Manchester Cat Clinic

With Ellie Lee, Veterinary Surgeon & Director

Seamless Integration from Day One

“We had Digital Practice from day one,” said Ellie, the clinic’s founder. “It meant we could make the best use of it straight away, and clients immediately saw it as a benefit of choosing us.”

Launching with Digital Practice allowed Manchester Cat Clinic to avoid the disruption of introducing new systems post-launch. It enabled the team to immediately establish themselves as a modern, accessible practice.

Enhancing Client Communication

At the heart of Manchester Cat Clinic’s use of Digital Practice is seamless communication. Ellie explained:

“Day-to-day conversations with clients are so much easier. We can have back-and-forth chats about how their cat is doing, send updates on lab results, and even share pictures of their pets during their stay.”

Their pre-surgical communication process has also been transformed. Clients receive template reminders, consent forms, and instructions via WhatsApp. During procedures, the team sends photo updates and progress messages.

“Owners love getting a picture of their cat having lunch or relaxing,” Ellie shared. “It’s a small touch that makes a big difference.”

Standing Out in a Competitive Market

In a city where traditional practices dominate, Manchester Cat Clinic has used Digital Practice to stand out. Ellie highlighted how their accessibility sets them apart:

“With Digital Practice, we’re so much more accessible. Clients can WhatsApp us, book appointments online, and get quick responses. The area that we’re in has quite a young population, and people are very digitally aware. People are so used to using their phones for everything, so we really made sure from the get-go that they could book appointments online and WhatsApp us. That’s definitely helped quite a lot.”

Their approach resonates particularly well with their diverse clientele. Ellie explained:

“We’ve got a really diverse client base. We’ve got loads of clients where English isn’t their first language. In particular, we’ve got loads of clients who originally came from Hong Kong, and they’re much more comfortable speaking to us over WhatsApp because they can use it to translate. They find it a lot easier to communicate with us when their spoken English might not be quite as good as their written English, or they can translate things as they go along. That’s been a real help as well.”

Streamlining Workflow for Staff

Digital Practice has also improved the clinic’s workflow.

“It lets us work flexibly,” Ellie said. “Instead of setting aside 15 minutes for a phone call, we can send quick updates throughout the day.”

Features like open message threads and patient forms have been particularly valuable:

“We keep conversations open for as long as we need, and everything is saved to the patient’s record. The forms feature has also been a big help, from registration forms to detailed behaviour questionnaires for consults.”

Building Client Loyalty and Word of Mouth

The personal touch enabled by Digital Practice has boosted the clinic’s reputation and marketing.

“Clients rave about the photos and updates we send,” Ellie said. “They often share them in reviews or tell their friends. It’s been great for word-of-mouth marketing.”

Advice for Start-ups

Ellie’s advice for other start-up practices is simple:

“Do it. Get Digital Practice in place from day one. It’s helped us stand out, build client loyalty, and manage our workload. It’s been an asset from the very beginning.”

Manchester Cat Clinic’s success highlights how Digital Practice can empower new veterinary practices to thrive, delivering exceptional care and building strong client relationships from the start. A huge thank you to Ellie for speaking with us!