Dr. Cameron Moorehead
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A: Prior to Hollander, I was using someone who was good with advertising, but I was having problems with other areas of the practice, primarily organization. It often seemed like I was doing just about everything in the practice by myself and it was becoming overwhelming. The other consultant was basically helping me with marketing. I felt I was getting some increase in the gross income, but it was as if the practice was managing me rather than me properly managing it. I needed help with managing personnel, writing good office policies, and with setting up effective and efficient management systems. I heard that Hollander could provide organizational and administrative expertise, which I really needed.
Q: Why did you chose Hollander over other firms?
A: The written promotional material they sent me created some interest on my part. I'd received their brochure a few years earlier, but I didn't feel I needed help at that time. When I got to the point where I recognized I needed some help, I gave them a call. I wanted the free analysis they offer because I was curious about how they would go about organizing my practice. They sent a gentleman out to do the analysis shortly after I contacted them and I liked what I heard. I have several friends who had gone with a different firm, and I'd gotten mixed reviews from them. After the analysis I felt very safe going with Hollander.
Q: What has been your biggest success on the program?
A: Getting organized and becoming very effective and efficient. Having a staff that knows what they are supposed to be doing is a big relief and has made a tremendous difference. My growth has been great as well, but the primary factor is being organized to the point where I'm not doing everything. I enjoy spending my time being the doctor while the staff handles their daily functions. It has taken a lot off my shoulders. As I mentioned, I'd had some growth in gross income while I was using a marketing consultant. But that didn't make a difference in the fact that I was continually having to handle employees, coordinate all the advertising and everything else that goes along with owning a practice. It also didn't translate into enough of an increase in net income to guarantee future financial stability. I've been able to solve all the problems I had when I originally contacted Hollander.
Q: What other results have you gotten?
A: Everything has increased. We started the program in August and for the first couple of months we focused on getting organized. Then right around November of that year, when all the systems were in place, we really started to take off. The net increased to the point I began building up a reserve account. We didn't slow down in the winter. In fact, in February of that first year our income was in a higher range than the previous July! Hollander showed me how to avoid those winter slumps, which everyone knows is likely to happen in Veterinary medicine. Our growth has not slowed down since I began the Hollander program. Quite the contrary. We continue to see increases and we're busy all year around. We don't worry about any lulls.
Q: What did you do to get the results?
A: We were trained in management and we had not received this type of training before. Hollander taught us a system of management that allows us to control conditions in the practice. We know exactly what to do to maintain increases and we also know what to do if a statistic stays flat or decreases. I no longer wonder what to do if some aspect of the practice betters or worsens. I have exact formulas to follow and I'm consciously able to control our statistics.
Another contributing factor to our consistent results is that we got help with our promotion. It wasn't just advice on specific promotional materials or events, the help included laying out the proper sequence and timing of promotion on a calendar. Our consultant worked with us on this and it turned out very well. Now we are #2 in the Atlanta area doing spays and neuters. The #1 clinic has three offices and six doctors. We are only one clinic and one doctor. The promotional calendar has helped us bring in new business, using both advertising and word-of-mouth campaigns.
The regular availability of someone who can advise me about situations that arise in the pract're personally involved in a situation it can be quite difficult to look at it rationally. My consultant has an uncanny ability to be very close to and familiar with the practice, yet remain exterior to situations. His viewpoint and advice alone has been worth the fee. When something would happen I didn't always feel like I could ask my Office Manager or staff members about it because they, too, would be emotionally involved. I can talk to my consultant whenever I want to and I get suggestions about what to do.
Q: Has your quality of life changed?
