Corporate Focused FAQs

This article will walk you through corporate focused FAQs that will help you with your journey with Vetstoria.

We don’t have much time for new tech. How long does it take to get up and running?

Depending on the number of branches, the setup time may vary, but it typically takes 2 to 4 hours to set up a single clinic using Vetstoria. This includes a product demo to show you how we can customize Vetstoria to your practice. You will meet with our onboarding team, which consists of former veterinary nurses and practice managers. After completing the onboarding set-up form, they will work with your designated Vetstoria champions to get you set up.

We have multiple clinics - how does Vetstoria work for us?

It is easy to get multiple clinics set up on Vetstoria. We can set these branches up on the same account, or individually if you prefer. It will take us a bit longer to do this, as there will be different configurations for each clinic and multiple Vetstoria champions for us to train – but our team will support you every step of the way!

Will we lose our personal touch by moving to online booking?

No, you won’t lose your personal touch! The time you’ll save with Vetstoria enables you to add your personal touch where it is needed most. Your clients will easily book their routine appointments online, when it suits them; freeing up your staff and phone lines for more critical appointments and emergencies. So you can spend more time giving care and attention to those who really need it.

We have a complex booking procedure. How does Vetstoria manage this so we don’t lose control of our schedule?

Vetstoria was founded by veterinarians, so we understand the complexities of appointment scheduling and how this varies between practices. From the different systems and processes, through to the individual needs and preferences of clinicians – every practice is different! That’s why our clever scheduling and triaging system comes with over 80 different customizations; so you can completely control how and when clients can book appointments online. Our team of former vet nurses and practice managers will work with you to completely tailor Vetstoria for your practice.

Is there a delay when appointments are booked? How quickly do emergency block-offs appear in the system?

There is no delay, as Vetstoria is synchronized with your PMS in real-time. Appointments made via Vetstoria will appear immediately in your PMS, and emergency block-offs, or appointments booked directly into your PMS, will be immediately reflected in Vetstoria. So if a veterinarian is off sick, or you need to block your calendar for an emergency, you can simply update your PMS and Vetstoria will update itself accordingly.

Is there a possibility of double bookings on our calendar?

No, Vetstoria updates your calendars instantly, so appointments cannot be double booked. If two pet-owners attempt to book the same appointment slot, the user completing the process first will secure the appointment. The second user will be shown a message explaining that the selected slot is no longer available. This works the same way if your receptionist is booking an appointment in the clinic and another client booking one online – whoever completes the process first will secure the appointment.

Do we need to create a specific diary for online bookings?

No, you should not create a diary for your online booking appointments. Vetstoria is designed to integrate neatly with your clinician or consultation room diaries in order to serve your team in the most efficient way possible.

Can we prevent clients from booking emergencies online?

Yes, you can. Vetstoria is clever enough to detect particular words or appointments that may be an emergency. In these cases, it will inform the client that it appears to be an emergency and instruct them to call the clinic instead. The triggers you use for emergencies, and the messaging that you display, is completely customizable by you. For example; instead of showing a message that tells the client to call up, you may have another service you want to direct them to, or another clinic that tends to emergencies. You can easily add this information to make it nice and easy for the client to take the necessary steps.

Can we prevent our schedule from filling up with certain appointment types, like vaccinations and boosters?

Yes, you have complete control of your schedule! You can set the ‘maximum appointment count’ to limit how many vaccine appointments you take per day, and you can limit the days and times you accept different appointment types, and different clients. For example, you can prioritize sick pet appointments over vaccines, or prioritise returning clients over new clients.  You can also use the ‘reserved slot count’ to hold spaces for particular appointments, or the ‘gap to earliest slot’ feature to prevent clients from booking different appointments without enough advanced notice. You can also add emergency block-offs during the day, or if you want to keep the first appointment of every hour unavailable, we can set this up with an hourly pattern. These features combined give you complete control over who you see and when.

Can Vetstoria deal with veterinarians only seeing specific species or cases?

Yes it can! We recognize that like practices, clinicians also have individual ways of working. Some clinicians only take certain appointments, need more or less time with clients, or only see specific species or cases. We have a full array of customizations so that Vetstoria can meet the individual needs of your clinicians and their diaries.

How do I know that the account is configured to my specific requirements?

Our onboarding team is made up of former vet nurses and practice managers, who will guide you through the setup process to ensure that together we can clarify your needs and requirements. This will involve multiple account checks and tests to ensure you are satisfied before going live!

Can pet owners decide the duration of appointments?

No, pet owners cannot decide the duration of appointments. The duration of each appointment type and when it can be booked, is completely defined by you*. You can also set different durations for new or returning clients, or make customizations at the diary level, for clinicians who require more or less time with clients. For example, new client appointments or those being seen by trainee staff, may require a longer appointment. All of our customizations are designed to keep you completely in control of your clinic’s schedule while optimizing your workflow.

*This may be pre-defined by your Head Office in a standardized account set-up

How do our clients book their appointments online?

Once Vetstoria has been set up, there are multiple ways your clients can book online. You can embed Vetstoria in your website, add a floating button to your homepage, and add your online booking link to your social media channels and Google profile. You can also add personalized reminder links to your client communications, so they can simply click the link to make their booking. To see an example of how Vetstoria looks to clients visiting your website, try it yourself here.

Click and watch the video below to learn how to make an online appointment with Vetstoria

How do I cancel an appointment if the client calls in?

Vetstoria is completely integrated with your practice management software, so if the client calls in, you can easily remove or reschedule the appointment just as you usually would within your PMS. You will still need to inform the client of any changes you make to their appointment.

What happens when we go live with online booking?

Once you’re live, Vetstoria will work seamlessly with your practice management software, without any work required from your team! Your staff will continue to use the clinic software as usual, and easily see upcoming bookings made through Vetstoria within your PMS.

We have a shortage of vaccinations. What do we do in an emergency situation to manage and control online bookings?

Whether it's a global pandemic, a national vaccine shortage, or regional virus outbreak, our team is ready to help you keep your clients' adored pets with them when they visit your clinic. We have Best Practice guides that are available or may be customised to meet your needs thanks to our extensive experience in the veterinary industry.

Can I make ongoing changes to Vetstoria? What support is available if I need help?

Yes, we’ll ensure you’re familiar with the settings on your account so you can log in and update your setup whenever you need to. If you need support, your customer success agent will be available to assist you, or you can live-chat our customer support team. Our dedicated onboarding and customer success teams are on-hand to ensure you have help whenever you need it. Additionally, our knowledge base has lots of useful step by step tutorials if you need a quick refresher!

If you have any questions or if you need further help, please login to Vetstoria to chat with our team or use the Contact Support form linked at the top of this page.