The modern veterinary practice is operating under unprecedented operational pressure. Our latest Vet Pulse research—gathered from 162 U.S. veterinarians through our Vet Access community—reveals an industry struggling with clinic staff burnout, tight client budgets, and fierce competition.
Equipment, software, and service providers tend to focus on building the biggest and best product, but our research shows that as long as the specs and features meet the needs at a basic level, providers can differentiate themselves with service-related support. To win clinic loyalty, providers must become strategic operational partners, not just a vendor that delivers good products.
The Operational Squeeze: Retaining Staff and Maximizing Cost Efficiency
Our research highlights a dramatic shift in clinic priorities toward operational stability and staff retention:
- The Staffing Crisis: A clear majority of practice leaders rank reducing staff stress and retaining support staff as primary operational goals. Clinic leaders are actively searching for vendor solutions that remove daily friction for their techs and nurses.
- The Independent Strain: Small and independent practices are feeling squeezed on two fronts: competing with online retailers for medications and battling large corporate practices for clients and talent.
- Demand for Cost Guidance: Rather than looking for high-end feature upgrades, independent practices are asking their suppliers for direct help identifying cost-saving options and comparing budget-friendly alternatives.
Redefining Value: Where Specs End and Service Begins
When selecting equipment, software, and services, product specs are now just table stakes. Vets are looking past features to evaluate the full service system behind the brand.
- Service Over Quality: As long as a product meets a vet's basic needs, strong product support, knowledgeable technical staff, and solid warranties consistently rank higher in purchasing decisions than top-tier product specs—especially among smaller practices.
- The Training Imperative: Clinics are looking for vendors to take an active role in team onboarding, preferring partners who provide hands-on staff training to reduce operational anxiety.
- Evolving Purchasing Channels: Practice structure heavily influences how vets buy. While independent clinics rely heavily on sales representatives, larger corporate practices are migrating toward streamlined digital ordering portals.
Beyond the Data: Strategic Questions to Guide Your Strategy
While this study offers a snapshot of current practice pain points, it also surfaces critical questions for providers looking to defend and grow market share:
- Operational Efficiency: Where are clinics struggling in their day-to-day work and can your company help alleviate some of them to reduce burnout?
- Service Differentiation: How does your team's onboarding, technical support, and warranty stack up against competitors?
- Customer Relationship: How do you work better with the manufacturers or distributors to improve your relationship with your customers?
- Financing Options: What custom pricing, financing, or service bundles can you offer to protect independent clinic margins?
Let’s Review the Full Data Deck
Qlarity Access conducted this study to move past surface-level assumptions and help enterprise leaders build actionable growth strategies. The market is demanding consultative partners who elevate customer service—and the data shows exactly where providers are missing the mark.
We’re ready to share the full report with you and help you translate these findings into a concrete plan for your business. Let's review the findings together.
About VET Pulse
This post is a part of our Vet Pulse series. This series is a set of blogs posted about the insights from research conducted utilizing the Vet Access Community consisting of 28,000+ animal health professionals.