A: I have to say it's a lot less stressful for everyone. A lot. Employees have always been difficult for me to deal with. I guess you could say staff management was not my forte. My Office Manager has been trained by Hollander and now handles the majority of staff issues. Implementing office policies that work has also reduced stress for me. The reserve account we've built up has allowed us to purchase things that we need. Not only is the gross income very good, but just as importantly, the net has gotten much, much better. And, with the increased net, Hollander has taught me and helped me with proper financial planning techniques. I don't have to borrow money for things that we need. I've gotten a new computer system, some equipment for the groomer and upgraded our whole facility out of existing cash flow. I don't have to go into debt. I'm taking all of my staff to a Hollander training session in a few months. Before I had to keep the clinic open all the time so we could make money. I'm now in a position to close it down and take everybody away for a few days.
Q: Has the Hollander program helped you overcome increasing competition?
A: We are at the point now where I don't even worry about it. I don't worry about the corporate super pet store chains. I have read some of those articles that pose the question about how Vets are going to compete with the corporate changes and it's just not an issue for me. We know that if we do what we are supposed to do, they are not going to take any food out of our mouths. We have a PetSmart that's about 3 miles from us. But we still continue to grow. They could move 2 blocks up the street and I know we would remain competitive. We offer quality service and competitive pricing. People like that a lot.
Q: How has the executive training helped you?
A: The most important thing to me is being able to set a good example, not trying to take advantage of anybody or just make money off of people without providing superior quality care and service. I was never an unethical person. But I'll tell you, the Hollander training heightened my understanding of ethics, enhanced my viewpoint of providing high quality service and increased my competence rather significantly. I've worked in practices where the doctors and staffs have talked negatively about one another and it created a poor working environment. There was no respect. By setting a good example for my staff and my clients, and by being a competent leader, I am able to have a workplace where everyone is productive and happy.
All that is in addition to receiving training on the nuts and bolts of executive skills and increasing my abilities. Early in my relationship with Hollander, I depended heavily on my consultant for guidance and advice. As I have continued to participate in management training, I've become less and less dependent and more and more competent as a business owner and as a leader. These skills can be used in all facets of life, not just in the workplace. It's been invaluable to me on a personal level and has contributed in no small way to the success of my practice.
Q: How has the quality of care and service improved?
A: Before we had this management system in place and prior to my staff knowing exactly what they were supposed to be doing, we got client complaints about once a month. In the past 4-5 months we've only gotten one or two, and that's seeing hundreds of office visits per week. Now we have a Quality Control section, so even when we do have a complaint, it is handled swiftly and systematically. Correction occurs internally and we never have that complaint again.
I'm a better doctor because I have more time and energy to devote to my patients. Before Hollander I was overwhelmed with doing everything in the office, or worrying about whether or not everything was getting done. With the job descriptions, office policy, communication systems and general management techniques we have in place now, each employee is responsible for their own position. I know these positions are being held competently, giving me the freedom to concentrate on providing good care.
Q: What advice would you give other practice owners?
A: I would say to them that we were not trained how to be an owner and manager in Vet school. From the business side, the Hollander program covers every aspect of running a practice. I'm sure there are some successful practices that have not used the Hollander program, but there are some principles that you have to have in order to run any successful business. That's true from Microsoft on down to mom and pop's lemonade stand. You have to get it from somewhere and I certainly did not get any of this in school. Veterinary medicine is easy, but managing the business was hard. The Hollander program is structured and tailor-made and they provide all the help a doctor needs to implement a management system that has certainly worked well for me..
Q: Anything else?
A: I'm very pleased with what we have gotten out of our association with Hollander, especially from my consultant. Participation in their program has created benefits for the practice, myself and my staff. My return on the investment has been phenomenal. I'd be quite wealthy if all my investments had this rate of return. It has been well worth the fee and I would recommend it to anyone who really wants to make their practice enjoyable. An investment in your practice, I feel, is the smartest investment you can make. Properly managed, it will provide stable financial achievement and success. Hollander is a very good company. I've gotten everything I wanted from them when I first contacted them and I've exceeded my original expectations. I'm well prepared to continue practicing the way I want to practice, reaping all the benefits available to me, for many years to come.