In a guest blog, Kayleigh Walker RVR, British Veterinary Receptionist Association (BVRA) Vice President and Danielle Bowers, BVRA Council Member, discuss the findings of a recent BVRA survey and the importance of enabling receptionists to complete CPD.
There are many ways for veterinary receptionists to efficiently gain and complete CPD, and it is important that the practice supports the learning and development of the front of house team, as they are vital in the customer journey.
Veterinary receptionists are not always provided with the opportunities to complete CPD that is relevant to their role, or if they are, they are often unsure of the time and allowance that they can receive to complete CPD. Looking back at the BVRA 2022 Survey, 64% of respondents said they wanted to do more CPD, and 35% said they are not encouraged to do CPD. Practices need to recognise the importance of CPD for their receptionists and the benefits this can bring not just to the reception team, but to the practice as a whole.
Increasing engagement in practice
CPD can help raise the engagement level with receptionists in practice, and those who have been invested in are more likely to work harder or go that extra mile for the practice. This is something we have seen within our own team: that CPD has led to improved colleague relationships across teams within the practice.
Receptionists who have an increased learning experience tend to take part in more in-depth conversations with clients and colleagues, and also don’t have to ask as many questions of the clinical teams, which reduces frustration when the clinical teams are busy. This not only increases the level of professionalism, but also leads to an enhanced client journey.
Clients appreciate a professional service, and those receptionists who regularly complete relevant CPD training are able to provide a higher level of customer service, as they have a better level of knowledge.
The client journey begins the moment the client calls or enters the practice, so it is important that receptionists have the best training possible to be able to give a positive first impression. Allowing your reception team to do CPD training allows them to feel invested in and supported. It can also encourage progression for staff and opens the doors to other possible career paths in the veterinary sector, whether this be becoming a student nurse, moving into a senior admin or practice manager role, or exploring other avenues.
Lack of resource
There are many barriers that veterinary receptionists face when seeking to complete CPD, and these are often money and time. 27% of respondents to the BVRA 2022 survey do not receive a CPD budget at all, and 23% said that lack of money is a barrier to being able to complete CPD. When looking at time allocated for CPD, 57% of respondents found that the practice they work at do not allocate specific time to complete any CPD, and 52% said that lack of time is a barrier.
It is important that time is made away from the desk and distractions for receptionists to complete CPD training so that they can get the most benefit from any courses they complete. Having a set annual budget in place for CPD will help remove further barriers to completing relevant CPD training. Monthly lunch and learn sessions are a popular way of introducing CPD training. Staff from other departments within the practice can speak to receptionists to help them learn about different subjects, or external speakers may be used, such as a pharmaceutical rep, as long as it is informative and not overly commercial.
Desire to learn
Many veterinary receptionists that we’ve spoken to have shared their desire to learn. There is so much to our role and things in practice are always changing, but by encouraging education, your team will be more knowledgeable and should find it easier to adapt to change.
“Teamwork makes the dream work”
Providing learning for your reception team doesn’t always have to cost; you can use team members in other departments within the practice to share their knowledge about certain subjects, which will not only support our veterinary education but also builds bonds between teams. “Teamwork makes the dream work” and if we all understood each other’s roles in practice, the working environment could be more positive and respectful. Job satisfaction and morale would increase, slowing down staff turnover and leading to happier employees – which means happier clients.
BVRA is a membership association committed to supporting the role of veterinary receptionists through training, education and development to improve the standards of welfare and communication within practice for both clients and colleagues. Find out more at www.bvra.co.uk
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