Setting up your very own independent veterinary practice is an exciting journey. One of the highlights is choosing and purchasing the technology and equipment that will help your business thrive. For many new practice owners, this may be the first time they have had full buying influence, meaning their preferences take centre stage—alongside their own budget!
This blog was written to highlight one of the pitfalls for new independent veterinary practice owners and shares our top tips for getting best value from your tech purchases through robust team training practices.
The Initial Training Challenge
Picture the scene, your core team of employees gather excitedly to watch the engineer demonstrate your brand-new ultrasound machine, dental scaler, or a cutting-edge app. The engineer will provide an in-depth walkthrough, covering setup, usage, cleaning, maintenance, calibration, and troubleshooting etc. The more knowledgeable and passionate they are, the more information is poured forth.
However, as we know from our consulting skills CPD, clients only retain one third of what we tell them in a consult. So, why should we be any different. Your team will not remember all the information they have been told, and if they are not using the device regularly, they will slowly forget more over time.
As your business grows, new employees will need to be trained on the use and care of your precious kit. But will your band of early adopters really remember everything they were told and pass it on clearly and coherently? It’s unlikely. Without a structured approach to training on your equipment, knowledge inevitably fades and becomes diluted with each retelling.
The Risk of Knowledge Loss
Regularly used equipment stands a better chance of being operated and maintained correctly. But what about less commonly performed tasks like calibration or intermittent maintenance? Confidence in performing them can decline, leading to uncertainty when they are needed. In the worst-case scenario, improper setup or lack of maintenance can lead to damage, downtime, and expensive repairs.
You’ve invested not just capital but also your passion into acquiring the best equipment for your practice. To protect that investment, you need a structured training programme that ensures every team member learns directly from reliable sources rather than through diminishing word-of-mouth training.
Ensuring Consistent Training with Training-Progress
This is where Training-Progress comes in. Our process and training management platform consolidates all your practice’s SOPs, instruction manuals, and training videos into an online practice manual or operations manual. Vitally, it integrates this information into a structured training programme, ensuring that all team members receive consistent training that is aligned with your practice’s protocols.
With Training-Progress, your team will always have access to clear, structured guidance on:
- Setting up and using equipment
- Proper cleaning and maintenance
- Calibration procedures
- Troubleshooting common issues
Easy reference on your process management system is vital
Consistent initial training is fundamental but unless tasks are being performed regularly, it is easy for knowledge to slip. Ensuring your practice/operations manual is fully accessible, wherever your team needs it, is essential. That’s why Training-Progress’s cloud based system ensures your team members always have the knowledge they need at their fingertips.
Save Time with Smart Training Resources
Worried about the time investment required to create training content? Here are four quick tips to streamline the process:
- Leverage Supplier Resources – No need to reinvent the wheel. Many suppliers provide excellent instructional videos and manuals. Training-Progress allows you to link directly to these external resources, ensuring your team receives expert guidance while avoiding diluted, second-hand instructions.
- Record Demonstrations – During that initial training session with the equipment engineer, use your smartphone to record the demonstration. This serves as a valuable reference tool for those who attended and an essential training resource for future employees.
- Watch not read – For desktop-based software, consider using screen recording tools to capture step-by-step demonstrations. Many affordable or free options are available. (Pro-tip – If recording practice management systems, be sure to use a dummy account to protect sensitive data.)
- The power of AI – Use AI to turn audio to text and from text to a well organised SOP. There is no need to sit down to write with a blank page anymore.
Long-Term Benefits of Structured Training
Investing a small amount of time in structured training will pay off significantly. Your equipment will be set up correctly and swiftly, reducing delays that lengthen anaesthetic time, increasing patient risk and operational costs. Proper maintenance will extend the lifespan of your tools, increasing your return on investment (ROI), thus saving your practice money in the long run.
Take Action For Your Business
If you’d like to explore how Training-Progress can help you develop a robust, consistent training programme which maximises your ROI for your new equipment, click here to book a discovery call.