xDHahcYBFTHMEdBunM/217aec7be18c4aec678d72774d32485a/Copy_of_Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__6_.png?w=1200&h=630&q=50 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px"}}},{"content":{"childMdx":{"excerpt":"Join us this September for a final review of the  Competition and Markets Authority’s report  (March 2026) which signals a major shift for…"}},"slug":"cma-remedies-explained-pricing-transparency-and-winning-on-value","title":"Competition and Marketing Authority Remedies: The Final Countdown for Veterinary Teams","author":"Naomi Oikonomou","createdAt":"2026-04-25T08:51:22.006Z","featuredImage":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/png;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.9047619047619047,"src":"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/6rFKpwzbHPrZcgI8TI0Sjv/a805007df4c04e3515cb8c7b5fce23c4/Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__4_.png?w=870&q=50","srcSet":"//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/6rFKpwzbHPrZcgI8TI0Sjv/a805007df4c04e3515cb8c7b5fce23c4/Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__4_.png?w=218&h=114&q=50 218w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/6rFKpwzbHPrZcgI8TI0Sjv/a805007df4c04e3515cb8c7b5fce23c4/Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__4_.png?w=435&h=228&q=50 435w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/6rFKpwzbHPrZcgI8TI0Sjv/a805007df4c04e3515cb8c7b5fce23c4/Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__4_.png?w=870&h=457&q=50 870w,\n//images.ctfassets.net/oa5wb8sed8k2/6rFKpwzbHPrZcgI8TI0Sjv/a805007df4c04e3515cb8c7b5fce23c4/Copy_of_PetsApp_Together_in_Partnership_with_SPVS_Banner_Orange__4_.png?w=1200&h=630&q=50 1200w","sizes":"(max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px"}}}]}},"pageContext":{"id":"4bdeacdd-a484-523b-b417-1c591f3b6d3f"}},"staticQueryHashes":["2278678973","3248290905","3253140457"]}